Ultra Processed Foods
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If you take a look in your kitchen cupboard right now, the chances are that you have at least one ultra processed food. Processed foods are hard to miss in modern society but ultra processed foods, or UPFs, are the ones to watch out for. We spoke to our Head of Nutrition Dr Becky Townsend to find out more about what they are and how to avoid them.
What are ultra processed foods?
Ultra processed foods are classified on the Nova scale which puts all food into four categories:
Group 1 - Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
Group 2 - Processed culinary ingredients
Group 3 - Processed foods
Group 4 - Ultra-processed food and drink
Ultra processed foods (UFPs) are energy dense but micronutrient poor and are the types of foods we typically think of as ‘bad’ or ‘unhealthy’. They’re not the products we should be reaching for on a daily basis for every meal but in moderation, they can be okay for you.
Dr Becky says:
“I think we have to be realistic with [ultra processed foods] in today’s food environment and society and how easily accessible they are. I think a lot of us could benefit from increasing our education and our knowledge. If we know that information, we can make informed decisions on how much we want to eat or how much we want to avoid.”
Are processed foods bad?
In today’s world, most of the food we eat has been processed. In many cases, it needs to be. But that doesn’t make it bad. Some things like milk, for example, need to be processed (or pasteurised) in order for it to be safe for us to consume.
It’s the ultra processed foods that can lead to problems with our gut microbiome and cause disease. These types of foods are so processed that they no longer represent the original food that they came from. It’s ingredients that you can’t pronounce or can’t easily stock in your kitchen cupboard.
Many of the foods that fall into group 3 - the ‘processed’ foods - are in there because they have been processed to extend their shelf life. It’s things like tinned fruit, canned fish, breads and cheeses. You could eat these foods fresh but the preservatives, which make them processed, allow for them to be transported and stored for longer. These foods are quite different in nutritional value to the ultra processed foods like crisps, fizzy drinks and cookies in group 4.
“We should always have a food first approach, where we’re trying to get nutrients from real food,” says Dr Becky. “We want to focus on whole foods and processed foods and try to minimise ultra processed foods.”
What are the dangers of ultra processed foods?
When we talk about ultra processed foods being energy dense but nutrient deficient, we mean that they are:
Higher in saturated and trans fats
Higher in sugar and salt
Lower in protein and fibre
They’re also hyper palatable and don’t make us feel very full, which means we could eat them nearly endlessly.
“When we eat UFPs, our body gets a mismatch in the signal between how much energy and what nutrients it should contain. Our body is then confused when it doesn’t receive those nutrients. It might be why we consume more of these foods - because our body’s trying to get more of those nutrients.”
Ultra processed foods have been shown to affect our gut microbiome. Emulsifiers and preservatives can damage our gut by disturbing the delicate balance of bacteria. That can lead to things like inflammation, IBS, flatulence, leaky gut, stomach pain, diarrhoea and constipation.
There’s also a link between how ultra processed foods have a negative impact on our hormones too.
How do you identify ultra processed foods?
Most of us know what types of food are ultra processed: crisps, doughnuts, cakes and sugary cereals.
As well as remembering that ultra processed foods are ones that do not resemble the whole food that they came from, you can also identify them from these types of ingredients and characteristics:
They come in a packet
They contain flavour enhancers, colourings, bulking agents, anti-caking agents, defoaming agents, emulsifiers, thickening agents, etc
They are moulded into a particular shape
You can’t pronounce the ingredient, don’t recognise it or couldn’t easily have it in your kitchen cupboard
Remember, little and often, ultra processed foods are okay to consume. Be kind to yourself remembering just how readily these types of products are available. Where possible, try to eat as many whole foods as you can and set a standard of cooking from scratch before you reach for something out of a packet.
Follow the 80 20 rule. Reach for whole foods first and try to stick to the more processed and ultra processed foods when you really need something quick and convenient.
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