The dangers of ultra-processed foods |28 April 2023

A really close look at our food system shows that food is not what it used to be. For instance, a fruit is no longer sold as just a fruit. It can be transformed into different things – a packet of juice, it can be dried, it can be made into a jam or a sauce.

Humans have been transforming foods for centuries in an attempt to preserve it, make it safer for consumption and to extend its shelf-life. We also needed to make the transformed food more palatable, more visually appealing and more flavourful. With this came the booming industry of processed food which far surpasses fresh foods. 

There is nothing inherently wrong with processing when done for the right reasons. It is not expected for instance that we would be able to eat wheat straight from the field. Therefore, some degree of processing is expected. This is true for many other grains and other foods.

At the end of the day however there is such a thing as going too far. When do we say enough with the transformation? How distorted or overdone must the final product be for us to realise that what we have is simply a ‘ticking time bomb’ waiting to explode.

Over the years as food companies preyed on our vulnerabilities to processed food, food became more and more processed to increase sales. Eventually a class known as ‘ultra-processed’ came to light not least for its higher sugar, salt and fat content but also due to the degree of transformation and other substances added to create the final product.

What is an ultra-processed food?

The term ‘ultra-processed food’ is used in the scientific arena to describe foods that are made using industrial processing methods with the addition of many manufactured ingredients rather than the actual food.

Those ingredients which usually includes additives, preservatives as well as other substances are combined to create a final product which is edible but not bearing resemblance in terms of integrity or nutritional content to the original food. In a nutshell, the food is transformed beyond recognition of the original food.

Although the term ‘ultra-processed’ itself sounds like a mouthful, what it simply means is that the final food product is extremely or overly processed.

How do you know that a food is ultra-processed?

A very simple way to know that a food product fits within the category of ultra-processed is to look at the ingredients list. A long ingredients list is a sign that there’s too much added in there. Moreover, if it looks more like a science experiment than food due to the amount of chemicals added, then you should definitely put it back on the shelf.

Some industrial food substances to keep an eye for include whey protein, inulin (a type of fibre), maltodextrin, fructose or glucose syrup (modified carbohydrates) and hydrogenated oils. In addition to these there are also a myriad of cosmetic additives added to these foods to improve its texture, aroma, taste and colour. Examples of such additives includes colours and flavours (even those listed as “natural”), non-caloric sweeteners (including stevia), flavour enhancers (such as yeast extract and monosodium glutamate or MSG), and thickeners and emulsifiers (which modify a food’s texture).

Aside from the long list of additives and preservatives, most ultra-processed foods are also high in sugar, salt, saturated and trans fats. This makes ultra-processed foods more visually appealing, tastier and more difficult to resist hence why it is overly consumed by many.

It can still be hard to make a choice seeing as many foods being sold nowadays fits within the category of ultra-processed. The best way around it is to choose foods that have as few ingredients as possible. When shopping you should try to choose foods that have five ingredients or fewer. That would be a much better option than an ultra-processed food that can have more than 20 ingredients. The fewer ingredients there are, the better.

Examples of food that are ultra-processed

Some good examples of ultra-processed foods include soft drinks, juice, chips, crisps, chocolate, sweets, ice-cream, sweetened breakfast cereals, packaged instant soups, corned beef, luncheon meat, frankfurters/ hot dogs, fries, chicken nuggets, ham, cookies, sweetened biscuits, malted drinks like milo and Ovaltine, margarine, packaged sauces like HP, tomato, barbecue, soya and oyster sauce and ready-made salad dressings.

Health impacts of ultra-processed foods

The design and composition of ultra-processed foods is such that our body craves these foods. This means that it easily leads to overconsumption and therefore over time it can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Due to the fact that these foods are highly processed they have been stripped of most of their nutrients. At times manufacturers try to add back synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals to the final product. This however does not make that product healthy. It is still very far from the same benefit you get from eating whole foods that aside from having natural vitamins and minerals have a host of other active ingredients with immense health benefits.

Therefore, regularly consuming ultra-processed foods increases your risk of all forms of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, gastrointestinal problems as well as shortening your lifespan.

Limit ultra-processed food in your diet

It is unrealistic for us to expect you to completely remove all ultra-processed food from your diet especially when they are everywhere and on all our supermarket shelves. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional soft drink or cake but you should try to reserve it for a special occasion. Just avoid these food items being a part of your daily food intake.

Choose fresh and minimally processed foods as often as possible to improve your overall health outcome and to help lower your risk of chronic diseases.

Thank you for joining us this week on our Eat for Our Health page. Look us up on social media - eat for our health Seychelles on Facebook.

Please get in touch by emailing eat4ourhealth@gmail.com and let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, let us know how we can help you.

Yours in health

The E4OH team