Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) might taste good and provide an easy hunger fix, but their long-term health consequences Uare starting to scare nutrition experts.
These foods are often high in added sugars, salt and saturated fats, while being low in protein, fibre and essential micronutrients – making them energy dense and nutritionally poor. They also frequently contain a cocktail of additives to improve taste, texture, colour and shelf life.
We're talking foods like fizzy drinks, packaged biscuits and cakes, breakfast cereals, mass-produced bread, ready meals, flavoured yoghurts, processed meats and some fast food.
Now, eating some UPFs as part of an otherwise healthy diet is okay. Life wouldn't be as good without bacon, biscuits and burgers after all. There's also no denying that processed foods are useful for those short on…