Ultra-Processed Foods - What's all this then?

UPF’s – What are they?

So, you know those convenient packaged meals and snacks we all love to grab? Well, they're often loaded with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and tonnes of artificial stuff that can seriously mess with our well-being. Not particularly cool, right?

Here's the thing: UPFs are everywhere! They dominate our supermarket shelves and fast-food joints. In fact, and I’m in tears of despair as I write this… over 75% of the food on offer in the UK is UPF…….what-the-hell-man??

Here’s how you spot them (typically):

- Usually wrapped in plastic

- Ingredients list as long as your arm with stuff you’ve never heard of ?(or as Chris VT recommends ‘ingredients you wouldn’t find in a domestic kitchen’).

- May have a BS marketing claim like ‘No added Sugar’ ???- pahaha.

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So what??

Naturally, there’s twitter warfare ongoing between food activists and the BIG Food Multinationals regarding ‘proof’ of the detriments of UPF to our health but it’s starting to become very clear that excessive UPF consumption is linked to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, the dreaded cancer and even depression.

They often lack the essential nutrients and fibre, leaving us feeling unsatisfied and craving more (WHAT A BUSINESS MODEL!!)??Plus, all those funky chemicals and preservatives can do a number on our gut health.

Now, I'm not saying we should banish all UPFs from our lives forever. OMG No! ?It's very very hard to escape them completely, and that's okay! We're all human, and sometimes we just need that quick fix. I know I do!???*searches frantically for the custard creams*

But we should definitely swap them out however much we realistically can to whole, unprocessed foods. Think fresh fruit and veg, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.?This will make a huge difference to your health and mood.

To put it in perspective, The UK’s average diet is over 60% UPF whereas the Italians have it at roughly 13%.?No wonder they look so good!??

I’m not even gonna mention the Americans lol.

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Ah right, yes that’s not great. Any tips?

OK here's the secret sauce— Small, gradual changes to the way you think about food and change your food environment at home/work.??

1) Imagine you’re a high performance car, start putting in more of the good fuel!?

2) If you don’t buy as much UPF at the supermarket, they won’t be at home for you to sneak off and have a munch on.?

3) Cook a few more dinners from scratch each week… you won’t believe the difference. Make food more of a focal point at home, embrace a food culture, don’t just see mealtimes as a chore.

4) Don’t go BIG BANG!?It’s super hard. Life's too short and quite frankly, I love a takeaway when I’ve had a hard week.??However… let's be mindful and strive for balance. It's about making conscious choices and embracing a real food mindset whenever possible.

You haven’t mentioned kids yet….

Now, the part close to my heart. ?If you’re a parent or carer of a little one, they are most likely going to eat what you put in front of them, to a degree.?Just remember, whatever fuel you put on their plate, it’s going to have an effect on their growth, behaviour, concentration and mood.?UPF does not build healthy habits.

So, let’s give them (and ourselves!) the best chance. It's time to reclaim our health and enjoy the journey to a happier, healthier self. #HealthFirst #RealFoodRevolution #goodfoodgoodmood