Junk food may be giving us brain damage, from ‘silent strokes’ to higher dementia risk

Toronto Star · Kevin Jiang · 2026-11-03 11:00 UTC

New studies link ultraprocessed food to cognitive problems, but growing food insecurity means many Torontonians have no other choice.

From hot dogs to soft drinks, white bread to sugar cereals, ultraprocessed foods have saturated the modern diet like grease through a paper takeout bag.

We know these foods aren’t particularly nutritious, but a growing body of evidence suggests they may be damaging our brains. Studies have linked ultraprocessed foods with heightened dementia risk, diminished cognitive function and even what’s known as “silent strokes.”

“There are many, many studies now,” said Dr. Sonia Anand, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at McMaster University. In October, she and her team published a paper linking ultraprocessed food consumption with vascular brain injury. “There are huge population implications.”

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