If you are fond of sugary drinks, processed meats, or other snack foods, you may want to re-evaluate your food choices, according to scientists at Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University.

Their research found that eating large amounts of ultra-processed food was linked to more adverse mental health symptoms, including more depression, anxiety, and “mentally unhealthy days.”

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics defines processed food as “food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving or preparing in different ways.”

Processed foods are not automatically unhealthy, they say. It depends on the degree of processing.

However, the study authors note that ultra-processing of food depletes nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, while increasing calories, sugar, saturated fat, and salt.

Previous research has found links between low-nutrient, high-sugar diets and depression, so the researchers wanted to study whether eating larger amounts of ultra-processed foods might be associated with more symptoms of mental illness.