Eating ultra-processed foods is well-known to be detrimental to our health – but cutting them out of my diet has been life-changing in ways I never anticipated.
Of all the methods I’ve attempted to enhance my health and weight, I never anticipated this one to have the most significant impact. Eighteen months ago, in January 2024, I made the decision to completely eliminate ultra-processed foods from my diet.
It all began with the familiar feeling of starting another new year feeling lethargic, fatigued and bloated after overindulging in food and drink during December. But it has evolved into something much more substantial – it’s not an exaggeration to say the effect has been utterly transformative, in terms of what I consume, how my body has transformed and how much more I understand about food than before.
What’s remarkable is that it hasn’t even been challenging. I don’t eat less, count calories or obsess over fats or carbohydrates. This means the changes are far more likely to become a permanent part of my life, giving me a better chance of enjoying healthier years ahead.
Here are the four major ways my life has changed:
- I have lost weight
- I enjoy so many more foods than I used to
- I perform far better when exercising
- I know a lot more about what goes into our food and how manufacturers get us to over-eat.
I’ll address each of these points individually, but first, let’s briefly discuss what constitutes ultra-processed food and how I eliminated it from my diet.
What exactly is ultra-processed food?
In essence, ultra-processed food (also known as UPF) is food that contains ingredients not typically used in home cooking, or has undergone industrial processes. It’s usually both.
Dr Chris Van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor at University College London, BBC science presenter and bestselling author, has distilled the essence of ultra-processed food into a single sentence: “If it’s wrapped in plastic and it contains at least one ingredient that you don’t typically find in a domestic kitchen, then it’s ultra-processed food.”
Among the usual suspects of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are:
- packaged bread
- breakfast cereals and granola
- flavoured yoghurt
- chocolate, biscuits and crisps
- energy and granola bars
- fizzy drinks
- ready meals
And if the ingredients list on your food packaging includes any of the following, it’s often a telltale sign that you’re dealing with UPF:
- emulsifiers
- stabilisers
- dyes
- flavour enhancers
- lecithin
- xantham or guar gum
Are all processed foods bad?
Certainly not. Humans have been processing food for millennia.
Bread, butter, cheese, and yoghurt are all examples of processed foods. Tinned food is another classic example.
In truth, most of the food we consume has undergone some form of processing. But ultra-processed food is a step further.
Zoe co-founder and epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector says: “Plain yoghurt, nothing added, nothing changed, is processed because you are mixing a basic ingredient, milk, with microbes… It is when you take it to the next stage… [adding] various starches, emulsifiers, concentrates, artificial sweeteners and flavourings… that same yoghurt becomes ultra-processed. It is that extra step that is the main problem.”
However, not every item that technically qualifies as ultra-processed poses a danger. High-quality dark chocolate falls into the ultra-processed category yet frequently contains nothing more than cocoa and a touch of sugar.
Even Prof Spector, who has championed reducing UPF consumption, acknowledges that products like Heinz tomato ketchup and Weetabix, whilst technically ultra-processed, present no health hazards. Moreover, consuming even heavily ultra-processed items such as sweets, fizzy drinks and Pringles won’t inflict significant harm if enjoyed as an occasional indulgence rather than a regular habit.
How did I eliminate UPF from my diet?
Avoiding ultra-processed food can seem nearly impossible. Supermarket aisles are packed with them and they’re often incredibly convenient for our hectic lifestyles, not to mention affordable.
In essence, here’s my approach to reducing them:.
- replaced granola and milk with nuts and Greek yoghurt at breakfast (with fruit)
- substituted milk chocolate for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (80% or more)
- cut out supermarket bread, crisps, biscuits, ice cream and ready-made foods
- binned processed meat
- consumed more legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans) and more nuts
- ate at least 30 different plants a week
- followed guidance and advice from trusted sources, especially the Zoe Science and Nutrition podcast.
For several years before 2024, I consumed granola with fruit and flavoured yoghurt for breakfast every day, believing I was starting the day healthily. In reality, I was having a breakfast enormously high in added sugar and ultra-processed ingredients.
Weight loss
Perhaps the most striking way my life has transformed is the weight I’ve shed: around 1.5 stone in the last 18 months (down from 11.5 stone to just under 10 stone). Ultra-processed foods are calorie-dense and tend to be high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats but low in nutrients.
A recent clinical trial examined what occurred when people consumed a diet high in ultra-processed foods and discovered that they consumed around 500 more calories a day than those following an unprocessed food diet, resulting in an average weight gain of two pounds in two weeks. In a separate experiment, Dr Chris Van Tulleken modified his diet so that 80% of it was made up of ultra-processed food (not unusual for many people in the UK and US).
He said: “I gained a huge amount of weight in one month. I gained so much weight that if I’d continued for the whole year, I would’ve doubled my body weight.”
Working out is easier
Over the past 18 months, I haven’t increased my exercise frequency. I manage to fit in a run once or twice a week, participate in one or two 45-minute circuit classes weekly, and if I’m fortunate, I might even squeeze in a bike ride.
Despite not increasing the frequency of my workouts, I’ve noticed that I can handle them much more comfortably. For instance, I’ve achieved three personal bests in half marathons and two in 10K runs over the past year, which I’m incredibly proud of. In fact, I’ve managed to shave around 25 minutes off my half-marathon time.
Discovering new foods and flavours
In addition to the UPF foods mentioned above, ready-made sauces and salad dressings are often ultra-processed. So, if I wanted any unique flavours in my meals, I had to create them from scratch using spices, herbs, fruits, nuts, legumes and vegetables.
Far from being a challenge, this has probably been the most enjoyable aspect of my new eating habits. I’ve discovered so many new flavour combinations and these days, I rely on foods I almost never ate in the past, like chickpeas, butter beans, lentils, nuts and Greek yoghurt.
My favourite salad dressing now is a blend of Greek yoghurt and tahini, with a splash of lemon juice, olive oil or even a dash of maple syrup added in.
And don’t fret over fat – I regularly consume around 150g of fat a day, sometimes even more. The key point is that these are healthy fats, which are beneficial for you and can be found aplenty in foods like nuts and avocados. They won’t lead to weight gain.
It’s the unhealthy fats present in processed meats and foods with added sugar that pose a problem. I aim to consume 30g of fibre daily too.
What I typically eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Breakfast: Almost always the same thing: Greek yoghurt with a variety of nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews), seeds (like chia, pumpkin or linseed) and a mix of fruit (usually raspberries, strawberries, bananas and blueberries). If not that, I might enjoy some avocado on a slice of wholemeal sourdough procured from a local bakery.
Lunch: Usually lentils with an assortment of vegetables and hummus, often homemade with chickpeas or butter beans. Another option could be an omelette with onions and peppers.
Dinner: Typically a white fish like hake, cod or basa (which is much cheaper than other white fish), or salmon, accompanied by butter beans or chickpeas seasoned with onions, mint and lemon juice.
Other wholesome meals include this walnut, mushroom and cauliflower ragu, this vegan chilli made with a variety of beans, this homemade hummus and this homemade pesto.
Understanding what goes into our food
When I initially gave up ultra-processed food, my primary goal was to enhance my health and control my weight. However, as I delved deeper into the practices of many major food corporations, I found an additional incentive in withholding my money from them.
The creation of ultra-processed foods involves staggering levels of marketing and manipulation, including bold health claims on vibrant, attention-grabbing packaging. These food companies have poured substantial resources over decades into understanding what makes us crave more, from the sound a packet makes when opened to the texture of the food in our mouths and that irresistible taste that leaves us yearning for another bite.
Essentially, you’re being duped into consuming more. For further insight, I suggest reading Chris van Tulleken’s book, Ultra-Processed People, or watching his 2024 BBC documentary Irresistible.
How to eat 30 plants a week
Eating 30 different plants a week might sound like a tall order, but there’s a good reason for this magic number. It’s all about enhancing the health and diversity of your gut microbiome, which is increasingly recognised by experts as a crucial pillar of overall health, potentially leading to a longer, healthier life.
As a member of Zoe, I can personally vouch for the benefits. After adopting this diet for a year, my gut microbiome score soared to 93 out of 100.
A study conducted in 2018 across the USA, UK, and Australia found that people who eat 30 or more different plant types weekly were more likely to harbour beneficial “good” gut bacteria compared to those who limited their intake to just 10 varieties.
Reaching the 30-plant target each week is easier than you think, especially when you consider that it includes not only fruits and vegetables but also a plethora of beans (such as butter, cannellini, black, kidney, and pinto), grains (like oats, quinoa, or bulgar wheat), nuts (including almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, and pistachios), and seeds (such as chia, pumpkin, or sesame). Moreover, herbs and spices make the list, and even plants like coffee and cocoa are packed with beneficial compounds that support your gut microbiome.
You don’t have to give up on sweet treats
Most of us can’t resist the allure of something sweet and delightful, and I’m certainly no exception. However, it’s surprisingly simple to whip up a decadent snack or dessert that’s both rich in flavour and made from wholesome, natural ingredients.
Take for instance a luscious chocolate mousse that requires only four ingredients: dark chocolate, olive oil, maple syrup, and aquafaba – you can find the recipe right here. You can also create a scrumptious granola using all-natural components – the recipe is available here. Or indulge in a homemade chocolate and peanut butter bar that rivals a Snickers in taste with this easy-to-follow recipe.
One more thing
I’ve been quite disciplined in steering clear of UPFs (ultra-processed foods), but that doesn’t mean you have to be. Even Zoe, a staunch proponent of reducing UPF consumption, merely recommends keeping your intake below 15% of your total diet.
Zoe co-founder Professor Tim Spector recently mentioned to me that my diet seemed “restrictive” and confessed that he himself occasionally can’t pass up a bag of crisps.
It’s also true that some UPFs have inadvertently found their way into my meals a few times this year, such as when dining out or when options are limited. And I haven’t eliminated alcohol either – we all need our little indulgences in life.
So don’t fret – if you feel like you’re on the path to a better version of yourself, that’s what really counts.