Ultra-processed foods: are they addictive? The message is a bit more complicated.

The PEN team was made aware of recent interest in the role of emulsifiers and gut microbiome and health. Dietary emulsifiers help to combine or stabilize substances that usually don’t stay together when mixed. They affect a food’s appearance, texture and shelf-life and are commonly found in processed and ultra-processed foods such as margarine, mayonnaise and salad dressings, sauces, nut butters, chocolate products, milk and dairy including ice cream products and commercially made baked goods.

Consumer eating habits and resultant diet quality has changed over the years. Individuals are eating away from home more often and are eating more processed and ultra-processed foods which contain lower levels of iodized salt. At the same time, consumers are decreasing their intake of iodized table salt (a major source of iodine) and opting for non-iodized salt options, including kosher, Himalayan pink or sea salt that contain little to no iodine. Concerns have been raised that iodine supplements may be needed to prevent mild to moderate iodine deficiencies that have been increasing.

This toolkit provides an overview of the Gastrointestinal System - Inflammatory Bowel Disease Knowledge Pathway that includes a description of the key nutrition issues, nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention and monitoring/evaluation and client and professional resources.

A synthesis of the recommendations and evidence regarding the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

  2024-11-19 – Summary of Recommendations and Evidence