Ultra Processed Foods
UPFs - how much should we worry?
UPFs! We hear about them everywhere, so how worried should we be? It is a question I am asked about more and more, so I thought I would write a short(ish) blog to help offer my measured view as a registered dietitian and employee health expert.
First we need to look at what even if a UPF. There is actually not really an internationally recognised one simple definition. Most studies refer to the NOVA classification. This ranks foods according to differing levels of processing. The one that is causing most concern is the Ultra Processed Foods category. There are drawbacks around the categorisation as it deals solely with processing and does not take into account the food or nutritional content and as all nutrition professionals know, nutrition is very nuanced.
Essentially it is where the food has undergone significant processing and modification from its original form and contains ingredients not usually found in a home kitchen.
The processing of foods has been around for decades, many foods are processed to a greater or lesser extent. This has benefits in terms of safety (prolonging shelf life and reducing risk of bacteria) and is a helpful addition to make our lives a bit easier (most of us cannot spend all our time in the kitchen! Processing also helps the stability of products (emulsifiers stop foods like mayonnaise splitting).
For example a fresh tomato is un-processed, tinned tomatoes are processed but are considered minimally processed whereas tomato ketchup would be ultra processed (though it may depend on the brand and what ingredients are included).
If we think about what foods we eat that are highly processed, many of these foods would include things like shop bought biscuits, cakes, chocolate, savoury snacks and jars of sauces/ready meals. These are what we consider the High Fat High Sugar foods and may also be high in salt. These are the foods that we should already be trying to eat less of. From this perspective, I think it is good to try and limit these foods as this is already part of healthy eating advice.
I also think it is great that we step back and think about what we are eating, become more aware of the impact of processing and additives but also to look at it holistically. There is some evidence around the role of some of these foods however it is difficult to determine whether it is the foods themselves or the fact that the highest consumption is liked to poorer health outcomes but also poorer diet quality. SO, a diet high in UPFs will often be high in fat, sugar and salt and less nutritious. There is more ongoing work in this area which is great as this is still an emerging area of interest.
As a healthcare professional I have concerns that there is a (particularly on social media among those who do not have nutrition or dietetics degrees) a growing demonisation of ALL foods that are considered UPFS and this leads to a lot of stigma and guilt. It is very difficult to avoid all UPFs and those who berate others for consuming UPFs are not being particularly helpful. Mostpeople cannot afford to buy a lovely wholegrain sour dough artisan loaf or take the time to bake one. Most people have busy lives and may have a family to feed or have limited budget, limited time and access to foods. Health conditions and other demands can further impact, I work with many shift workers and those working on sites with limited facilities and I am very well aware of the challenges they face.
I find it useful to look at UPF in the context of foods and their nutritional profile not just the UPFs. Some of the foods that have recently been highlighted include wholemeal, bread, baked beans, fish fingers and yogurts.
These have some great nutritional benefits. For example wholemeal, and particularly wholemeal seeded bread contains an excellent source of fibre. Some breads will be less processed than others and if you are priviliged to be able to spend the time baking your own, then please go right ahead but please do not feel guilty if you can't (or maybe your children won't eat what you have spent hours baking).
My take home top tips:
😊Where possible cook meals from scratch
😊Have less of the high fat high sugar foods (both UPFs and unprocessed)
😊Consider the overall quality of the diet (does it include plenty of fruit and vegetables for example)
😊Including some UPFs is OK
