I’m a nutritionist – six ultra-processed foods you must stop eating… and the easy swaps you can make

Since they are found absolutely everywhere, it is almost impossible to avoid ultra-processed foods.

Registered nutritionist Rob Hobson, and author of Unprocess Your Life, believes that we shouldn’t demonize food or divide our diet into ‘good and bad’.

However, he agrees that there are some UPFs that make an exception.

From seriously sweet breakfast cereals to more savory snacks you just can’t pass up, hereMr Hobson suggests you can make simple adjustments to reduce the amount of UPFs you eat.

Chocolate breakfast cereal

Breakfast cereal packed with sweet chocolate is “more like pudding” than something you should start your day with, Mr Hobson said.

For example, a 12-ounce bowl of Kellogg’s Coco Pops is packed with 5.1 grams of sugar. Krave similarly contains 7.8 g.

Health bosses recommend cutting added sugars to no more than 30 grams a day, as too much can lead to tooth decay and weight gain.

It’s the high sugar content and soft texture that makes these cereals easy to overeat in a short period of time, Mr Hobson explains.

“This is a hallmark of UPFs,” he said. ‘In some cases, this rapid breakdown of the food can bypass hunger/satiety signaling in the intestines.’

Despite many cereals containing a huge amount of sugar and falling into the category of UPFs, whole grains can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fiber and B vitamins, says the NHS.

Despite many cereals containing a huge amount of sugar and falling into the category of UPFs, whole grains can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fiber and B vitamins, says the NHS.

Even chocolate-flavored breakfast cereals contain some added B vitamins. This means they are nutrient-rich UPFs.

But Mr Hobson says it’s still better for you to opt for lower-sugar breakfast cereals.

‘I agree that they can add something nutritious to the diet, but in this case it may be about choosing the healthiest UPF, which has fewer ingredients and more fiber and less salt and sugar.

“I would also top it with nuts, seeds and banana to add some texture,” he said.

Making this swap will help you feel full between meals, and it will also have less impact on your blood sugar levels, he explains.

Nutritionists divide foods into three groups based on the amount of processing they have undergone. Minimally processed foods, such as apples, are usually exactly as they appear in nature. Processed foods, such as applesauce, have undergone at least one processing process that has changed their original form. In contrast, ultra-processed foods, such as baby jelly babies, have undergone multiple levels of processing and are usually packed with extra fats, dyes and preservatives.

Processed meat

Bacon, hot dogs, canned corned beef and salami can all be processed meat – a food category that has been demonized for decades.

Yet they are also UPFs and generally contain a lot of fat and salt.

Although it is a good source of protein and can be part of a balanced diet, eating too much processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer, the NHS warns.

‘Even Before the focus on UPFs, these foods, such as ham and salami, have been shown to increase our risk of colorectal disease cancer when too much of it is eaten,” Mr Hobson said.

For a healthier swap, he suggests replacing processed meat with plant-based protein or lean poultry like chicken or turkey.

Potato chips

We don’t need to cut chips out of our diet completely, Mr Hobson insists… but more regular chips may be the best option.

Some savory snacks and chips are designed to be almost impossible to put down.

Pringles, for example, promises that “once you pop, you just can’t stop.”

‘It takes a lot of ingredients to make these savory snacks,’ says Mr Hobson. “And because of their design, they fit easily in your mouth and are highly flavored with a soluble mouthfeel that makes it hard to stop eating.”

If you’re really craving a salty snack, he suggests you’re better off swapping it for “good quality chips that are just a little salty.”

That’s because regular salted chips and snacks usually do not contain extra additives, flavor enhancers and emulsifiers.

Some savory snacks and chips are designed to be almost impossible to put down. But simpler chips can be a healthier trade

Processed slices of cheese

The next time you want to make a cheese sandwich, use slices of real cheese and unprocessed squares, Mr. Hobson advises.

Milk and dairy products, including cheese, are a great source of protein and calcium and can be part of a balanced diet, says the NHS.

But Mr Hobson says it’s best to stick to ‘real cheese’ such as cheddar, feta and brie.

That’s because while slices of processed cheese still contain calcium, they are “packed with emulsifiers used to give them the desired texture.”

“I’d say just stick with real slices of cheese to get the nutritional benefits of a more natural, less processed product,” he added.

Carbonated drinks

While fine as an occasional treat, if you reach for carbonated drinks every day, you may want to consider a healthier swap.

‘Whether they are made with sugar or artificial sweeteners, I would still try to avoid them as an occasional drink, or cut them out of your diet altogether,’ Mr Hobson said.

He explains that there is research suggesting that drinking too many carbonated drinks can affect your gut bacteria and even lead to glucose tolerance.

‘There is research suggesting that artificial sweeteners such as sucralose can affect the diversity of bacteria in the gut,’ Mr Hobson said.

‘Further research suggests that long-term use of artificial sweeteners may impact the body’s ability to manage glucose, impacting insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, although more research is needed here,’ he added.

Instead, he suggests using carbonated water with added fruits, vegetables and herbs, such as cucumber or rosemary, to give it some flavor.

Prepackaged cakes and muffins contain a lot of saturated fat and sugar and due to their long shelf life they also have a very long ingredient list

Pre-packed cakes and muffins

We all know that cake is an occasional treat full of sugar and fat. But prepackaged cake is even worse.

Mr Hobson warns that pre-packed desserts are high in saturated fat and sugar and, due to their long shelf life, also have a very long ingredient list.

In addition to stabilizers and gelling agents, these ingredient lists contain no fewer than five emulsifiers, he explains.

‘There is some research to suggest that emulsifiers may impact gut health, but more research is needed,’ he added.

However, it would be hard to argue that all these pre-packaged cakes are good for you.

‘It’s difficult to find sweet baked goods in the supermarket that don’t have UPF, so if you can’t make your own, I’d suggest opting for a healthier sweet treat, such as a squeezed fruit and nut bar, like Nakd. ‘