I tried to give up ultra-processed foods — here's what happened (and what the experts had to say)

Irish Examiner

26-04-2025

I am staring at the ingredients list of a chicken wrap. It has more than 40, half of which I can't identify.
Additives, emulsifiers, E numbers, and acidity regulators are all listed before I get to what I would have assumed was the main ingredient — chicken. And, as you'll know if you studied home economics in secondary school, ingredients on food labels must be listed in descending order of weight.
It's one of the major shocks I endure during my seven days of attempting to eat no ultra-processed foods (UPFs). There are many.
From stock cubes to tins of coconut milk, 'healthy' Nutella alternatives and packs of quick-oats, the week is full of moments where I wonder: how much of my diet is actually made up of the food I think I am buying, and not, as the man heading the growing movement shunning UPFs terms it, 'food-like substances'?
Dr Chris van Tulleken has become the face of a movement decreeing ultra-processed foods. Picture: Claire Witkin
That man is infectious disease physician Chris van Tulleken, whose book Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn't Food…and Why Can't We Stop? has become one of those science books that transcends the health and wellbeing space. Released in 2023, the book has since been the focus of a prime-time TV show, podcasts, and been embraced by a slew of online influencers who have taken to spreading its gospel.
With just 2% of nutrition-related videos analysed on TikTok being shown to be accurate, according to recent research from Dublin City University and MyFitnessPal, it's safe to say we should all be wary of taking nutrition advice from those who lack the appropriate qualifications.
That said, those advocating the avoidance of UPFs can point to a growing body of research that looks like it could support at least some of their claims. A recent study suggested those following a diet consisting wholly of UPFs are likely to consume more calories compared to those eating whole foods, which could be linked to rising obesity levels.
A large review of studies published last year also drew links between UPFs and 32 health problems, including higher risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and adverse mental health.
Nicole Glennon discovered many of her kitchen staples were considered UPFs. Picture: Nina Val
What is an ultra-processed food?
The NOVA food classification system, devised by Carlos Monteiro, professor of nutrition and public health at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, is the most widely used method of identifying UPFs.
It categorises foods into four categories: unprocessed, minimally processed, processed, and ultra-processed foods. The latter are defined as 'industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesised in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources (flavour enhancers, colours, and several food additives).'
Dietitian Orla Walsh has another way of thinking about it: 'If you're making processed food, you're putting on an apron; if it's ultra-processed, you're putting on a lab coat.'
We typically picture UPFs as a calorific pizza, a pack of luminous sweets, a certain brand of potato snack that promises 'once you pop, you can't stop'. But what soon becomes apparent when I start reading the food labels of products in my own cupboard and fridge is just how much of my kitchen is made up of these foods.
A study published in 2018 found that almost half of the average Irish diet is made up of UPFs, but after rifling through my kitchen before my UPF-free grocery shop, I'd be surprised if that isn't an underestimation.
From my humble loaf of bread to breakfast cereals, ketchup, and soy sauce, curry pastes and high-end chocolate bars, most contain a lengthy list of ingredients I don't recognise. Even the tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, and stock cubes, which contain chemical preservatives, are considered UPFs. I quickly realise meals I make from scratch: stews, curries, pasta dishes with homemade sauce, are all considered UPFs under this definition. It'll be a long week.
A look at some of the food Nicole enjoyed during her UPF-free week. Picture: Nina Val
A week without ultra-processed foods
Grocery shopping the weekend before my challenge is one of the most time-consuming and stressful experiences I've ever had in a supermarket — and I did the household's pandemic shopping.
I spend over an hour in my local Lidl and Tesco, reading the labels of everything that goes in my trolley. I stock up on fresh fruit, vegetables and meats, opting for organic varieties where available. I find UPF-free versions of some of the 'handy' products I was concerned about — such as boil-in-the-bag rice — as well as UPF-free tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. I manage to find alternative ketchup, mayonnaise, peanut butter, and stock cube products that pass the UPF-free test, but a suitable tin of coconut milk proves elusive. It's a sign of how deranged this challenge is already making me that I almost cry with relief when I realise all of Ballymaloe's pasta sauces are UPF free.
Monday: I am working from home, so making everything from scratch is easy to stick to. Porridge with fruit, seeds, and a dollop of 100% peanut butter. Scrambled eggs on a fresh sourdough loaf with butter. Smoked salmon with a homemade pasta sauce made with cream and butter. The only slight annoyance today is having to trade my usual pre-workout protein bar for an oat bar from plant-based brand Deliciously Ella. It's tasty, but not as filling, and I notice the difference in my performance in the gym.
Tuesday: Things start getting trickier. I am in the office today and realise the quick oats variety of porridge I have at my desk isn't UPF friendly. It only has four ingredients, but one — sulphur dioxide — means it's off limits.
I am eating out with a colleague for lunch and spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to find a local eatery that lists the ingredients on their lunch plates. None do. I reckon my best option is a salad-chain, but when I reach the top of the queue, I see there's an allergen listed for every bowl — sulphur dioxide. Now starving, and conscious of my uber-patient colleague waiting to order, I accept defeat and order the bowl anyway.
Dinner is a stew, sans some of the UPF ingredients I'd usually use, like Worcestershire sauce. My cravings for a sweet treat are satisfied by M&S' Dominican Republic 46% milk chocolate, which appears to be the only high-street brand offering chocolate I can eat. It's a highlight of the week.
M&S' UPF-free Milk Chocolate was a saving grace during Nicole's week
Wednesday: With two work events to attend, both of which involve food, I am really starting to feel the restriction. Sitting in the middle of a table of 20-plus people, my cheeks are bright red as I ask the waitress if I can check which items on the set menu are free of additives, emulsifiers and preservatives. 'Allergies?' she asks. I say no, I am just trying to avoid them, and immediately sense her internal eye roll.
Sweating at this point, and with my fellow dinner guests all eavesdropping, I ask if she can check if any options are free of sulphites – these are a common allergy, at least. After a couple of minutes, the server returns and assures me all options are fine, which honestly, seems unlikely given how prevalent I now realise sulphites are... I order a salad without the dressing or accompanying focaccia, the roast chicken and skip dessert.
Later that day, I attend the second event and eat nothing. I arrive home late and starving, rustling up a salad with sweet potato and halloumi. I text my friend to rearrange our lunch date for this weekend — I can't face having to eat out again.
Nicole ate a lot of salads during her UPF-free week
Thursday: I take a stroll to my local coffee shop for breakfast. I want the ground to swallow me whole when I ask the barista if he knows what's in the 'bliss balls' on the counter.
Thankfully, I am the only one there at the time, so he's happy to dig out a big folder with all the information on what they stock, including ingredients and allergens. They turn out to be UPF free... hooray! Despite the flat white, I have a lingering headache, and I am chalking this down to the fact that I am probably consuming a lot less sugar than I usually would.
It's one of the first proper sunshiny days of the year, and later, as I go for a walk with my partner, I feel a bit sorry for myself when I see everyone with their first 99s of the season. We check our local Mace to see if there's any ice cream I can have. I can't find one.
A croissant from Bread 41 Bakery, Pearse St
Friday: Back in the office, I've come prepared. UPF-free quick oats with porridge and fruit for breakfast, a make-shift salad bowl for lunch, and a croissant from local bakery Bread 41 after confirming the ingredients used.
When I clock off for the evening, I can't face another salad, or cooking a meal from scratch after a week of it, so I head to M&S to see if I can find
anything ready-made that passes the test. To my delight, I do. A steak pie, roasted potatoes, and beef gravy. I can't express how glorious it feels to just throw something in the oven that evening with minimal effort and clean up. I've managed to nab all three items for under €12 too, as all are reduced to clear at the end of the day.
A Friday takeout for two in Dublin now costs almost three times that, so it's a rare win for my wallet this week too.
Saturday: For breakfast, I try M&S' one-ingredient cornflakes, a new product you have to imagine has come on stream as a direct result of the rise in awareness around UPFs. I wonder how something made only of corn can taste good. It doesn't.
I am on the move most of today, with no access to a kitchen to refrigerate or heat up pre-prepared foods. For lunch, I go to one of Dall'Italia's pasta bars, where the chef prepares the dish right in front of you with ingredients of your choosing. A traditional carbonara seems like a safe and
delicious choice. Later that day, I bring my own UPF-free flatbreads, crisps, and hummus to a pal's wine and cheese night. Technically, I should not have had a few glasses of wine, given it contains sulphites. However, they are naturally occurring sulphites, so I convince myself they can't count as ultra-processed. It's been a long week.
Nicole managed to find a UPF-free lunch at Heuston Station
Sunday: I am on the move again and lunch at Heuston Station proves challenging. After examining ingredients in a range of pre-packaged foods, I am starting to think fresh chips from Supermacs might be my best option. I eventually find a pesto pasta I can eat.
Dinner that night is out of my hands again, as we are in a restaurant for a birthday. After my dressing-less salad and what I feel is the relatively safe choice of fish and chips (at this stage, I am not asking what's in the batter) I am feeling very deserving of breaking out and indulging in a dessert.
I order the most luscious chocolate dessert to celebrate the end of my UPF week. When it arrives, with a glistening ganache top and dark, rich mousse, I am thrilled, but about an hour after eating it, I feel rotten.
The rest of the night, I am conscious of my stomach gurgling away as I rub its distended, bloated surface. It's probably just the high sugar content after a week of nothing but some good quality chocolate, but it makes me question whether, now that I'm free of my UPF challenge, I really should return to my previous way of eating...
Should we cut out ultraprocessed foods? Here's what the experts say
'For a lot of people, UPFs make up the bulk of their diet,' dietitian Orla Walsh says.
'One reason for this is UPFs tend to taste great, so it's understandable why people would want to eat them, but the other thing is, cooking skills have reduced. It's commonplace that someone would come into my clinic and not know how to boil an egg or make an omelette.'
She notes that UPFs, particularly those that are fortified with vitamins and minerals, are in some cases helping to 'fill nutrient gaps' in many Irish people's diets.
'Highlighting UPFs can be helpful,' she says, but feels the conversation, particularly in online spaces, 'is too black and white'.
Orla Walsh: 'If a name sounds chemical, it might still be safe — and not only safe, but beneficial for you'
'Just because you can't pronounce something or you don't know what it is, doesn't mean it's bad. If a name sounds chemical, it might still be safe — and not only safe, but beneficial for you.'
For dietitian Evan Lynch, the Nova UPF classification is flawed because it doesn't take into account the potential benefit or nutritional value of different foods.
'A protein yoghurt and a frozen pizza are both ultra-processed foods,' he points out. While some research suggests UPFs might be linked to
overconsumption, his own experience working with clients is that some UPFs can play a role in managing hunger.
'If you're on a weight loss journey, and struggling with satiety, protein bars and yoghurts can really help with satiety, which is associated with better weight loss outcomes.'
'There's no compelling research or evidence that I can see that including foods like this in a balanced manner will raise your likelihood of having a disease,' Lynch says.
For every person, the decision to use a UPF should boil down to, what's your personal situation, what's your food environment, what are your skills, how much time do you have, and does the UPF either add to the nutrient value or the nutritional value of your diet, or subtract from it?
Even nutritionist Rob Hobson, the author of two books, Unprocess Your Life and Unprocess Your Family Life, recommends a balanced approach.
'The negative impact UPFs have on health is often due to a combination of factors, including their nutrient-poor composition, additives, altered food structure, and the broader dietary context in which they are consumed,' he says.
For Hobson, it's not about demonising a whole slew of foods, but about helping consumers understand 'more about our food system', including that modern day ultra-processing may play a role in why many of us struggle to eat within our recommended calorie allowances.
That said, Hobson is aware that the convenience of UPFs is something that can't be easily replaced. The cost of buying whole, organic foods, also can't be understated.
Rob Hobson takes a balanced approach to reducing UPFs in our diet. Picture: Ola Smit
'People need to do the best they can with the time and the money that they've got. If you can't afford to buy sourdough, or your kids don't like it, and you have to buy white sliced bread, it's not the end of the world.
'You're not poisoning your kids by giving them some UPF foods,' he stresses.
How worried the average person or parent should be about UPFs largely depends on how reliant we are on them throughout our diet, he says.
'You're not going to sacrifice your health dramatically if you're eating some ultra-processed food,' he says.
'We have to be realistic,' Hobson says. 'I get attacked a lot by people who say 'don't eat anything UPF, the food industry is killing you'. It's a very nuanced topic. It's not that simple for most people.'
Nicole Glennon says her experience has changed her grocery shop — but she won't be changing her diet massively. Picture: Nina Val
My final takeaway
In the days after I finish my week of eating no UPFs, and sharing parts of my journey on my Instagram page, I keep getting asked the same question: 'Will you keep it up?'
I will continue to read food labels and be more aware of what goes in my shopping trolley. Where possible, I'll buy foods that don't contain additives or emulsifiers. At best, they aren't adding much to my diet, at worst, they may be linked to negative health outcomes — I'd rather avoid them.
Aside from that, I don't plan on changing my diet too much. UPFs are so ingrained in modern-day life, avoiding them is not possible without significant lifestyle changes, some of which have their own consequences.
For example, I went to the gym less during my challenge because I was spending more evenings cooking food and prepping tomorrow's lunch. My grocery bill skyrocketed as I had to replace so many of my fridge and cupboard staples. I developed anxiety around food and eating out. I took myself out of social situations because I didn't want to inconvenience friends or service staff.
Reflecting on the week, something Orla Walsh said really resonates.
'It might be mad as a dietitian to say this, but I don't want someone's number one priority to be nutrition. That's not healthy.'
So, I am off to get that 99 — and I won't feel bad about it.