Junk Food and the Brain

How modern diets lacking in micronutrients may contribute to angry rhetoric

Our brains require a broad range of micronutrients that many people are not getting. The result: their brains are starving.mamaza/Shutterstock

Emotional, nonrational, even explosive remarks in public discourse have escalated in recent years. This is sometimes attributed to social media. But are there other influences altering communication styles?

As researchers in the field of nutrition and mental health, and authors of “The Better Brain,” we recognize that many people in our society experience brain hunger that impairs their cognitive function and emotion regulation.

Ultra-Processed Products

Obviously, we aren’t deficient in macronutrients: North Americans tend to get sufficient protein, fats (though usually not the best fats), and carbohydrates (usually not the good complex carbs). But we are being cheated of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins), particularly those who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods.