Chris van Tulleken wrote a book called Ultra Processed People. It is described as an ‘Eye-Opening investigation into the science, economics, history, and production of ultra-processed food’.
Have you read the book?
If so, what are your thoughts?
Do you check food labels more carefully?
Have you changed the way you eat?
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I already had been trying to buy less trash the past year, so the change to no UPF wasn’t that radical. I never liked baking, and now I make even more baked foods myself. I eat anything I want as long as it’s real. And I am losing weight. Not ideal for me since I am now underweight. Interesting to note the effect, though.
Read it earlier this summer. Since then, I want to eat absolutely no fake food. I’m even discovering how much fake sugar is in medications, vitamins and the like.
I have not read the book yet but have ready a fed this year that have opens my eyes on the matter. Slowly but surely I am making my way towards healthier decisions. It’s pretty amazing (and scary) what passes for food nowadays.
Listened to him interviewed by @gillysmith on cooking the books podcast. So informative and worrying about the potential dangers of these poisonous chemicals. Of course it is best to cook from scratch. And this is how I cook. So you know exactly what you are eating. Everything in moderation my Nan used to say to me. Except in the 70’s that was a chocolate each night watching tv! She would be horrified now. More education and noise is needed plus communication on how to make healthy tasty fresh meals that do not take time. Time is cleverly marketed as a limiting factor in our lives. Making us believe we need these pre made packaged goods. We need to try and reverse this. Great post to start a discussion.
I listened to the same program and was about to buy the book when someone bought it for me for my birthday. It's a book I will keep referring back to and read several times. Each page was jaw dropping.
I agree we need to reverse the process of feeling we need Ultra Processed products when really we don't.
Perhaps in doing so, not only will we improve the quality of human life, we may also save the planet too.
Yes exactly Perhaps I need to buy the book too! It is sad that we have lost a generation of teaching by our grandparents on how to cook. I was so lucky and document in my substack. We are all mini activists and need to keep on sharing this message. A big battle vs the international corporations intent in making as much money as possible.
We had a whole year of cooking at my (all girls) secondary school in the early 60's. Including a room that was called a 'Flat' where in our last year before leaving school, about 4 of us would spend a whole week in the there instead of the classroom. We put into practice the cooking skills we had already learned and house keeping. We budgeted and did shopping lists, going to local shops, and preparing a meal each day for one of the teachers to join us at lunch time. It was the most fun.
Exactly. My lessons were in the 70’s the girls option! Boys did metal work/ woodwork! The time management and time planning was a match made in heaven with my OCD and anxiety- and now how I use this as a superpower in my transformation- personal chef and retreat chef. The control on how I plan and execute events. My cookery lessons all those years ago are at the heart of this transformation. I need to write more about this!
Yes have read it. But was already aware of the issues in the book so had already changed how I eat. It’s a huge problem as everyone has got so used to the convenience and price of these upfs and the damage it is doing to the young we are yet to see. I have teenagers who love upfs and I’m just hoping they will eventually take it on board. The fact that these foods are now being exported and ruining other food cultures is also deeply worrying
I haven’t read the book yet, but living in Italy has completely transformed the way I cook and eat. It’s one the reasons I created my Weeknight Pasta from Italy Substack! Hopefully it helps others make easy, great tasting recipes using seasonal, fresh ingredients. (PS I’m ordering the book now)
This is where food bloggers, food writers are so invaluable when sharing their recipes. But then of course, we need to make sure the ingredients we buy are also not Ultra Processed. eg. Soft (Cream) Cheese.
I compared a supermarket own brand to a more well known brand. The supermarket own brand contained Full Fat Soft Cheese Ingredients (Cows' Milk).
But the more popular brand contained - Full Fat Soft Cheese Ingredients - Salt, Stabiliser (Guar Gum), Acid (Citric Acid)
Hi everyone! Grabbed my coffee and joining this chat...I hope everyone is doing well...This is a topic close to my heart. I really became aware of the harmful processing of food, poisonous additives and artificial ingredients, gmos and the like quite a few years ago, due to food allergies and intolerances that I had developed. I was in England at the time, and there was a wonderful doctor named Patrick Kingsley back then who also delved into a somewhat 'alternative' way of thinking 40 yrs ago . It was called 'nutritional medicine' back then. He opened my eyes to the back story of many harmful ingredients, methods of processing, gmo practice, etx...Now its a way of life...I tried years ago to be more vocal and to advocate some sort of awareness regarding this situation. But I did not get very far, especially when it came to younger generations. Fast food, convenience food besides flooding the market, took hold of a way of thinking and life style unfortunately. Here, in Greece, if you live in a large city, you are bombarded with a culture that is saturated with fast food, processed foods and the like. There is an attempt to create a healthier and more nutritious life style but unfortunately people's schedules seem to dictate how they eat, what they eat and their food budget plays a role as well. Whole foods and nutritionally sound foods are very expensive here - even though we are an agriculturally productive country. I hope that people become more aware of these issues as time goes on because in two or three generations from now many children will be denied the opportunity to know natural, home cooked, whole food, unprocessed meals.
I already had been trying to buy less trash the past year, so the change to no UPF wasn’t that radical. I never liked baking, and now I make even more baked foods myself. I eat anything I want as long as it’s real. And I am losing weight. Not ideal for me since I am now underweight. Interesting to note the effect, though.
It's interesting how it mentions people loosing weight simply by removing as much UPF as possible from their diet.
it works! and a upf diet provides a relief if there were inflammatory symptoms as well.
Same for me, I have lost half a stone which I would quite like to put back on. Not sure if it’s the lack of UPFs or the intermittent fasting!
Read it earlier this summer. Since then, I want to eat absolutely no fake food. I’m even discovering how much fake sugar is in medications, vitamins and the like.
It's an eye opener, once you have a few facts and start reading the labels.
I saw that with the vitamins as well...it is terrible.
I have not read the book yet but have ready a fed this year that have opens my eyes on the matter. Slowly but surely I am making my way towards healthier decisions. It’s pretty amazing (and scary) what passes for food nowadays.
Exactly and just how much money is made is staggering.
Listened to him interviewed by @gillysmith on cooking the books podcast. So informative and worrying about the potential dangers of these poisonous chemicals. Of course it is best to cook from scratch. And this is how I cook. So you know exactly what you are eating. Everything in moderation my Nan used to say to me. Except in the 70’s that was a chocolate each night watching tv! She would be horrified now. More education and noise is needed plus communication on how to make healthy tasty fresh meals that do not take time. Time is cleverly marketed as a limiting factor in our lives. Making us believe we need these pre made packaged goods. We need to try and reverse this. Great post to start a discussion.
I listened to the same program and was about to buy the book when someone bought it for me for my birthday. It's a book I will keep referring back to and read several times. Each page was jaw dropping.
I agree we need to reverse the process of feeling we need Ultra Processed products when really we don't.
Perhaps in doing so, not only will we improve the quality of human life, we may also save the planet too.
Yes exactly Perhaps I need to buy the book too! It is sad that we have lost a generation of teaching by our grandparents on how to cook. I was so lucky and document in my substack. We are all mini activists and need to keep on sharing this message. A big battle vs the international corporations intent in making as much money as possible.
Is food and cookery taught in schools these days?
We had a whole year of cooking at my (all girls) secondary school in the early 60's. Including a room that was called a 'Flat' where in our last year before leaving school, about 4 of us would spend a whole week in the there instead of the classroom. We put into practice the cooking skills we had already learned and house keeping. We budgeted and did shopping lists, going to local shops, and preparing a meal each day for one of the teachers to join us at lunch time. It was the most fun.
Exactly. My lessons were in the 70’s the girls option! Boys did metal work/ woodwork! The time management and time planning was a match made in heaven with my OCD and anxiety- and now how I use this as a superpower in my transformation- personal chef and retreat chef. The control on how I plan and execute events. My cookery lessons all those years ago are at the heart of this transformation. I need to write more about this!
It would be good if more food writers and food bloggers touched on this subject of UPF.
I accept the challenge!
Yes have read it. But was already aware of the issues in the book so had already changed how I eat. It’s a huge problem as everyone has got so used to the convenience and price of these upfs and the damage it is doing to the young we are yet to see. I have teenagers who love upfs and I’m just hoping they will eventually take it on board. The fact that these foods are now being exported and ruining other food cultures is also deeply worrying
I always read labels, but after reading this book I have a better understanding of how and why these cheaper foods are made.
I haven’t read the book yet, but living in Italy has completely transformed the way I cook and eat. It’s one the reasons I created my Weeknight Pasta from Italy Substack! Hopefully it helps others make easy, great tasting recipes using seasonal, fresh ingredients. (PS I’m ordering the book now)
This is where food bloggers, food writers are so invaluable when sharing their recipes. But then of course, we need to make sure the ingredients we buy are also not Ultra Processed. eg. Soft (Cream) Cheese.
I compared a supermarket own brand to a more well known brand. The supermarket own brand contained Full Fat Soft Cheese Ingredients (Cows' Milk).
But the more popular brand contained - Full Fat Soft Cheese Ingredients - Salt, Stabiliser (Guar Gum), Acid (Citric Acid)
So interesting, Lynn! I agree that we have a lot of responsibility as food writers ❤️
Thanks for the restack, Karen. It will be interesting to see what thoughts people have on the subject of UPF.
Hi everyone! Grabbed my coffee and joining this chat...I hope everyone is doing well...This is a topic close to my heart. I really became aware of the harmful processing of food, poisonous additives and artificial ingredients, gmos and the like quite a few years ago, due to food allergies and intolerances that I had developed. I was in England at the time, and there was a wonderful doctor named Patrick Kingsley back then who also delved into a somewhat 'alternative' way of thinking 40 yrs ago . It was called 'nutritional medicine' back then. He opened my eyes to the back story of many harmful ingredients, methods of processing, gmo practice, etx...Now its a way of life...I tried years ago to be more vocal and to advocate some sort of awareness regarding this situation. But I did not get very far, especially when it came to younger generations. Fast food, convenience food besides flooding the market, took hold of a way of thinking and life style unfortunately. Here, in Greece, if you live in a large city, you are bombarded with a culture that is saturated with fast food, processed foods and the like. There is an attempt to create a healthier and more nutritious life style but unfortunately people's schedules seem to dictate how they eat, what they eat and their food budget plays a role as well. Whole foods and nutritionally sound foods are very expensive here - even though we are an agriculturally productive country. I hope that people become more aware of these issues as time goes on because in two or three generations from now many children will be denied the opportunity to know natural, home cooked, whole food, unprocessed meals.