In a world increasingly filled with daily deceptions, one of the most nefarious lies we’ve been sold has to be that the packaged and labeled stuff in our supermarkets is even food.  We all know that the land of ultra-processed foods is fraught with physical health hazards – like that ominous red meat. But here's the shocker: even those seemingly virtuous products lurking on the shelves are silently sabotaging our mental health, conspiring with anxiety and depression, and the prime suspect ingredients in these are sugar and vegetable oils.

The Great Food Impersonators: sugar and vegetable oils have infiltrated our lives because the allure of ultra-processed foods is irresistible. They're designed to tantalise your taste buds while filling the pockets of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies. They are cheap, long-lasting, and crafted to hijack your hormones into begging for more. It's a win for them, but a colossal loss for us, leading to inflammation, blood sugar rollercoasters, brain damage, hormone havoc, and a drained battery – a perfect recipe for depression.

Let’s start with vegetable oil:

To understand why vegetable oils are so bad, check out the horror show that industrial seed oils extracted from soybeans, corn, rapeseed, cottonseed, and sunflower go through before they hit the plastic bottle: 

1. First the seeds are heated mercilessly. This generate AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) which are harmful compounds created when certain foods are cooked at high temperatures

2. The oil then undergoes a series of chemical reactions such as oxidation before going rancid

3. Next is pressing and treatment with a petroleum solvent 

4. Then comes refining: more heating, adding acid to remove waxy impurities

5. The oil is then showered with more chemicals to enhance the colour

6. The process is finished off with deodorizing to mask the chemical aroma

Mmmmm, delicious.

In a shocking revelation published in the journal Endocrinology, a report uncovers that the most commonly used cooking oil negatively impacts brain function. Soybean oil, found in everyday staples like sliced bread from leading brands potentially influences conditions from autism to alzheimer's, anxiety to depression.

Sunflower oil, is EVERYWHERE. If you check every product in your shopping basket, you can be sure to spot it. Sunflower oil not only emits toxic compounds when exposed to high temperatures but can also stir up inflammation when consumed in excess. It’s in most popular crisps and biscuits, but even sneaks into "healthy" products such as olives, packaged rice, and oatcakes.

Sugar – The Sweet Saboteur

 “When I see people with major depressive disorder, I check to see if their diets are high in sugar”
Katherine Basbaum, Clinical Dietitian

There isn't a single biochemical reaction in any animal cell that requires sugar. Yet, it's omnipresent and the majority of us are consuming far too much of it. From breakfast cereals and fruit juices to baked goods and pasta sauce, sugar is everywhere, and it's wreaking havoc. 

Excess sugar attaches to proteins in the bloodstream and also creates AGE’s. Studies also link a sugar-rich diet to cognitive decline, negative brain plasticity, and emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. 

Foods that may be perceived by some as nutritional are also loaded with sugar including low fat yoghurt, pre-made soup, granola and protein bars.

Sugar is said to be more addictive than cocaine which makes a lot of sense when you think about how difficult it can be to stop at one or two biscuits! Sugar “addiction” shares five of the eleven criteria for substance abuse disorder seen in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

As if it wasn’t hard enough managing our mental health, we don’t even get a break when we go food shopping! 

So what's the game plan?

As we become savvier consumers and seek a more holistic approach to our wellbeing, we must take charge of our health. We can't entrust our vitality to the whims of food manufacturers and supermarkets. It's time to become food detectives:

• Read the labels! Don't mindlessly load up your cart; scrutinise the ingredients. If it has more than five components or names you've never heard of, it might be better left on the shelf

• Go for alternatives like extra virgin olive oil, a superhero of the culinary world, boasting anti-inflammatory superpowers

• Satisfy your sweet tooth with healthier choices. Honey and coconut sugar make great alternatives.

In the battle against the supermarket seduction, stick to whole foods and whip up your own dishes so you know what’s in them. You don't need a PhD in food chemistry to understand broccoli. It's high time we take control of what we put in our shopping carts and ultimately, our bodies.