
A parent consults a dietitian to assess their grocery shopping amid rising concerns about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), learning that while UPFs are linked to health risks, nutritional value and dietary balance matter more than processing level alone, with experts divided on whether harm comes from ingredients or processing itself.
AI-generated summary
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are defined as products with more than five ingredients, including substances not typically found in home kitchens such as emulsifiers, additives, and flavourings. They constitute over half of calories consumed in the UK and are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health issues, and premature death, though experts debate whether harm stems from nutrient content or the processing itself.
Going to the supermarket has become a minefield.
I'm in aisle 15, reading long lists of ingredients and worrying if what's in my trolley is good for me or not.
There's growing evidence, external that a hefty proportion of the food we consume could be damaging to our health, with ultra-processed foods (UPFs) linked to a range of health problems.
But I've had enough of second-guessing myself and panicking I'm poisoning my child if I feed him chicken nuggets, so I've given my shopping list to a dietitian to analyse.
First things first, what is a UPF?
It depends who you ask. A basic rule of thumb is that to be ultra-processed a product needs more than five ingredients, with at least one not normally found in your kitchen - things like emulsifiers, additives and flavourings.
There is a large and growing body of evidence that shows UPFs are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, as well as mental health problems and even premature death.
But scientists, doctors and dietitians can't agree on why. Is it purely down to the high fat, sugar, salt and calorie content? Or is the ultra-processing also a factor?
Studies show more than half the calories we consume in the UK come from ultra-processed food, external. Dr Chris van Tulleken has written books and made documentaries about how bad these foods can be, and he tells me they're "almost impossible to avoid" - even his own family's diet includes a few.
And my shopping list isn't UPF-free either.
Maeve Hanan, a member of the British Dietetic Association, pauses as she scans through some of my weekly shopping list (there was more fruit and veg, honest) and points to a box of bran flakes.
"This is ultra-processed, but I often buy this for my family. It's got so many health benefits."
Hanan says there's a "growing hysteria" about UPFs.
"Mainly because the messaging around them is so black and white," she says. "This food is good. This food is bad.
"It just fuels fear - and fear around food is never good."
So what is her verdict on my grocery shopping?
Not as bad as I expected, I'm relieved to learn. While there are UPFs in there, that doesn't necessarily make it an unhealthy food shop. In fact, Hanan says, "there's a good mix of foods which cover each food group".
Just because some products have a long ingredient list, it doesn't make them "inherently bad", she explains, with the nutritional value "far more important".
What about foods that contain ingredients I can barely pronounce, never mind recognise? Hanan takes my son's chicken nuggets as an example.
"There are mandatory vitamins and minerals which manufacturers in the UK are required to add to white wheat flour such as calcium carbonate, niacin and thiamin," she says.
Raising agents, such as disodium diphosphate, are used alongside sodium bicarbonate (baking powder) to make the batter crisp and light.
Hanan says even the most chemical-sounding ingredients will have been tested and approved under UK food laws.
"But while chicken nuggets are a good source of protein," she warns, "they are higher in fat and salt than a plain chicken breast, so I would eat them in moderation as part of a balanced diet."
I tell Hanan my son usually eats them with raw carrot sticks and pasta.
"One food does not make your diet healthy or unhealthy," she says, "it's about getting that balance over time."
When I put this to van Tulleken he pauses for breath. He's just been highlighting the high sugar content in various breakfast cereals while waving an empty box of a very sugary and chocolatey one at me. I feel a pang of guilt, knowing my seven-year-old son can get through several bowls in a single sitting.
"UPFs are tasty, they are moreish - that's the whole point," van Tulleken says. "Of course, we can make UPFs healthier - but then they're not as nice.
"The food companies know very well how to make healthy food. The reason they don't is because it's not profitable."
He says there's growing evidence which shows industrial processing does affect our health and that businesses control the food market in a way that is "very harmful".
"What we need for starters is better food labelling so we know which foods have high fat, sugar and salt content which we know is bad for us - and that makes up the majority of UPFs."
The Food and Drink Federation, which represents food and drink manufacturers in the UK, strongly disagrees with van Tulleken's claims. It says it has invested millions of pounds "in healthier product innovation" and its members have "cut the salt, sugar and calories from their products by almost a fifth just in the last five years".
"This work," it says, "has been done in line with government regulation and dietary guidance, which focusses on the nutritional content of food rather than the level of processing."
So as I slide four chicken nuggets on to my son's dinner plate - alongside his carrots and pasta - I'm not feeling the usual shame and panic. He's an active little boy, he doesn't have nuggets every night, and he's eaten from a range of food groups through the day.
He gives me a grin. "This is the best tea ever, Mummy," he says.
One day I'm sure he will eat less beige food, but, for now, he's healthy (I hope) and happy.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
UK food labelling regulations will be updated to require clearer front-of-pack labelling of fat, sugar, and salt content within the next 12-24 months.
Likely · Within months
Public debate over the health impacts of ultra-processed foods will continue to grow, with increasing calls for independent research into processing effects beyond nutrient content.
Likely · Within months

A pilot study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods by more than 85% moderately to significantly improved symptoms of depression and slightly improved symptoms of anxiety in 20 participants, although the authors caution the need for larger research due to the small sample size and lack of primary focus on emotional changes.

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농식품부 동물복지 정책참여단 설문에서 반려인 89.4%가 진료비 부담을 호소했으며, 펫로스 지원은 반려동물 노령기부터 시작되어야 한다는 인식이 높았다. Activation of insurance and expansion of disclosure of medical cost information were selected as the most necessary policies.