Food processing influences metabolism and brain activity

Virginia Tech researchers found that meals with identical nutritional content but different levels of processing produced distinct metabolic and brain responses in healthy adults, with ultraprocessed meals triggering greater insulin release, higher energy expenditure, and different activity in brain reward systems. The findings suggest that food processing itself—beyond basic macronutrients—influences how the body and brain respond to food, potentially explaining why ultraprocessed foods are associated with overconsumption and long-term health problems. The study was published in Nature Metabolism.