COLUMN: What are the ultra processed foods and how do we avoid them?

Whilst most of us are doing our best to buy and eat healthy foods and we’ve likely heard that that’s best to eat fresh foods where possible and avoid high in fat and sugar as well as processed foods. We do have another breed of foods to be aware of however and these are the ‘ultra-processed foods’.

Here nutritionist Laurann O’Reilly and owner of Nutrition By Laurann explains what ultra-processed foods are, where they can be found and strategies to avoid them.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
These are food products that undergo high processing and often contain ingredients not commonly used in foods or recipes. They often contain high levels of additives, preservatives and unhealthy levels of fat, sugar and salt.

Where Can Ultra Processed Foods Be Found?
They can be commonly found in some packaged breads, breakfast cereals, reconstituted meat products, ready meals, confectionery, biscuits, cakes, pastries, industrial chips, soft drinks and fruit juices”

What Is The Difference Between Processed & Ultra Processed Foods?

- Processed Foods: 
Often contain a combination of processed food ingredients such as cheaper vegetable oils, salt, sugar. These foods may be cooked, baked, preserved or fermented without alcohol to increase their durability or enhance their appearance, smell and taste.

Examples of Processed Foods:
These include many tinned foods, microwavable meals, biscuits, bars, crisps and chocolate, takeaway/fast food, fried foods along with some (but not all) cereals, butters and cheeses.

- Ultra-Processed Foods:
This takes processing to a whole other level. According to BANT ultra-processed foods are modified to such an extent, through multiple types of processing that they barely resemble fresh or minimally processed ingredients”.

Examples of Ultra Processed Foods:
These include some of the cheaper chicken nuggets, ice-cream, instant noodles, some vegetarian burgers, cheese twists, tortilla wraps, biscuits, breakfast cereals, margarines, instant soups, sausage rolls, cakes, ready meals and soft drinks. They also often include salt, sugar, cheaper oils/fats, as well as other ingredients and additives like lactose, emulsifiers, gluten, hydrolysed proteins, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial colours and flavourings. With many of these ingredients have undergone significant processing themselves (BANT).

Note: Many of these additives are found only in ultra-processed foods in order to mask unpleasant tastes or enhance the appearance, attractiveness and flavour of the final product. So, they really are often too good to be true!

What Is The Purpose of Ultra-Processed Food?
Unlike natural, fresh and healthy ingredients, BANT (The British Association For Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) describe how “processed foods are designed to increase flavour, extend shelf-life, and ensure transportability, all of which reduce nutritional quality”

Why Do We Need To Avoid Them?
As many ultra-processed foods contain very few real food ingredients, they lack any real nutritional value. With little to no vitamins, minerals, healthy proteins or fibre, these foods can be described as containing ‘empty calories.’ As a result, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies in those who consume them. Due to them also containing higher levels of salt, sugar, unhealthy fats and additives, this can also make them more addictive. From an overall healthy perspective, BANT state that “ultra-processed foods have consistently been linked with increased levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases”

How To Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods

- Read Your Food Labels:
Whilst this can often be challenging and you would often need a magnifying glass to read the small writing, it’s really useful to keep an eye out for foods which long lists of ingredients. The longer the list of ingredients, the more processed a product will be.

- Watch Out For The Additives:
 These include artificial colours and dyes, artificial flavours and flavour enhancers and non-sugar sweeteners. Also watch out for terms such as “bulking” and “anti-caking” (BANT).

- Use Fresh Ingredients Where Possible:
The easiest way to ensure that you and your family are consuming the purest ingredients and healthiest meals is to use whole fresh ingredients.

Tip: Whilst the cheaper processed foods may appear more affordable it really is possible to achieve nutritious meals on a budget by buying your ingredients in bulk, batch cooking your meals and refrigerating or freezing your meals if necessary or meal planning.

Download Your Free Meal Planning Guide Here:
https://nutritionbylaurann.ie/your-meal-planning-guide/