Huel Shakes Up the Debate - Are Ultra-Processed Foods Really So Bad?
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This week's newsletter is a juicy one. For regular readers of Nutrition in 5, you may remember several weeks ago I challenged the Huel sponsorship of Diary of a CEO. This was a controversial topic as their sponsorship of the podcast had come under challenge for not clearly being labelled as such. For those who haven’t read that, you can find the link here (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/huel-ad-stirs-controversy-beyond-just-hidden-grace-hammond). In that episode, I detailed my concerns around Huel promoting its’ ultra-processed products as healthy when they are not. Earlier this week, Huel released an article challenging the idea that all ultra-processed foods are bad for you and claiming their ultra-processed products are a healthy choice.
A bit of background: The NOVA classification system of processed foods has 4 levels from 1 (‘unprocessed or minimally processed foods in their natural state’ such as fruits, vegetables and wholegrains) up to 4 (ultra-processed items that are ‘entirely altered’ from their natural state and ‘typically created using industrial techniques’). Huel’s products are classified as category 4, ultra-processed. The latest Huel article boasts about the benefits of processing foods including amplifying flavour, prolonging shelf-life and increasing the convenience of those items. Whilst that is accurate, it doesn’t mean it is good for our health. Huel also suggest that the NOVA system is floored and that their products are not unhealthy like many other ultra-processed items. They liken their products to other ‘healthy’ ultra-processed items such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts and nut milks to give the illusion that their items are good for you and being wrongly categorised by an overly simplistic classification system. The reality is that all those products, including Huel, are not healthy at all and can in fact damage our health. Unfortunately, these items are commonly mistaken as healthy choices due to clever marketing and lack of consumer knowledge (I once thought they were healthy too!).
The article then references an academic study in a way that could suggest there is a positive link between consuming ultra-processed items and the risk of cardiovascular disease. I read the study, it was published in 2019 in The British Medical Journal and results found that the consumption of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. You can view it here: BMJ Study 2019
Finally, as a last-ditch attempt by Huel to convince you their products aren’t bad for you, they draw an absurd comparison between the industrial processing of food into chemically and structurally unrecognisable items like theirs, with home ‘processing’ of wholefoods such as cutting and cooking your vegetables. Its brazen, I’ll give them that.
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You can check out the article below for more info.
Read Huel article here- Are Ultra-Processed Foods Actually Bad for You? – Huel
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Founder & Head of Strategy
1 年Why do you think it's bad Grace Hammond? You don't explain that in this article.
Bespoke coaching solutions for those audacious enough to want something better & courageous enough to do something about it. Business and Personal Coach ICF ACC | 1:1 | Group | Outdoor | Coaching | Nature’s Blueprint
1 年Really interesting read Grace and an important topic to think about. I found some of the claims in their article pretty brazen too and in some ways a fairly lazy defence. It sometimes feels in the food industry at the moment that ‘less bad’ is being pushed more than things that are actually good and nutritious and healing for us.
Head of Retail at Taylors Snacks (currently on mat leave)
1 年Great post Grace! Such an interesting debate and love hearing a Nutritionist POV on it. Nothing is better for us than unprocessed, natural, healthy foods. That is clearly a given. The challenge is consumers buy due to taste, cost and convenience. There is often a say-do gap on both health and sustainability path to purchase. I think this is where 'healthier' UPFs like Huel potentially come in as there is a definite need & demand to make what consumers are already buying healthier. I applaud Huel for having the debate, delving deeper into it and providing something that has got benefits Vs competitors that potentially offer zero nutritional benefit.