Identifying UPF's and achieving balance. - Group Talk - Week Commencing 24th February 2025.
- friendsonajourney2
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
What are UPF's, UPF's are Ultra Processed Foods, the term UPF comes from the NOVA food classification system which grew out of the research of Carlos Augusto Monteiro, from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The NOVA system places foods into four categories based on how much they have been processed during their production.
Group One:- Unprocessed and Minimally Processed.
These foods make up 30% of the calories typically consumed by the UK people.
Unprocessed foods
Fruit
Vegetables
Nuts
Seeds
Grains
Beans
Pulses
Eggs
Fish
Milk
Unprocessed Meats
Minimal processed foods
Dried
Crushed
Roasted
Frozen
Boiled
Pasteurised must contain no added ingredients
Frozen Fruit
Frozen Vegetables
Frozen Fish
Pasteurised Milk
100% Fruit Juice
No-added sugar yoghurt
Spices
Dried Herbs
Group Two:- Processed Ingredients
Oils
Fats i.e. Butter
Vinegars
Sugar
Salt
These ingredients are not meant to be eaten alone but as a seasoning etc to foods in group one.
These foods make up 4% of the calories typically consumed by the UK people.
Group Three:- Processed
Jams
Pickles
Smoked/Cured Whole meats
Cheese
Tinned Fruit and Vegetables
Fresh Bread
Bacon
Salted or Sugared Nuts
Beer/Wine
These foods are products made from group one and two ingredients. The processing can be repeated within a home kitchen, and the process is to extend the foods longevity or enhance its taste.
These foods make up 9% of the calories typically consumed by the UK people.
Group Four:- Ultra-processed
Ultra-processed foods contain usually five or more ingredients, these ingredients are not standard pantry/store cupboard products that are used in home cooking; such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners and artificial colours and flavouring. UPF's usually have extended shelf life.
The most commonly eaten ultra-processed foods in the UK are:
Commercial Bread (11%)
Ready Meals (7.7%)
Cereals (4.4%)
Sausages and other reconstituted meat products (3.8%)
Confectionery (3.5%)
Biscuits (3.5%)
Pastries, Buns and Cakes (3.3%)
Ready Made Chips (2.8%)
Soft Drinks, Fruit Drinks and Fruit Juices (2.5%)
Crisps (2%)
Sauces, Dressings and Gravy (2.1%)
Baked Beans, Tinned Soup, Meat Alternative, Soy and Drinks used as dairy milk substitute's (3%)
Identifying UPF's can be hard as some foods are similar to each other, but we have to carefully consider the nutritional information label on each product.
i.e.
Bread - Artisan made from flour, water, salt and yeast is processed. But once we add emulsifiers, colouring, additives it becomes UPF.
Plain Oats, Cornflakes, Shredded Wheat are minimally processed. But once we add sugar, flavouring or colourings they become UPF.
Plain Yoghurt is minimally processed. But once we add sweeteners, preservatives, stabilisers or colouring they become UPF.
In the UK 56% of calories consumed are UPF's. UPF's are proven to affect our small intestines and our microbiome due to the altered properties of the plant and animal cells meaning we are not gaining vital nutrients.
How do we recognise UPF's.
Often they have a long list of ingredients with products not stocked in our homes
Unrecognised ingredients
High fat, sugar and salt i.e. look at the traffic lights on the nutritional label.
'Fresh Foods' with extended shelf life which indicates added preservatives i.e. the nutritional label often says sodium benzoate, nitrate, sulphite, BHA and BHT.
Hard hitting marketing of the product; When did you last see marketing for fruit and vegetables.
How to avoid UPF's.
Choose foods in their original form
Eat a plant rich diet Fruit, Vegetables, Pulses, Wholegrains, and a variety of protein sources
Cook from Farm to Table meals
Avoid food created using ingredients you don't recognise
Great swaps.
Swap - SunPat/Peanut butter (UPF, added Emulsifiers, Palm Oil...)
For - Pip & Nut, Meridian, Whole Earth (Non-UPF)
Swap - Supermarket White Bread
For - Artisan Seeded Bread (Hambleton Bakery, Belvoir Bakery, Bloomsbury Bakery...)
Swap - Chocolate biscuits
For - Nairn's Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits
Swap - Flavoured Yoghurts/Corners
For - Fage Total Naturally strained Greek Yoghurt
Bottomline
Research shows eating UPF's regularly is bad for your health. However cutting these out completely from your diet may be challenging. There is no question that the food we eat affects our overall health long-term and overindulging UPF's puts you at a greater risk of disease. However eating UPF's occasionally is about balance within a healthy diet.
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