JERUSALEM, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli study has found that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods raises the chance of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure, the University of Haifa (UH) in northern Israel said on Sunday.
The study also found that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of excess lipids in the blood (hyperlipidemia), the UH noted.
Furthermore, these foods also raise the risk of inflammation among people suffering from fatty liver disease, especially among smokers, it added.
Ultra-processed foods usually come in sealed packages and contain additives to enhance the products' taste or extend their shelf life, such as various sugars, oils and fats.
In a study published in the journal Liver International, researchers from the UH and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Medical Center and the University of Washington in Seattle have found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) by about 1.5 times.
It also doubles the chance of having a metabolic syndrome, conditions that increase the chance of diabetes, stroke, heart disease and vascular disease, according to the study.
"The findings reinforce the importance of consuming household unprocessed foods, along with reducing the consumption of packed ready-to-eat foods and beverages," the researchers concluded.
