What comes to mind when you hear the words ultra-processed foods? Poor health, a waistband bulging at the seams, food with no discernible texture that you can’t stop eating nonetheless? If so, you’re certainly not alone. Nor are you necessarily wrong. Such has been the public discourse linking UPFs to chronic conditions from obesity to heart disease that by now most of us are as aware of the dangers as we are their moreish qualities.
However, I do not believe that all UPFs are bad for us. And in my role as head nutritionist at the food science company Zoe, I have found that the mechanism that places food in this category is not necessarily doing us any favours.
The Nova food classification system was first proposed in 2009 and divides food into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods in their natural form; culinary ingredients we use to cook with, such as oil, salt and sugar, extracted from nature by processes such as grinding and crushing; processed foods, such as pasta, which tend to combine two or three ingredients; and ultra-processed foods, made in factories from substances already extracted from food, like starch and hydrogenated fats, with liberal amounts of additives.
It’s not hard to see why processed and ultra-processed foods have a bad rap, but what’s often overlooked is that there is a huge disparity within these categories. A supermarket wholemeal loaf containing nuts and seeds, while technically ultra-processed, is obviously better for us than a frozen microwavable doner kebab.
Ultra-processed cereals such as Weetabix, which is classified as a UPF because it is fortified with vitamins and minerals, which are technically additives, are a good source of fibre — for some people, their primary source — and definitely something I would eat. Cutting it out altogether could actually harm health. So demonising all UPFs is a vast oversimplification that has caused stress to many consumers.
Waging a war on all UPFs is practically impossible; in the UK they comprise about 60 per cent of our total calories. Avoiding them altogether would be incredibly difficult for most of us, especially as they are often low cost and convenient.
I have been working with my colleagues at Zoe to design a new system to identify the processed and UPF foods that can contribute to a healthy diet. Using over one million products on our database, in every supermarket from Aldi to Waitrose, we have divided the foods into four categories, from no risk to low, moderate and high risk, based on three criteria.
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First, we look at exactly which additives the food contains, analysing each according to the latest scientific studies to assess whether they are low, moderate or high risk.
We automatically think additives are bad for us, but I believe many, such as ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C and added to tinned food to stabilise its shelf life, and pectin, a thickening agent high in fibre found in spreads and confectionery, can be good for our health. To classify as low or no risk on our scale, a food has to have fewer than three low-risk additives like these. We have limited the number because there isn’t yet much research on the “cocktail” effect of combining additives.
Then we assess whether a food is hyperpalatable — in other words, is it scientifically designed to be delicious and cause people to overeat? We do this by analysing the ratio of fat to sugar and salt. This is a complex system, but essentially a hyperpalatable savoury food, such as crisps, contains over 25 per cent fat and 3 per cent salt. A hyperpalatable sweet food, such as chocolate, has over 20 per cent fat and 20 per cent sugars. As a consumer, a more simple test is to ask yourself: if I start eating this, will I find it hard to stop, even if I’m no longer hungry?
We also classify a food’s energy-intake rate, which is a measure of how quickly we can eat a product, something that often depends on how disrupted the food’s matrix — or original structure — has become.
Our research is now in its final stages and we hope that this year Zoe members will be able to use our app to scan a barcode in the supermarket and easily access this information. It would be similar to the Yuka app (which many shoppers already use to scan barcodes and find out what additives and nutritional red flags a product contains) but specifically evaluating novel food factors like energy-intake rate and hyperpalatability as well.
In the meantime, taking into account all of the above, here are some of the processed and UPF foods we are encouraging shoppers to eat, and why.
Cereals
Nothing in nature looks like a shredded wheat or a bran flake, but I recommend both because of their high fibre content, which is the main benefit of the healthier breakfast cereals, while their lower sugar content means they have a lower energy-intake rate. Look for a fibre count of over 6g per 100g. Avoid chocolate cereals — whether they are fortified with vitamins or not. The processing involved in making granola varies hugely — it can be made using harmless additives such as pectin or inulin, but some are laden with syrups and higher-risk emulsifiers. My recommendation is to make it yourself.
No risk
Weetabix
This is considered a UPF because it undergoes industrial processing and contains additives like malted barley extract, which, although a sugar, is not harmful to health. With 9.9g fibre per 100g it is a convenient way to help reach your 30g-a-day fibre target.
Dorset Cereals Simply Muesli
This is only processed in the sense that the ingredients — oat flakes, wheat flakes, dried fruit, sunflower seeds and nuts — have been combined industrially, which is what you should look for in a muesli: as simple as possible.
Asda Bran Flakes
Though industrially made, these deliver fibre and vitamins in an easy to eat format. Not all supermarket own-label cereals are the same in nutritional content — Tesco Bran Flakes contain 15.2g fibre per 100g compared with Asda’s 16g, and 10.6g protein compared with Asda’s 12g, for example — so compare labels carefully.
Shredded wheat
These undergo physical processing but have no added harmful ingredients, are high in fibre and protein and not designed to be overconsumed. Low-sugar breakfast cereals (this has 0.3g added sugars per 45g serving) are a healthier way to eat carbohydrates in the morning, but we still need protein and nutrients found in fruit, so serve with milk or yoghurt and a handful of blueberries.
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Chocolate and sweet treats
It’s surprisingly tricky to find a good quality, ethically produced bar of chocolate. I suggest making sure cocoa mass — the ground form of cocoa and cocoa butter — is the main source of fat and not the more harmful saturated fat in palm oil. Choose chocolate with a minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk is in our highest risk category — it contains palm fat, two types of emulsifiers, unspecified flavourings — this isn’t one for regular consumption.
No risk
Green & Black’s Organic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar
Dark chocolate is better for you than milk or white because it is high in bioactive plant compounds called flavanols which lower blood pressure by improving blood vessel function. Green & Blacks is organic, and produced with fewer artificial additives.
Low risk
Forest Feast Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds
A great snack option. Whole almonds are high in fibre, protein and vitamin E and there are no harmful additives. Because they are usually presented in their original form, nuts have a low energy intake — even salted peanuts will always be healthier than crisps for this reason.
Bear Fruit Gently Baked Coconut Chips
Yes, these have undergone heavy physical processing — they’ve been sliced, pressed, dried and baked — which puts people off, but the only ingredients are dried coconut, coconut blossom sugar and salt. A healthy, easy snack.
Vegan
Tofu, tempeh, soy and Quorn can be good sources of protein, processed in an unharmful way. Vegan food becomes problematic when it is formulated to taste like processed meat — vegan sausages and burgers, for example, often contain multiple additives.
No risk
The Tofoo Co Naked Tofu
This is high in protein (16.5g per 100g) and low in saturated fat (1.2g per 100g). Try stir-frying with vegetables and tomato sauce.
Low risk
Quorn mince
Technically a UPF as it contains firming agents, but they’re not harmful to health. High in fibre (7g per 100g), great in a bolognese and can be frozen to avoid waste.
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Sauces and condiments
Sauces can be the most processed part of our meal and some mustards and brown sauces came up as high risk on our system. That said, there are healthy options.
No risk
Heinz Tomato Ketchup
I know! I was surprised when our system classified this as low risk too — it is a UPF but Heinz appears to have made an effort to ensure the sugar and salt combination here isn’t hyperpalatable, and there are no harmful additives. The only ingredients are tomato, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices.
Low risk
Filippo Berio Classic Pesto
This pesto mostly contains ingredients you’d use at home — basil, oil, cheese — and a low-risk acidity regulator to maintain the taste and texture.
Patak’s Korma Paste Pots
With one low-risk preservative — acetic acid — and tomato puree, this is mostly a mix of herbs and spices, devoid of unnecessary additives. A great cooking shortcut.
Dairy
As a general rule, choose a cheese with fewer than seven additives — aged processed cheeses such as mature cheddar and stilton might be processed but are, obviously, richer in nutrients than a UPF cheese string. Avoid yoghurts with funky flavours that couldn’t have come from a fruit — caramel, for example. Even some so-called fruit yoghurts aren’t flavoured with actual fruit.
Full-fat and low-fat options are fairly similar in nutritional content, and the processing required to make low-fat dairy products is usually not harmful. A splash of any milk in your tea will do you no harm and additives such as vitamin D and calcium in plant milks are helpful, even though these are more processed than dairy. Soy and oat are the most similar in composition to cow’s milk; almond and rice are often full of sweeteners, thickeners, emulsifiers and sugar that can result in them falling into higher-risk categories.
No risk
Lidl Simply Low Fat Cottage Cheese
This cheese contains no additives — unlike some brands there are no added emulsifiers to make it creamy. It isn’t hyperpalatable — a 60g serving has just 1.1g fat — and it is served in its fermented form.
Waitrose Essential Low Fat Natural Greek Style Yoghurt
The processing of milk into yoghurt isn’t harmful and unlike flavoured yoghurts, which can contain emulsifiers, there are no additives. I am not worried if a yoghurt is described as “Greek style” rather than “Greek” — the yoghurt might not have been made in Greece but is still a similarly good quality source of protein and an easy way to add fermented foods to your diet.
Low risk
Asda Grated Mozzarella
Potato starch has been added as a stabiliser to stop this pregrated cheese sticking. This is a harmless additive and well worth it for the convenience factor, but be aware of grated mozzarellas that have added flavours, preservatives and sugar.
Meat and fish
Try to make sure that what you buy actually looks like meat, rather than a repackaged version such as sausages and bacon, which are stuffed with additives and linked in some cases to an increased cancer risk. Fresh fish is healthier than smoked salmon or preprepared mackerel fillets which can be high in sodium and contain harmful preservatives. However, both of these are a good source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, so better to eat them than no fish at all.
No risk
Asda Cook in the Bag Cod Fillet with a Red Thai Sauce
This meal is technically a UPF because it contains an emulsifier, but it is not one that negatively affects our gut microbiome, there are no harmful additives, and it’s not a high energy consumption risk. A sensible choice if you need to save time cooking.
Low risk
Charlie Bigham’s Fish Pie
Another UPF choice that came up as being low risk on our system and is a good quick alternative to a home-cooked meal. The hake, salmon and smoked haddock are a great source of protein and omega-3s and the only additives are yeast, paprika and turmeric extract used as colourings, which aren’t harmful.
M&S Bang Bang Chicken with Satay Dip
Yes, these fit the criteria for being hyperpalatable, thanks to their relatively high fat and salt content, and are a UPF, but the only additive is potato starch, which I wouldn’t say is harmful, and they’re relatively low in calories at 178 per pack.
Pasta, noodles and rice
A lot of quick-cook pasta is high in easily available starch and lower in protein and fibre. As a general rule, the longer a pasta requires cooking the lower the glycaemic load and the less it raises blood sugar levels. Look for a boil time of over ten minutes and durum wheat pasta made from traditional methods, which is high in protein. Fresh pasta can be a healthy processed option but ravioli and tortellini are often filled with unhealthy additives and added sugars. Rice undergoes physical processing but contains no additives — choose brown rice for a higher fibre content. Noodles contain a lot of variability in processing levels. Choose minimally processed noodles such as buckwheat over more processed instant quick-cook noodles.
No risk
Tesco Spaghetti
While dried pastas are processed, they aren’t done so in a way that is harmful. As with most supermarket pasta, the only ingredient here is durum wheat. It’s often what you add to pasta that makes it an ultra-processed meal. Steer clear of shop-bought creamy sauces, which are often heavy in synthetic emulsifiers that can negatively impact the gut microbiome.
Sainsbury’s Basmati Rice
Rice, like pasta, is processed but the processing has no negative impact on its nutritional content.
Low risk
Tilda Lime and Coriander Steamed Basmati Rice
Parboiled bags of rice are brilliant. When the rice is cooled prior to being packaged the starch turns to resistant starch, a form of fibre, raising the rice’s fibre content while decreasing its glycaemic load (ability to raise blood sugar levels). Make sure the only added ingredients are herbs and spices.
Breads
I steer clear of sliced white — it is nutritionally empty and heavy on additives — and beware bagels; they are often high in added salt and sugar. New York Bakery Bagels were classed as high risk on our system. No supermarket bread has made it on to our no-risk list yet. That said, we shouldn’t be scared of this staple. Bread can be an important and affordable part of our diet and a good source of energy and fibre. Look for loaves with over 6g fibre and less than 5g sugar per 100g.
Low risk
Jason’s Seeded Protein Sourdough
Added seeds are a good choice of protein and sourdough is generally less processed than other breads as it’s made with fewer ingredients. This bread contains no harmful additives and is low risk to health.
Aldi Seeded Sourdough Loaf
Another good option, and this is also a lot more affordable than other sourdough loaves.
Modern Baker Superloaf Seeded
A supermarket bread that is technically a UPF but another good swap. This contains no harmful additives, has added seeds and rye flour, which is high in fibre, and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid which supports heart health and brain function.
Nut butters
No food demonstrates the disparity between processing methods as well as peanut butter, which can contain as little as peanuts and a pinch of salt at one end of the scale, and Reese’s creamy peanut butter with multiple additives at the other.
No risk
Pip & Nut Crunchy Peanut Butter
This blend is almost completely peanut with a small amount of added salt.
Low risk
ManiLife Peanut Butter
Again, this isn’t hyperpalatable and has no potentially risky additives, but has slightly more added salt.
Dr Federica Amati is nutrition topic lead at Imperial College School of Medicine and head nutritionist at Zoe, the science and nutrition company
As told to Antonia Hoyle
