PROCESSED FOOD
Ultra-processed foods now make up 57 per cent of the UK diet – and the risks are becoming ever more evident. Author of Sunday Times bestseller Unprocess Your Life, Rob Hobson shares how to recognise UPFs and how to make healthier choices.
Q WHAT ARE ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS?
There is no ag reed definition of an ultra processed food. However, they generally have five or more ingredients and can’t be created at home. They include additives and ingredients such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours and flavours. These foods also have a long shelf life and are manufactured to be convenient, cheap and hyper-palatable, which means they are easy to over-consume.
Q WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROCESSED AND ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS?
There are several categories of processed foods, which is why it's a little confusing. Minimally processed foods are those that have undergone small changes to their natural state to preserve their shelf life while retaining their nutritional properties. This includes frozen vegetables, tinned pulses in water, parboiled grains, or pasta (made from flour and water).
Processed culinary ingredients are from nature and obtained by processes such as mining, refining, pressing and extracting. This includes salt, sugar, butter, honey, maple syrup and olive oil. Processed foods therefore are created by adding salt, oil, sugar and other processed culinary ingredients to minimally processed foods. This includes canned vegetables in brine, salted nuts, canned fish in brine, freshly made unpackaged bread and cheese. Other ready-made foods would fall into this category such as fresh ready-made sauces, shop-bought items like salads (no dressing) and convenience meals that contain natural ingredients with no additives.
Q SHOULD I AVOID ALL ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS?
There is no need to avoid them altogether as this is probably not a realistic or sustainable approach long-term. It's important to approach the topic of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) without overly simplifying it as a matter of “eat this, not that”. Food choices are influenced by various factors, including budget and convenience, which are not always within an individual's control. For instance, suggesting homemade bread or expensive sourdough as alternatives to packaged bread may not be feasible for ever yone. Such recommendations could even impact their overall nutritional intake if bread is a staple in their diet, which is one argument around such nutrient-dense UPFs. Instead, it's about finding solutions; in this instance it could be to bake just one loaf a week alongside your other packaged bread, make other homemade bread options such as wraps and pitta, which are quicker to prepare, or simply compare the labels to find the best one you can within your budget and focus your en
