Foods which are ultra-processed tend to have little to no whole ingredients and go through extensive processing stages where additives like sweetening agents, preservatives, colourings, flavourings and emulsifiers are included. These components are usually extracted from sources like oils, fats, sugars, proteins and starches, which boost the taste of the food and prolong its lifespan.
Research conducted in February divulged that there exists a direct association between ultra-processed foods and 32 health conditions, featuring diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, mental health problems and premature death.
Ultra-processed foods go beyond the typically viewed unhealthy foods like crisps and biscuits and have expanded to possibly ‘healthy’ foods such as breakfast cereals, protein bars, plant-based milks and breads.
For instance, a majority of pre-packaged sliced bread found in supermarkets, including types that sound healthy like multiseed or sourdough, contain altered starches and additives such as emulsifiers and vegetable gums.
Processed meat products such as bacon, sausages and deli cuts like ham and salami could be stocked with emulsifiers, thickeners, altered starches, supplemented fibre, and colouring and flavouring agents.
Even products under the vegan category like, ‘faux meats’ like burgers, sausage, and bacon are heavily processed and often contain emulsifiers, which are not present in whole food vegan protein sources like mushrooms or beans.
Many plant-based milks and vegan cheese products are also ultra-processed being laden with emulsifiers, vegetable gums, stabilisers and flavourings. However, there are some exceptions like soy milk with just water, soybeans, oil and salt.
Breakfast cereals and drinks often contain processed proteins and fibres, maltodextrins, and added colours. Likewise, regularly viewed as health snacks, protein bars and ‘health balls’ are filled with processed proteins and fibres, sweeteners and altered sugars.
Even ready-to-eat meals are often loaded with additives to prevent them from losing freshness on the shelf. The longer the list of ingredients present on the packaging, the higher the likelihood the product is ultra-processed.
Yoghurts are another type of food that can fall into this category.
Yoghurt variants with flavours frequently incorporate more additives than those which are unflavoured. Components such as thickeners, sweeteners or flavourings are commonly found in their ingredient list.
Regarding cooking sauces bottled for pasta or stir-fry, numerous types are laden with thickeners, taste enhancers or food colourings that one would not typically encounter in a homemade sauce.
In terms of fats, margarine is produced by undergoing a sophisticated process on vegetable oils, prevalently supplemented by emulsifiers and colours. Contrarily, butter does not go through such a high level of processing.
Baby foods stand as another category with ultra-processed items. Although seemingly harmless, a significant proportion of munchies like biscuits, rusks, and cereals aimed at infants fall under this category. Almost one-third of infant edibles available in the UK are reported to be ultra-processed.