What specific foods are considered unhealthy?

Andrew Huberman highlights several specific foods and types of foods considered unhealthy due to their processing methods and ingredients:

1. Highly Processed Foods: Items like crackers and chips are often seen as unhealthy because they contain advanced glycation end products. These compounds form during high-heat processing, making these foods inflammatory and potentially leading to issues like skin inflammation and acne 1.

2. Foods High in Sugars and Fats: Particularly when carbohydrates are combined with fats in processed foods, they can initiate inflammatory responses and insulin pathway issues. This pairing is commonly found in many convenience foods, which can exacerbate health problems like acne 1.

3. School Cafeteria Foods: The food served in public schools often falls into the category of ultra-processed foods. These include items with long shelf lives and high fructose corn syrup content, which have been linked to obesity, poor academic performance, and depression among teenagers 2.

These insights underscore the importance of minimizing intake of highly processed and sugar-rich foods to avoid inflammation and other health issues.