Peter Attia

And the problem is you're going to end up eating more of it in terms of calories because of the very nature of the product they're trying to sell you.

So clearly this is a problem.

We can't have these foods around because we can't eat them in moderation.

We're going to overeat them.

This is one thing we can agree on.

Overconsumption of calories always leads to bad things relative to what your needs are.

So again, that number is variable by individual, but for any given individual, eating more than they require leads to physiologic harm.

So by that logic, why are we having this discussion?

Why don't we just get rid of ultra processed foods?

You've given me so much to work with.

My favorite example of this is natural sugar versus processed sugar, which is, I don't know if the people who say this are ignorant of what fructose and glucose are or if it's deliberate marketing shenanigans.

But in defense of the argument that ultra-processed foods must be worse...

If you look at the ingredient list, David, the sheer number of molecules there would suggest we're playing Russian roulette here.

I don't recognize half the names of the things on the bag of Doritos.

I'm making that up.

I haven't looked at a bag of Doritos in a while.

Maybe not a great example.

You could certainly find an ultra-processed food at the grocery store in which you cannot comprehend 50% of what's in it.

That's right.

And you don't really know the dose either because the only thing that the FDA requires is that you list them in order of abundance.