Ultra-processed foods, hear that term UPF, ultra-processed, sounds bad, seems like people are not super happy with it, but it also seems like it’s kind of everywhere, and most people probably can’t avoid it daily. Do you feel strongly about this topic?
So, you know what, yes, but I mean, I’m not immune, like I think we all eat processed, refined ultra-processed food, we’re going to talk about the definitions, and I think I strive to eat less of it, but it’s difficult, it’s an important topic.
Okay, welcome to this blog. We hope you learn something valuable today.
Why We Process Food:
Okay, ultra-processed foods, all right, so let’s start at the beginning, let’s talk about food processing, okay, how did we get here? Why did we why do we process food?
You mean food processors? Yeah, no, no, just food processing, why we process food, yeah, we had to or we wouldn’t be here, right, the human race would not exist if we didn’t figure out how to process food thousands of years ago.
Okay, okay, because if you go on a ship to explore, right, you don’t have a farm with you, right, you have to learn how to take food with you and how to make that food last, so under processing is Preservation, that’s how it started, right. Because either you’re going to eat this processed beef jerky I got on this boat, or you’re going to die, you choose right?
So, we had to figure out how to process food to make it last longer so that we didn’t get sick and die or you going to get scurvy scurvy bring those limes with you bring them bring the vitamin C. Right so we figured out thousands of years ago that we had to process food in some way so that we could survive when we go on our trips when we go on our Journeys or during the winter months.
Evolution of Food Processing:
Over the decades and centuries yeah so like in the 1800s that’s when things started to kind of cook a little bit right yeah and said okay let’s process some stuff let’s refine some stuff okay yeah Christopher Columbus doesn’t need it for his ship but I need it to sell more bread or whatever yep so that the companies cereal make some profit we’re going to do a whole video on cereal I don’t even want to talk too much about it because cereal really makes people angry and a lot of people think it’s good for you and all interesting Mr. Kellogg actually had some really noble goals he was a physician actually wanted to create like a low sugar of food for his patients.
Things changed after the 2nd world War, really changed, where it was a lot about convenience about practicality and it was seen as a way that our society is moving forward almost like a badge and you have people over you’re like you know what let’s get some multiprocessing food we can we can just get rid of everything afterwards and because it’s already ready I don’t have to have pots and pans and stuff so that’s kind of when it started to become a problem some people feel like as more people started to join the workforce so men and women so everybody in the family was working or the Dual incomes people came home they had time constraints, they said we need something that’s easy, how about a TB dinner.
Levels of Food Processing:
There’s a spectrum of processing, okay. You process food when you’re making a meal, okay, so let’s go through that quickly so that people understand the different levels of processing, so we can focus on what’s good and what’s not good. There are kind of like four levels right in the Nova classification system. It’s important to classify this stuff because if we want to study it and see the health effects, we have to be able to talk to each other as researchers and say, okay, these people had level one, level two, level three, level four, and we’ll correlate that with death, okay, number one.
Number 1: Unprocessed Food: That’s where you’re going to go to the grocery store, or you’re going to buy bananas, you’re going to buy apples, you’re going to buy broccoli, or maybe even more, you’re going to go to the field, to the Jungle like really, truly, truly don’t the grocery store, you’re going to go out to the park and Pi because the Apple arguably might have been spr something to prevent it from ripening on transport, sure it’s processed to a certain degree in our modern times The equivalent of unprocessed food is that Whole Foods got it, okay, level one, okay.
Level 2: Processed culinary ingredients: So the second one is like processed culinary ingredients, right, so what does this mean, so these are things that you took from group one, you processed them in such a way that they can be added as ingredients, these are things like Sugar, so sugar cane would be one, yeah Sugar is two there, right sugar can Um, you’ve got things like butter and other sort of you know ingredients that oils, for example, that you took the group ones and you made oils out of them. Then you add them you so you can add them to your meal when you’re cooking and preparing your meal.
Level 3: Processed food: Number 3, now we’re calling it processed food, right, that’s where you took the stuff in group 2, okay, and added it to group one 1 plus two does equal three, it works in this case, that’s how you remember in this case that so it’s processed foods, it’s processed in the sense that we’re adding salts to it. We’re adding sugars to it, and we’re trying to make the food more palatable. Okay.
Level 4: Ultra-processed food: Number four is the ultra-processed food, and so just for people to know, can you read the definition of ultra-processed food? I would love to, okay, I think I have it here somewhere. I think, to be honest, that there’s one word that really gets me early on in the definition, here we go, the definition. These are industrial formulations. Is that what you’re looking for in industrial bothers me, yeah, okay, industrial formulations of multiple ingredients often with additives that are highly processed to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life, right, and this is very intentional, right, and some you can say oh, it’s altruistic, we’re trying to make food last longer, but then food science and companies to sell. You have more food, have really manipulated sugar and salt fats, even the way that something sits on your palate, so it’s texture, and it feels as well as its color and you because you’ve taken the food preparation out of the kit kitchen uh, that you’re making for yourself for your family and you put it into the industry Once you get into the industry, there’s competing interests and the interest of your health is usually lower down on that interest totem pole and profits and sales, and those are the most important things.
Examples of Ultra-Processed Foods:
Food at home, you are guilty of processing food, but it’s okay, you need to, so let’s give a list of some things that would be considered ultra-processed foods, just so people have an Idea of what kind, know what we are talking about, okay, so number one, I’m going to say we’re going to quickly get. It’s out of the way, so cereal. The vast majority of cereals are considered processed because they come from refined grains, and they have a lot of added sugar, and they have crunch enhancers, just like in Christmas Vacation, Clark, you know, non-nutritive food additive food additive oh the crunch enhancer, yeah, it’s a non-nutritive cereal varnish made his Tobing go yeah so there you go that’s One cereal saddens me because I have a boss here in the morning, and now I will not enjoy.
The Raisin brand I love Raisin brand, yeah so some of them I’d say some of the ones that have less refined grains can be good for you with less added sugar but yes they still probably fall under the at least the process maybe not the ultra process but my favorite example of the processed food is the hot dog hot dog yes it looks nothing like what it came from the ingredients it is a fully processed meat tube.
Why Ultra-Processed Foods Are Bad:
Research consistently shows that ultra-processed foods have serious health implications. One major study found that for every 10% increase in calories from ultra-processed foods, the risk of death rises by 9%. In North America, up to 73% of daily calories can come from ultra-processed foods.
These foods are engineered to hijack pleasure centers in the brain, leading people to overeat. Controlled trials have shown that participants consume hundreds of extra calories per day on ultra-processed diets, gaining weight even without trying. Switching to whole foods helps reduce calorie intake naturally and supports weight loss.
Ultra-processed foods have also been linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even fertility issues.
5 Steps to Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods
While completely eliminating ultra-processed foods may not be realistic, there are practical steps to reduce them:
- Read the labels: Look for foods with ingredients you don’t recognize. If you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably highly processed.
- Cook at home: Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat foods are often loaded with salt, sugar, and refined ingredients. Preparing meals yourself gives you control.
- Choose whole foods: Prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and unprocessed meats. Avoid items like hot dogs, processed meats, and packaged snacks.
- Limit junk food: While zero indulgence isn’t necessary, try to minimize cookies, chips, granola bars, and other snack foods. Awareness and moderation are key.
- Plan your meals: Prepping meals in advance, including freezing portions, helps ensure you have healthy options available during busy weeks. Freezing is a form of processing, but it’s a helpful and healthful one.
Conclusion:
Thanks for reading this blog. While completely avoiding ultra-processed foods can be challenging, making small, intentional changes, like cooking at home, choosing whole foods, and reading labels, can have a big impact on your health. By being mindful about what we eat and planning ahead, we can reduce our intake of these foods and enjoy a more balanced, nourishing diet.
FAQs:
1. What are ultra-processed foods (UPFs)?
They are industrially made foods with multiple ingredients and additives designed for flavor, texture, and shelf life.
2. Why are ultra-processed foods harmful?
They can increase calorie intake, cause weight gain, and are linked to inflammation, metabolic disorders, and chronic diseases.
3. How can I identify ultra-processed foods?
Read labels for unrecognizable or hard-to-pronounce ingredients, as these usually indicate high processing.
4. Can cooking at home help reduce UPFs?
Yes, preparing your own meals allows full control over ingredients and avoids hidden additives.
5. What foods should I prioritize instead?
Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and unprocessed meats.
6. Are there practical steps to reduce UPF intake?
Yes, read labels, cook at home, choose whole foods, limit junk food, and plan or prep meals in advance.
