What are ultra-processed foods?
Easy food swaps that could help your health
Key points
- Most foods are processed in some way, but ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have gone through more processing than others
- They often have high levels of calories, saturated fat, salt, and sugar, and there are links between high ultra-processed food diets and certain health conditions
- However, there are some ultra-processed foods that can be part of a balanced diet, like baked beans
- There are some easy swaps that could help you eat a healthier diet, like switching frosted flakes for porridge
With conversation around ultra-processed foods in the media and online, it’s natural to worry about how it could affect you. All the different and conflicting information can make it difficult to figure out what’s true and the best thing to do for you.
In this article, we break down what ultra-processed foods are and how they could affect your health, as well as suggesting some easy swaps you could make towards a healthier diet.
“With so much discussion about ultra-processed foods online, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction, and it's easy to end up feeling more worried than you need to. The reality is that some ultra-processed foods can still have a place in a healthy, balanced diet. Rather than striving for a perfect, completely UPF-free diet, it’s more helpful to look at your eating habits as a whole and focus on balance, variety and making healthier choices most of the time.”
- Larissa Stevenson, Associate Medical Director
When does a food become ‘ultra-processed’?
Most of the food we consume is processed in some way. Processed food is simply a food or drink that’s been added to or changed in some way when it’s made or prepared. This could be to make food safe or suitable for use, preserve it for longer, or simply improve the taste. For example, milk is pasteurised to get rid of harmful bacteria and bread has preservatives added to help it last longer. Some cereals are also fortified with iron and folic acid.
The term 'ultra-processed' is used when food goes through more processes than other food. It often refers to products that include ingredients you wouldn’t generally use at home, like emulsifiers, colourings flavourings or sweeteners.
Here are some common products that are ultra-processed Footnote [1]:
- Crisps
- Sweetened drinks
- Packaged cakes and biscuits
- Sweets
- Chocolate
- Some ready meals
Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?
A food being processed doesn’t automatically make it unhealthy. However, ultra-processed foods are also often high in things like saturated fat, which can make them bad for you in high quantities. Though it’s not known whether they’re unhealthy from the processing or the calories, fat, salt, and sugar in them, they could have a negative impact on your health Footnote [1].
Diets that include a lot of ultra-processed foods have been linked to an increased risk of health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Eating a lot of processed and red meat has also been linked to a increased risk of bowel cancer Footnote [1].
Processed foods in a healthy diet
Though some ultra-processed foods can be bad for your health, some can be part of a healthy diet, if eaten in moderation. Things like wholemeal sliced bread, wholegrain or higher fibre breakfast cereals, frozen vegetables, and baked beans can all fall under the ‘ultra-processed’ umbrella, as they go through processing. But they’re also full of fibre and other nutrients that are good for you.
Labelling foods simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and demonising individual foods can make a healthy diet feel harder to achieve. It can make you more anxious about what you’re eating, making healthy eating feel overwhelming, rather than achievable.
But while processed food can be part of a healthy diet, you should always check the label to see how high it is in saturated fat, salt or sugar. You should also try to eat less of them, less often.
Easy swaps
If you're looking to make some changes to your diet, there are some easy swaps you could make to help make each day healthier.
Here are some examples of swaps you could make:
| Item | Swap for |
| Frosted flakes | Porridge |
| Salt | Different herbs, spices and seasonings like oregano, paprika or lemon juice |
| Crisps | Rice cakes or unsalted mixed nuts |
| Cake bars | A fruited teacake |
| Split pot yoghurts | Natural yoghurt, plain or with berries |
| Fizzy drinks | Water (add chopped fruits for extra flavour) |
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