Health & nutrition Ultra processing laid bare
Can any processed foods be good for us? Nutritionist Corin Sadler takes a look
What counts as an ultra-processed foodstuff?
Most food we eat goes through some kind of processing. At its simplest we do this in our own kitchens, boiling rice or making chilli from scratch are all processing. Further up the processing scale things become more industrial. Refining grains like rice or wheat to create ‘white’ versions for example, stripping the grain of nutrients and fibre on the way. Beyond that we come to ultra-processing. A surprising amount of the food available to us sits in this category, which can generally be defined as food with an ingredient list containing a long list of additives you wouldn’t include if you made it yourself at home. It may be surprising to learn that many everyday staples, such as bread, cereals, cheese and milk alternatives and meat substitutes, sit squarely in this category.
Food supplements too can sit in this category. While processing is usually necessary to some degree, highly coloured and flavoured vegan chewy gummies are often stacked full of additives and excipients (inactive substances), and frequently aimed at children’s health, but increasingly adults too.
Why should we avoid ultra-processed foods?
Ultra processed foods tend to be higher in sugar, and or sweeteners, saturated fat and calories too and are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health, diabetes, cancer, obesity and depression. Children with a lifetime of exposure are even more at risk of these detrimental effects.
Childhood consumption of ultra processed foods is linked to asthma and cardio-metabolic changes, paving the way to heart disease, insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver and more. Artificial preservatives used in some food supplements, such as sodium benzoate, are linked to childhood behavioural issues and hyperactivity.
Ultra processed foods often have very little or no nutritional benefit. Relying on them reduces our intake of nutrients including beneficial phytonutrients, omega-3 fats and vitamins and minerals necessary for health and wellbeing, as well as their inherent vitality.
How can we go about spotting ultra-processed foods and supplements?
Most foods in the supermarket aisles are processed or ultra processed. Unless choosing wholegrains, dried beans and lentils, fresh fruit and vegetables, you can assume it’s processed. H
