SHOULD WE TRUST THE PROCESS?

COULD ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD BE DAMAGING YOUR HEALTH? HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

- ALI GRAVES

They say you are what you eat, so little wonder the debate around ultra-processed food continues to rage. With confusion around what constitutes UPF - and its potential effects on our health - now is the time to become informed about what we put on our plates.

What is ultra-processed food?

More than half of the calories that the average person in the UK eats come through ultra-processed foods.

Nutritionists use the Nova system to classify foods in four categories, with natural wholefoods in group 1 and UPFs bottom of the pile in group 4.

They often include many ingredients you would not use in your own kitchen, including preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours and flavours.

Unprocessed, healthy foods including fresh fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and wholegrains, can go a long way in promoting better health and wellbeing.

But the cost-of-living crisis, rising cost of high-quality foods and a lack of education around eating has pushed many of us further into the convenience food aisles.

Is it really that bad for you?

In an unprocessed nutshell, yes. Known health effects over a lengthy period of time include increased obesity, type 2 diabetes, raised blood pressure and even dementia.

Nutritional therapist, functional medicine practitioner and founder of Après Food, Catherine Sharman, describes the problem as an "epidemic".