How do processed foods affect satiety?

Processed foods have a significant negative impact on satiety primarily due to the presence of emulsifiers. These emulsifiers strip away the mucosal lining of the gut, causing the neurons that innervate the gut to retract. This structural damage prevents the deployment of satiety signals like CCK, which are crucial for shutting down hunger signals. As a result, you may end up eating more highly processed foods without your body being able to accurately gauge the quantity of nutrients being consumed. Additionally, highly processed foods can also impair your gut's capacity to measure the levels of amino acids, sugars, and fatty acids in other, less processed foods 1.

Moreover, processed foods have broader implications on health. They not only increase weight gain but also disrupt the gut lining in a way that interferes with proper hormone signaling for satiety. The increased consumption of these foods is linked to a greater general calorie intake and can contribute to significant health issues such as diabetes over time 2.

Switching to whole foods can help repair the damage caused by processed foods, reinstating the body's natural ability to send and receive correct satiety signals, ultimately leading to better health and weight management.