The 5 ultra-processed foods you should STOP eating right now and 5 nutritionist-approved options (including baked beans)

The words ‘ultra-processed foods’ are everywhere at the moment - and there’s good reason.

Over time, ultra-procesed foods (UPFs), which make up a huge amount of Brits’ diets, have a detrimental effect on our health. 

From sauces and shakes to cereals, breads and biscuits, it’s highly likely that there’ll be some UPF foods taking up space in your kitchen cupboards.

What is a UPF? The simplest way to explain it is to consider any foods that are not in their most natural, raw state.

“You can tell a UPF is over-processed because they usually contain lots of ingredients, many of which you will not recognise,” says , nutritionist and author of .

“There will be additives such as artificial colours, sweeteners, flavour enhancers, preservatives, and emulsifiers. 

“They may be fortified with micronutrients and the packaging will be brightly coloured and visually appealing.

“Despite recent scrutiny, the impact of UPFs on health, beyond the association to increased disease risk with high intakes, remains unclear.”

UPFs were first described by researchers in Brazil in the late 2000s.

They came up with the NOVA food classification system which divides food products into four groups based on how much processing they have gone through. 

A UPF is NOVA 4 - it is the most processed a food can be.

However, a UPF is not by definition an ‘unhealthy food’. To make it more confusing, UPFs are in fact, often healthy. 

If you are choosing a UPF then let the label guide you to make the best choice possible

Rob HobsonNutritionist and author of Unprocess Your Life

Rob says: “The NOVA system's broad categorisation controversially groups health-recommended foods like wholemeal bread, cereals, yoghurt, and plant-based alternatives with less nutritious options like sweet puddings and fizzy drinks.

“Some UPFs are laden with added sugars, unhealthy fats (saturated fats), and sodium, offering minimal dietary fibre, vitamins, or minerals. 

“Other UPFs may be highly nutritious containing ingredients such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, or legumes, but the addition of one or more artificial additives has nudged them into this category.”

Then there are UPFs that are marketed as a ‘healthy food’ depsite being highly processed, such as protein bars or ‘low-sugar’ yoghurts. 

Rob says: “Most foods with health claims are UPF. 

“They will usually be ‘ready to eat’ or ‘instant’ types of foods or require very little cooking - they may be microwavable for instance. They could also have a very long shelf life.”

Essentially, eating a diet that is as unprocessed as possible will be healthier.

However, not only should you be realistic about what foods fit in with your lifestyle and budget, but there’s some UPFs which offer nutritional value that are not necessary to cut out.

“If you are choosing a UPF then let the label guide you to make the best choice possible in that instance,” says Rob.

Here, Rob shares the UPF foods to ditch today and the ones you can still enjoy…

UPFS TO AVOID

Shop bought cakes 

Whether it’s a celebratory cake or a mini single portion for your afternoon snack, Rob says that some shop-bought cakes need to be swerved. 

“It is the cheaper brands that contain the greater number of ingredients and additives which are used as a way of retaining the shelf life, taste, and texture of the product,” explains Rob.

He adds that these cakes are very palatable and quickly digested in the body.

“Team this with the high amounts of sugar and they are easily overeaten,” he says.

“They are also low in fibre and any other key nutrient other than those found in the fortified flour used to make them.”

If you get the time, try making your own cake as you’ll know exactly what’s being used. 

You can add various healthy ingredients such as beetroot, avocado and sweet potato.   

Carrot cake without icing is an easy winner - it’s good vegetables, fruits (sultranas) and nuts. 

Chocolate breakfast cereals

You know the sort - and although chocolate cereals leave the milk so deliciously, it’s a no from Rob. 

“These have been around for a while and again, some are worse than others,” he says.

“At the higher end of the scale, some can contain 3 to 4g of sugar in a single serving.

“Once soaked in milk these foods become very soft and can be eaten and digested very quickly which can bypass hunger signalling meaning you don’t feel full and want to eat more.”

The high sugar content can also lead to more rapid fluctuations in blood sugar leading to increased hunger shortly after eating and cravings.

So if it’s a filling breakfast you’re after, it’s unlikely that a chocolate cereal will do the trick.

Shop-bought dips 

The dips from the supermarket shelves (not the fridge) are another UPF food which Rob says we should avoid. 

Think jar-style dips which pair well with crisps, crackers and crudite. 

Rob says: “Let’s take guacamole as a good example. 

“It has 4% guacamole and a lot of other ingredients used to bind the product together and give it a long shelf life.”

He explains that these dips are often high in salt and marketing is designed to make you overconsume them alongside a big bag of crisps. 

Rob says: “The nutrient content of these foods is low as there are so few natural ingredients. It’s far better to make the dip yourself or buy something fresh from the fridge section.”

Guacamole is so easy to make, too. Simply mash a ripe avocado in a bowl, add salt and pepper and a little lime - that's it! Serve between two.

White flour tortilla wraps 

Thought a lunchtime wrap was a safe go-to?

“There are a whole lot of ingredients that go into making some of these wraps and their shelf life can be in excess of two months,” reveals Rob.

“They contain several emulsifiers which research suggests may impact the gut microbiome.”

Rob appreciates people need a realistic approach to diet changes, and therefore says: “If you are going to choose wraps then go for wholemeal and check the label for something with the least ingredients. 

“If these are a part of your daily diet then fill them with something healthy and try to make the rest of your daily diet less ultra-processed.”

Sugar and fat-free flavoured yoghurts

Thought you were doing your health a favour by going for the slimming dairy? 

Rob says it’s best to avoid yoghurts with all the fat and sugar removed. 

He says: “It means you have to add stabilisers, thickeners and artificial sweeteners to get the taste and texture back. 

“The sweeteners have a bitter after taste and it has been suggested that high intakes of sweeteners may have an impact on your gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria in your gut. 

“The whole concept of a fat-free, low-calorie yoghurt seems outdated now as people are moving back to unprocessed foods in their most natural state.”

UPFS TO EAT

Wholegrain cereals 

According to Rob, not all breakfast cereals are created equally. Take bran flakes for example.

“These make it into the NOVA 4 category [UPF] because they contain malt barley extract which is used to enhance the flavour of bran,” he says.

“They are, however, very high in fibre and nutrients such as iron and B vitamins are added to them too.”

Rob adds: “You can also add other foods to a bowl of these to further improve their nutritional value such as fruits, nuts, and seeds.”

Veggie burgers  

Although some veggie burgers can be filled with an array of ingredients, including a wide array of additives to help improve the flavour and texture, Rob says that they are still high in fibre and low in saturated fat and sugar. 

Rob said: “Check the label. Many, especially the ones made with beans are very healthy nutritionally which in my opinion outweighs the fact they may have added dextrose or a stabiliser.”

Rob suggests serving these with something healthy such as salad. 

“Just check the label of your veggie burger to see which one has the least ingredients and the healthiest nutrition profile.”

Baked beans 

A staple in any cupboard, a tin of beans has a number of benefits, even if they are processed.

Rob says: “Beans are one of the greatest dietary sources of fibre and a nutritious budget food for those with little available income to spend on food.

“A serving of baked beans also counts as one of your five-a-day which is a key example of how nutritional guidance is being compromised by the debate on UPFs and causing confusion.”

Want to make your own?

Rob says: “You can easily make baked beans yourself using canned tomatoes and cannellini beans but it's whether someone has time to do that. 

“I would also suggest you pimp your beans nutritionally by serving them with the best quality wholemeal bread you can afford.”

Fortified foods 

Cereals, juices and some dairy products often end up in the UPF category because they are fortified, meaning nutrients have been added.

Although some do contain lots of sugar and other additives like emulsifiers, sweeteners and thickeners, especially spread and dairy products, some aren’t as bad as they seem.

Rob says: “The fact they are fortified means they have a nutritional advantage and in some cases a proven health benefit such as plant sterols (often found in spreads) which have been shown to help reduce cholesterol."

He adds “just check the label to find one which has the least sugar and the additives”.

Tomato pasta sauce 

For a quick and easy dinner, a ready made sauce, despite being UPF, can still be enjoyed.

“These foods are a convenient way to make healthy meals such as Bolognese sauce and chilli,” says Rob.

“If someone does not have the time to cook from scratch, then they can easily batch cook a meal in 20 minutes and often that can be done on a budget.

“Some of these sauces are additive-free whereas others may contain a stabiliser to hold the product together and ensure its shelf life. 

“Given these sauces can be added to other very nutritious foods, I think it falls into the healthier UPFS.”