Ultra-processed food is everywhere
Ultra-processed food is everywhere. It’s a subject regularly featured in the news, a topic of many podcasts, and is stacked high in our supermarkets, petrol stations, and vending machines. It is extremely convenient, has the perception to be cheap to eat, and is very appealing to most, but it is leading us to a health disaster with links to weight gain, obesity, Type II diabetes, and some cancers.
So why do we continue to eat ultra-processed food?
It is not our fault; ultra-processed food is engineered by the food industry to be irresistible, enticing us to its brands and overriding our willpower to stop eating. In the 1970s, competition between food manufacturers drove the industry to discover the ‘bliss point’ by adding the right amount of sugar, salt, or fat to make food desirable. This started the ‘ultra-processed’ generation, with food becoming increasingly artificial.
Fresh is Best
The taste and texture of food have massively changed over the years. Ultra-processed food has led us to eat much softer food, which stops us from chewing it as much. This affects our digestion and short-circuits the satiety message to our brain leading us to overeat.
From mindful eating, we know that eating is a multi-sensory experience, and the food industry has tapped into this when marketing ultra-processed food. Before food even touches our mouth, we are given messages that mislead our senses and increase our desire to eat it. These messages can range from the colourful design of the package to the crunchy sound of the crisp packet.
With calorie-dense, nutrient-poor snacks also introduced during the 1970s, we can find ourselves a generation fighting a losing battle against ultra-processed food.
So, how can we turn this around and beat the food manufacturers at their own game?
Just knowing the extremes that the food industry goes to in order to entice us does help. It allows us to cut through their clever marketing and understand more about what we are eating and why, so we can make educated choices about our food.
Taking time to enjoy meals, taking in the taste and smell, and replacing soft, ultra-processed food with the crunch of fresh ingredients will also meet our sensory needs while giving our bodies the necessary nutrients.
Rather than turning to processed, packaged food, try filling your supermarket trolley and tummies with fresh food. Open that recipe book or experiment on your own and make quick, wholesome meals for the family to enjoy. Homemade soups, curries, stir-fries, roasted tray bakes and even pasta sauces are quick and easy to make, full of goodness and natural flavour; you may even find they are cheaper for your pocket, too.
