066 - Eat Fast, Stay Hungry: The Ultra-Processed Risk
Tactical performance starts at the table, but how often do we talk about food speed and satiety curves in the same breath as macros? This study shows that what food is made of is just as critical as how fast and how much of it we eat. Even when calories and macros are matched, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) cause faster eating and weaker fullness signals, a dangerous combo for those who rely on discipline, reaction time, and long-term readiness.
What They Found:
This study compared two isocaloric (same calorie) and macronutrient-matched meals—one made of ultra-processed foods, the other from unprocessed or minimally processed foods—in healthy adults.
Key Findings:
Participants ate significantly faster (grams/min and kcal/min) when the meal was ultra-processed.
They reported lower satiety and higher ongoing “capacity to eat” after consuming UPFs, even though fullness levels were initially similar.
Despite equal energy and macronutrient content, the sensory properties and structure of UPFs triggered less behavioral and physiological regulation.
In simple terms, ultra-processed meals led to overconsumption risk without triggering strong stop signals.
What This Means:
In the tactical space, where eating often happens in a rush or under stress, UPFs create a metabolic vulnerability. Even when macros are accounted for, the structure and processing of the food itself affects behavior. Faster eating paired with impaired satiety equals energy imbalance, weight creep, and reduced cognitive and physical sharpness over time. For operators, this isn’t just about health, it’s about mission impact.
Tactical Implications:
Slow the Intake Rate: Choose minimally processed foods that require more chewing and naturally slow eating speed (e.g., whole potatoes vs. chips).
Structure Your Meals: Focus on meal composition and texture, not just calorie targets. Whole food structure leads to more effective self-regulation.
Avoid UPFs When Time is Tight: High-speed meals + UPFs = silent overeating. Use pre-packed whole foods or pre-prepped meals instead.
Educate Your Team on Satiety Signals: Fullness isn’t just volume or calories—it’s also time and structure. Make this part of your readiness briefs.
Questions To Consider:
How often are your team’s meals rushed, processed, and overlooked as performance variables?
Are you seeing weight creep or energy crashes despite “clean” macros?
Could your performance nutrition be sabotaged by structure, not just substance?
How often are you eating UPFs without realizing it?
What systems do you have in place to slow down food intake and sharpen satiety awareness?
Galdino-Silva MB, Almeida KMM, Oliveira ADS, et al. A Meal with Ultra-Processed Foods Leads to a Faster Rate of Intake and to a Lesser Decrease in the Capacity to Eat When Compared to a Similar, Matched Meal Without Ultra-Processed Foods. Nutrients. 2024;16(24):4398. Published 2024 Dec 21. doi:10.3390/nu16244398