Nutritional scientist hit out at the ultra processed foods branded ‘healthy options’ which are anything but
A top nutrition expert has warned parents about the dangers of certain popular snacks that she vows never to feed her own kids, linking them to immediate health issues like headaches and vomiting. Dr Federica Amati, the acclaimed author of “Every Body Should Know This” and chief nutritionist at Zoe, is a mother herself and is all too aware of the unhealthy temptations lurking on store shelves.
Speaking to The Times, Dr Amati, who also serves as the nutrition topic lead at Imperial College School of Medicine, doesn’t completely outlaw ultra-processed foods for her children but insists on strict limits. However, she draws the line at certain items due to their harmful contents.
She explained: “Melty puffs, oaty bars, veggie straws, potato crisps, chocolate bars, sweets … they are quite simply everywhere. Snacks fill the shelves of every corner shop, petrol station and small supermarket, all conveniently dotted en route to schools and nurseries, sometimes accompanied by a sad-looking banana and apple in the corner.
“On weekends, you can also look forward to navigating the slushy shops and ice-cream vans a stone’s throw from the park. Most of the products they sell are unhealthy ultra-processed foods (UPFs), high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, bright colours and added flavourings (which is why they are so appealing).”
The worst culprits, she says, are the slushies that tantalisingly stir themselves in cinemas, shops and cafes – and also some drinks. She stated: “There are some things, however, that I would never give them. Slushies are top of my list. They are not only packed with artificial flavours and colourings, they have high levels of the sweetener glycerol, which can cause nausea, headaches and vomiting. They shouldn’t be consumed (or, in my opinion, be legal to sell) at all under the age of five and, frankly, there’s no good reason to consume them after that either.”, reports Surrey Live.
“Close second are any other fizzy drinks and brightly coloured ice pops that deliver no nutritional benefits and increase the risk of cavities as well as disrupted sleep, and have a negative impact on metabolic health, due to the high free-sugar content.”
Parents need to devise strategies and Dr Amati admitted it’s challenging for stressed mums and dads to always be cooking ‘flapjacks from scratch’. She added: “My approach is that feeding your family is not about perfection. It’s about getting your kids to understand the difference between “everyday” and “sometimes” foods. This is better than branding foods “good” and “bad”, and demonising eating, which can lead to a difficult relationship with food later in life. So I say to my children, who are aged four and seven, the very occasional UPF treat is OK but not every time you walk home from school or go to the park.
“When it comes to drinks, the way to go is water or occasional fruit juices – pressed, not from concentrate, and not for children under two. I often see babies drinking juice in a bottle, which is not recommended.”
Dr Amati also warned against falling for ‘healthy snack’ labels, stating: “There is no benefit in buying crispy veggie straws (made from cornflour or potato flour) or mini rice cakes. Nutritionally speaking, they are little different from stuff like Monster Munch or sweetened rice cakes in a smaller format for a higher price.”
She continued: “I often see older kids eating cookies or doughnuts straight out of multipacks from the supermarket. Though they are sold as “freshly baked”, so they might seem a more wholesome option, these also should not be everyday foods as they are made in bulk from ultra-processed ingredients, full of sugar, unhealthy fats and stabilisers.”
Instead, she suggests opting for mixed nuts, water, fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, nut butter sandwiches and cubes of cheddar cheese. She added: “I also stock up on minimally processed yoghurt pouches. I like Little Freddie Creamy Blueberry and Banana Greek Style Yoghurt (£1.35 for 100g in Sainsbury’s or £6 for a six-pack on Ocado). At the weekend for a treat we opt for a little madeleine cake from our local bakery. If we go into a corner shop, I’ll look for slightly salted popcorn such as Propercorn (£1), raisins or other dried fruit, dark chocolate covered almonds, oatcakes or bread sticks.
“Yes, this all does take a bit of effort at first but children’s diets in the UK are worryingly poor and the food environment isn’t designed to support parents to make the best choices. Until the government decides to take our children’s diets seriously, it’s up to us to change our habits and what food we make available for them.”