2026/04/11 by Zach Hutelin, Monica Ahrens, Mary Elizabeth Baugh +4 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · Nursing · #Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques #Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling #Nutrition, Genetics, and Disease
paper · doi:10.64898/2026.04.10.26350599
openalex publication_date 2026/04/11 · openalex created_date 2026/04/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14
Abstract Dietary patterns worldwide have shifted toward increased consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), which has been linked to higher disease burden. One mechanism proposed to impact both their consumption and contribution to metabolic disease is altered post-ingestive metabolic response in comparison to nutritionally similar foods. Here, we recruited 57 healthy-weight 18-45-year-old adults to examine the effects of food processing on postprandial metabolism and brain response. Despite nutritional matching, UPF meals evoked a greater insulinemic and energetic response with attenuated carbohydrate oxidation relative to non-UPF meals. Next, between-condition differences in peak carbohydrate oxidation were associated with mesolimbic and superior temporal gyrus activation in response to food cues. Finally, although food value did not differ between conditions, brain responses correlated with food valuation were positive for non-UPF but negative for UPF in visual cortex and striatum. These findings demonstrate that food processing influences post-ingestive metabolism in a way that could help explain long term health effects and differences in food reward through mechanisms beyond calories and macronutrient composition alone.