The truth about ultra processed foods (UPFs) and how to ditch them for good

Ever picked up a product in the supermarket, read the ingredients and not recognise a single thing on the list? So, if we can’t pronounce it, should we really be eating it?

The words on that list are usually ultra processed foods, or UPFs, and they’ve quietly taken over our diets and tricked our brains into depending on them, when really, we should be eating real food like our ancestors.

So, what are ultra processed foods? Why should we be avoiding them and what are some examples of ultra processed foods?

If you’re looking to decode it all and transform your food cupboard for the better, then you’re in the right place.

Processed foods definition: What are ultra processed foods?

Without getting too sciency on you, ultra processed foods are ingredients that are industrially manufactured and altered, so that products become more ‘tasty’, addictive, shelf-stable and cheap.

You might have also heard about processed foods and whole foods, so what’s the difference? Put simply:

Whole foods: Single ingredients, close to nature, such as vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed butter

Processed foods: Altered from their natural state but in a recognisable way, such as tuna in spring water, cured bacon, pickles, tinned tomatoes

Ultra processed foods: Industrially manufactured, often with unrecognisable ingredient names

Examples of ultra processed foods

So, what are some examples of ultra processed foods and which are the worst offenders?

Vegetable oils - rapeseed, sunflower, vegetable oil. They’re addictive and wreak havoc on the gut-brain axis
Flavoured yoghurts - packed full of sugars, emulsifiers and stabilisers
Protein bars and meal replacement shakes - full of gut-disrupting fillers and nasties
Breakfast cereals - ultra-processed grains coated in highly addictive sugar and flavouring
Ready meals - ingredient lists as long as our arms filled with chemicals

Then there’s the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing, secret offenders you might be consuming:

Mass market proteins - packed with fillers, gums and bloating ingredients
‘Healthy’ products - filled with all of the above
Electrolytes or sports drinks - powered by sugar or aspartame
Skimmed milk - the ingredient is ‘milk’, but it’s been chemically processed to remove the fat
Low-fat options - the same goes as above: low-fat yoghurt might just have ‘milk’ as the ingredient, but it’s been chemically processed

Why are ultra processed foods bad for us?

So now we’ve determined what UPFs are, why are they so bad for us?

Ultra processed foods, emulsifiers and gums disrupt the microbiome and gut lining. Hello leaky gut, bloating and stomach upset
UPFs have been chemically engineered to make us crave more, spiking blood sugar and overriding feelings of satiety
Seed oils, additives, sugars and chemicals are highly inflammatory for the body
‘Healthy’ low-calorie UPF foods might not have any calories, but that means they’re nutrient-void. Our bodies need food to function.

How to spot ultra processed foods

Made it this far? Then we’ve probably convinced you to start clearing the cupboards of chemicals. But how do we do that? How do we know what is ultra processed, processed and whole? Here’s how to identify ultra processed foods:

Always check the label - if there are ingredient names you don’t recognise, it’s probably ultra processed
The small list rule - the longer the ingredients list, the more likely it’s ultra processed
The kitchen test - would you find the ingredients at home in your kitchen? Xanthan gum? Probably not.
Don’t trust the slogan - just because it says it’s healthy, doesn’t mean it is
Organic or not - this takes things one step further. Organic butters, milks, and cheeses are usually produced using fewer chemicals

Ultra-processed food swaps

Flavoured yoghurts -> full-fat Greek yoghurt + WillPowders Protein
‘Healthy’ protein bars -> home-made protein balls
Soup sachets -> WillPowders Bone Broth Soup
Cheap, whey proteins -> WillPowders Protein
Sports drinks -> WillPowders Electrolytes
Spreadable butter -> block of grass-fed butter
Red top, skimmed milk -> whole milk, ideally from a local farm
Vegetable and rapeseed oils -> extra virgin olive oil or MCT oil

At WillPowders, we never use ultra-processed ingredients in our products. If you’re interested in exploring our real food approach in more detail or want to overhaul your kitchen, check out our best sellers.

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