Do you know how much of the food and drinks you consume are ultra-processed?
Sadly, research shows that 57% of caloric intake in adults comes from ultra-processed foods, and 67% of children’s intake is ultra-processed.
Ultra-processed foods have a long list of ingredients – typically five or more and a long shelf-life. They tend to include many additives and ingredients that are not usually used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colors and flavors.
There are a lot of different ultra-processed foods sold in grocery stores these days. Some examples are ice cream, ham, sausages, cookies & boxed desserts, chips, mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, many protein bars, sodas, fruit-flavored yogurts, and instant soups.
Since ultra-processed foods are typically high in inflammatory fats, sugar, salt, and/or synthetic ingredients, consuming these foods regularly poses a huge risk to our health and wellness.
These foods tend to be highly palatable and somewhat addictive along with having little nutritional value, so it is easy to overeat these foods, contributing to weight gain and obesity. It likely also impacts asthma, microbiome and gut health, and lipid profile such as cholesterol & triglyceride levels, as well as at least 25 other health conditions. Ultra-processed foods are also linked to systemic inflammation, which is no surprise given most of these ingredients are very new and foreign to human bodies.
If you find that you are consuming ultra-processed foods daily, consider opting for something that will offer you more nutrients with fewer additives such as swapping:
- Flavored yogurts for plain yogurt and add your own fresh or frozen fruit with cinnamon for sweetness.
- Sauces or ready meals to cook your favorites in larger amounts at home and freeze the extra portions to use another day.
- Overnight oats to enjoy for breakfast instead of sugary low-fiber breakfast cereals.
- Fruit or homemade treats instead of store-bought cookies, cakes, or desserts.
- Choose a protein bar with 6 or fewer ingredients OR prepare quick, balanced snacks yourself like an apple + nut butter.
Start by choosing 1 ultra-processed food that you regularly eat, find a more wholesome alternative, and start enjoying it regularly.
Remember, one swap at a time can lead to big advances in your mental and physical health!
If you need accountability and support to stay on track with your new habits, we have just the thing for you. Our nutrition coaching program is designed to do just that. Make an appointment HERE for a Free Nutrition Intro and find out how we can help you one habit at a time.
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