I am always trying to improve my diet, but avoiding UPF's looks really difficult. I think I'd starve to death.Ultra-processed foods usually contain ingredients that you wouldn’t add when cooking homemade food. You may not recognise the names of these ingredients as many will be chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives. The most commonly eaten ultra-processed foods in the UK are:
Industrialised bread (11%)
Pre-packaged meals (7.7%)
Breakfast cereals (4.4%)
Sausages and other reconstituted meat products (3.8%)
These are closely followed by the expected confectionery (3.5%), biscuits (3.5%), pastries, buns and cakes (3.3%) and industrial chips (2.8%). Soft drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juices make up 2.5% of the average calorie intake. Salty snacks, including Britain’s beloved crisps, make up 2% of our calories, as do sauces, dressings and the Sunday favourite, gravy (2.1%).
More surprising to some will be what is included in the 3% of calories that the average person eats from “other ultra-processed foods”. This includes baked beans, tinned soups, meat alternatives, soy and drinks used as dairy milk substitutes.
It can be tricky to identify food that has been ultra-processed because in some cases the same type of food could be minimally processed, processed or ultra-processed, depending on how it’s been made. For example:
Bread made from wheat flour, water, salt and yeast is processed, but add emulsifiers or colourings and it becomes ultra-processed.
Plain oats, corn flakes and shredded wheat are minimally processed, but when the manufacturer adds sugar, flavourings or colourings, they become ultra-processed breakfast cereals.
Plain yoghurt is minimally processed, but add sweeteners, preservatives, stabilisers or colourings and it becomes ultra-processed.
When food has been processed, studies show that the nutrient availability in the small intestine is affected. This is because the plant properties and animal cells have been altered. Issues arise when ultra-processed foods begin replacing unprocessed and minimally processed foods, which contain vital nutrients, in your diet. A whopping 56% of the calories that the average person in the UK eats come from ultra-processed foods.
Breakfast looks a struggle, typically I'd have cereal. Whats left? Porridge, fruit or an egg?
Wouldnt the majority of bread sold be UPF? So thats toast and most lunches f*cked.
Dinner not too bad, plenty of options there.
