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UPFs are everywhere and their convenience is hard to beat. But there are easy, healthier food swaps to be had, explains the medical doctor and academic…

A new ����ý Two documentary Irresistible – Why We Can’t Stop Eating sees Dr Chris Van Tulleken, author of Ultra Processed People, speak to experts around the world about how ultra processed foods (UPFs) are incredibly hard to resist.

It's an industry that’s booming. And people in the UK are among the of ultra-processed food. In 2023, they made up 57% of calories consumed by the average adult and 65% for children.

What classes as ultra-processed food?

“This was explained to me by a scientist who works in the food industry,” says Van Tulleken. “I said ‘but if I'm making a chocolate brownie at home, surely it is basically the same as one I buy in the shop?’ And he explained there are two really important differences. Firstly, the shop-bought one will use much more fat, salt and sugar.”

“The second difference is the shop-bought one will use additives which we don’t at home – these are ingredients that aren’t available to us - different fats and sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilisers, colourings and flavourings.”

Ultra-processed food swaps can be simple

Having conducted an enormous amount of research on UPFs Van Tulleken now abstains from them most of the time. “I’ll still have some if I’m at a party, people expect me to be a terrible snob and refuse it but I’m not like that,” he says, before adding: “But I genuinely don't want to eat much of it at all. I have a real aversion to it. I was forced to learn how bad it was for me and so it holds no attraction to me.”

Van Tulleken talks us through some of the simplest swaps he has made on his mission to eradicate UPFs from his diet.

Passata with herbs instead of pasta sauce

“It’s better than a pasta sauce and you could have it just as it is. However, as a result of speaking to all these scientists in the food industry, they’ve taught me to also add a bit of salt, oil and vinegar and it’s brilliant and takes just a few extra seconds. If you’ve got an extra couple of minutes, you could also fry up some garlic and onions, then it’s going to be better than anything from the shop.

"But if you really want to keep things simple, even just a can of tomatoes with a bit of salt will be fine."

Homemade stir-fry sauces instead of packet mixes

“You could just use soy sauce, but I’ve found the best formula for stir-fry sauce and it’s incredibly quick to make. It’s one-third water, two-thirds soy sauce, some sugar, sesame oil and a splash of any type of vinegar that you have. It’s the ultimate [stir-fry] dressing.

“If you had an extra minute you could elaborate on it and add some spices like star anise,” recommends the scientist, but if time’s not on your side, then the above mix is going to take less than a minute to make – about the same amount of time as it takes to try and open the packet.

Tea or coffee instead of energy drinks

“I’m reluctant to give advice to people because I’m not aware of everyone’s circumstances, but the one bit of advice I will give anyone is that human beings should only drink water, or if your culture allows it, milk.

“So yeah, if you’re wanting a caffeinated drink, rather than an energy drink, coffee is just, beans and water so that's good and a cup of tea is fine, too.”

And, says Van Tulleken, if you are swapping a can of drink for a tea or coffee and want to add a little sugar, treat yourself!“Add sugar and salt to your food if you want and don't feel bad about it. You will definitely add less sugar and salt than the food industry does… If you think a can of cola is , in the equivalent sized coffee even if you have a sweet tooth you’re still only going to go for two spoons of sugar, so just enjoy your food.”

Frozen fruit and cream or (natural) yoghurt instead of ice cream

“If you’re in a rush, one thing I do is just buy good chopped frozen fruit – like mango and then stir it up with yogurt and if it needs it, I add a little sugar. It’s brilliant!”

Likewise, instead of having sweetened yoghurt as a snack, Van Tulleken has natural yoghurt with fruit and a little sugar added.

Nuts instead of crisps

“What I do is have raw nuts instead of crisps and they will satisfy you. There is the option of salted nuts and they’re a funny thing because they're not quite ultra processed. But I must say, I could eat an entire tub of salted nuts. With raw nuts, you will eat half as many.

However, if the reason you’re craving crisps is because you’re craving a salty treat, Van Tulleken’s preference is to “get a little dish of salt and dip your raw nuts in it.”

Homemade instead of frozen chips

“People talk about how there are frozen chips that are just potato and a bit of oil, but I haven’t found them, the ones I find are covered in maltodextrin and flavourings,” says Van Tulleken.

“But I just chop up a potato and cook it in the oven in a bit oil and salt.” It really doesn’t take long, just an extra minute or two to cut the potato into strips.

Watch ����ý Two documentary Irresistible – Why We Can’t Stop Eating at 9pm on Monday, 25 November, Or catch up on iPlayer.

Originally published November 2024