We all know junk food is bad – but a new study shows just how toxic it really is.
Recent articles have converged to paint a horrifying picture of Americans’ increasingly ultra-processed diets and likely brain damage from the microplastics that saturate many foods, especially “fast food” from take-out restaurants. The US leads the world in junk food consumption, and microplastics may account for rising rates of obesity, depression, anxiety, and dementia. These findings are reinforced by the May 22 MAHA Commission Report, which identifies food toxins as a prominent contributor to the alarming spike in disease in US children.
Plastic Toxins in Food
Almost everything humans eat is now tainted with microplastics, especially phthalates, which are esters of phthalic acid used as plasticizers to enhance the flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity of plastic. These are present in a wide range of products, including cosmetics and paints, but they are also absorbed in food through packaging and processing – tubing, conveyor belts, and gloves used in food service all contribute. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors that adversely impact hormonal functions. Additional chemicals in plastic include bisphenols such as BPA (bisphenol-A) and PFAS. Very few studies have examined the effects of microplastics on human health.
Ultra-processed junk food generally contains higher levels of microplastics due to its packaging, additives, and exposure to processing equipment. Fast-food restaurants increase contamination by using plastic gloves, plasticizers in to-go containers, and additional packaging to improve production efficiency. Microwaving plastics also amplifies exposure, as alleged in a recently filed class action lawsuit against Ziploc that asserts the company misled consumers about the dangers of heating its products in food preparation.
Few regulations restrict these chemicals in food production, and manufacturers are not required to test for them routinely. Consumer Reports tested nearly 100 foods and measured bisphenols and phthalates, often at high levels, in almost all samples. Fast foods were particularly high in plasticizers: Junk food is well named. USA Today reported in 2021 that over 80% of foods tested contained a phthalate called DnBP, and 70% contained the phthalate DEHP. Many of these toxins collect in the human brain.
A Strain on the Brain
A May 20, 2025, article in The Brain Medicine Journal titled “Microplastics and mental health: The role of ultra-processed foods” warns:
“A recent umbrella review in The BMJ—including nearly 10 million participants—found that people who consumed ultra-processed foods had a 22% higher risk of depression, 48% higher risk of anxiety, and 41% higher risk of poor sleep outcomes, among numerous adverse physical health outcomes. On the contrary, evidence has demonstrated that those who adhere to a nutrient dense diet, primarily of unprocessed foods, are at a lower risk of adverse mental health outcomes.”
This dovetails with the May 22 MAHA Commission Report, which avers that “Nearly 70% of children’s calories now come from UPFs, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.” Despite widespread pre-release criticism of the report, its conclusions are difficult to ignore. One section (page 24), headed “The Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods and the Vital Role of Whole Foods in Children’s Health,” determined:
“As the consumption of UPFs has surged, children are increasingly neglecting the whole foods essential for their health. Research also consistently links diets centered on whole foods to lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and mental illness.”
Junk Food Crisis
A separate May 20 article in Brain Science stridently warned that overwhelming scientific evidence is raising alarms about microplastics in junk food and their threat to human health:
“Ultra-processed foods—now comprising over 50% of energy intake in countries like the United States—contain exponentially more microplastics than whole foods. Chicken nuggets… harbor 30 times more microplastics per gram than chicken breasts. The microwave heating of plastics releases millions of particles within minutes.”
As proposed by the MAHA Commission Report and this recent collection of scholarly papers, more studies of the effects of microplastics on human health are urgently required to assess their health impacts, especially in food supplies. In the meantime, scientists advise favoring tap water or glass bottles over plastic bottled water, refraining from heating food in plastic, and avoiding ultra-processed junk food – especially fast food.
Medical equipment also contains microplastics, as do facemasks. California and other states have tried banning plastic bags at grocery stores, but evidence suggests contaminants are still seeping into the groceries. Junk food may look and taste good, but anybody with a brain must recognize just how dangerous it can be.
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