New study claims to have evidence that the body recognizes processed food differently and can't use it as efficiently as whole food. There have been studies/ theories that suggested the body can't process diet sodas efficiently because they send mixed signals to the brain. This study used a modest sample size on a strictly monitored diet and came to a similar conclusion.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-new-theory-of-obesity“We’ve gone in with this cavalier attitude, that a calorie is a calorie, but a lot of foods have unintended consequences,” she says. “For example, in the natural world, carbohydrates almost always come packaged with fiber, whereas in ultraprocessed foods, fiber is either not there at all or included in a form not found in nature.
And it is rare to find carbohydrates and fat in the same food in nature, but ultraprocessed foods tend to have both in one package. We’ve created all these hyperpalatable foods filled with fat, sugar, salt and additives, and we clearly prefer these foods. But these foods don’t necessarily provoke satiety. What they seem to provoke is cravings.”
