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Since they are absolutely everywhere you look, it is almost impossible to avoid ultra-processed foods.
Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson, and author of Unprocess Your Life, believes we shouldn’t demonize food and divide our diet into ‘good and bad’ per se.
However, he agrees that there are some UPFs that make the exception.
From seriously sugary breakfast cereals to tastier snacks you just can’t put down, hereSir. Hobson suggests you can make simple swaps to lower the amount of UPFs you eat.
From seriously sugary breakfast cereals to more salty snacks you just can’t put down, there are processed foods we should consider swapping for a healthier choice
Chocolate breakfast cereal
Cereals loaded with sugary chocolate are ‘more like pudding’ than something you should start your day with, Mr Hobson said.
For example, a 30g bowl of Kellogg’s Coco Pops is packed full of 5.1g of sugar. Collar similarly contains 7.8 g.
Health chiefs recommend cutting added sugar to no more than 30g a day because too much can lead to tooth decay and weight gain.
It is the high amount of sugar and the soft texture that makes these breakfast cereals easy to overconsume in a short time, explains Mr Hobson.
“This is characteristic of UPFs,” he said. “In some cases, this rapid breakdown of the food can bypass hunger/fullness signals in the gut.”
Despite many cereals containing a huge amount of sugar and sitting in the UPFs category, whole grains can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fiber and B vitamins, says the NHS
Despite many cereals containing a huge amount of sugar and sitting in the UPFs category, whole grains can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fiber and B vitamins, says the NHS.
Even chocolate-flavored cereals contain some added B vitamins. This means they are nutrient dense UPFs.
But Mr Hobson says you’ll still be better off choosing less sugary cereals.
‘I agree that they can offer something nutritious to the diet, but in this case it may be about choosing the healthiest UPF, which would be one that contains fewer ingredients and is higher in fiber and lower in salt and sugar.
‘I would also top it with nuts, seeds and banana to add some texture,’ he said.
Making this swap will help you feel full between meals, and it will also have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels, he explains.
Nutritionists divide foods into three groups based on the amount of processing they have undergone. Minimally processed foods, like apples, are usually exactly as they appear in nature. Processed foods, like applesauce, have undergone at least one level of processing that has changed their original form. In contrast, ultra-processed foods like apple jelly babies have undergone multiple levels of processing and are usually full of added fats, colors and preservatives
Processed meat
Bacon, hot dogs, canned corned beef and salami can all be processed meats — a food category that has been demonized for decades.
Yet they are also UPFs and generally high in fat and salt.
Although it is a good source of protein and can form part of a balanced diet, eating too much processed meat increases your risk of bowel cancer, warns the NHS.
‘Even though before the attention to UPFs, these foods like ham and salami have been shown to increase our risk of colorectal Cancer when eaten in excess,’ said Mr Hobson.
For a healthier swap, he suggests replacing processed meats with plant proteins or lean poultry such as chicken or turkey.
Crisps
We don’t need to cut chips out of our diet entirely, insists Mr Hobson… but more regular chips might be the best solution.
Some salty snacks and chips are designed to make it almost impossible to put down.
For example, Pringles promises that ‘once you pop, you just can’t stop’.
“It takes a lot of ingredients to make these savory snacks,” Mr Hobson said. “And the very design of them means they fit easily into your mouth and are very flavorful with a dissolving mouthfeel that makes it hard to stop eating.”
Instead, if you’re really craving the salty snack, he suggests it’s better to swap it out for ‘good quality crisps that are just a little bit salty’.
This is because ordinary salted chips and snacks usually do not contain extra additives, flavor enhancers and emulsifiers.
Some salty snacks and chips are designed to make it almost impossible to put down. But more common chips could be a healthier swap
Sliced melted cheese
Next time you want to make a cheese sandwich, use slices of real cheese and not processed squares, advises Mr Hobson.
Milk and dairy products, including cheese, are a great source of protein and calcium and can form part of a balanced diet, says the NHS.
But Mr Hobson says it’s best to stick to ‘real cheese’ such as cheddar, feta and brie.
That’s because, while processed cheese slices still contain calcium, they are “filled with emulsifiers used to give them the desired texture”.
“I would say just stick to real cheese slices to get the nutritional benefits of a more natural less processed product,” he added.
Fizzy drinks
While it’s fine as an occasional treat, if you lean toward soda every day, you might want to consider a healthier swap.
“Whether they’re made with sugar or artificial sweeteners, I’d still try to have them as an occasional drink or leave them out of your diet altogether,” Mr Hobson said.
He explains that there is research that suggests drinking too many sodas can affect your gut bacteria and even lead to glucose tolerance.
“There is research to suggest that artificial sweeteners such as sucralose can affect the diversity of bacteria in the gut,” said Mr Hobson.
“Additional research suggests that long-term use of artificial sweeteners may affect the body’s ability to manage glucose, affecting insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, although more research is needed here,” he added.
Instead, he suggests sticking to sparkling water with added fruit, vegetables and herbs, such as cucumber or rosemary, to give it some flavor.
Prepackaged cakes and muffins are high in saturated fat and sugar, and their long shelf life means they also have a very long ingredient list
Prepackaged cakes and muffins
We all know that cake is an occasional treat full of sugar and fat. But prepackaged cake is even worse.
Sir. Hobson warns that prepackaged desserts are high in saturated fat and sugar, and that their long shelf life means they also have a very long ingredient list.
Those ingredient lists include as many as five emulsifiers, along with stabilizers and gelling agents, he explains.
“There is some research to suggest that emulsifiers may affect gut health, but more research is needed,” he added.
However, it would be hard to argue that any of these prepackaged cakes are good for you.
“It’s hard to find any sweet pastry in the supermarket that isn’t UPF, so short of making your own, I’d suggest choosing a healthier sweet like a pressed fruit and nut bar like Nakd.”