Four ultra-processed foods that may be harming your health without you realizing

Irish Daily Star

30-04-2025

When asked to identify ultra-processed foods, many people would likely point to high fat or sugar snacks and meals. Biscuits, crisps, sausages, and pastries are all obvious examples -
but there are some less well-known ones.
The health warning offers similar advice to an expert who said a diet switch could lead to a
17 percent reduction of your death risk.
The British Heart Foundation explains that the term 'ultra-processed foods',
which has been linked to increased chances of contracting serious health issues
, originates from the NOVA food classification system developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. This system categorises food into four groups based on the extent of processing during production:
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
: This includes produce such as fruit, vegetables, milk, fish, pulses, eggs, nuts and seeds that have no added ingredients and have been little altered from their natural state.
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Processed ingredients
: This includes foods that are added to other foods rather than eaten by themselves, such as
salt
, sugar and oils
Dr Chris Van Tulleken, author of Ultra Processed People, says many of us are consuming ultra-processed foods without even realising it
(Image: Getty Images)
Processed foods
: These are foods that are made by combining foods from groups 1 and 2, which are altered in a way that home cooks could do themselves. They include foods such as jam, pickles, tinned fruit and vegetables, homemade breads and cheeses
Ultra-processed foods
: Ultra-processed foods typically have more than 1 ingredient that you never or rarely find in a kitchen. They also tend to include many additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. These foods generally have a long shelf life.
Many items in the UPF category are tasty choices or quick and easy to grab, making them a popular choice in our hectic lives.
However, researchers have just released findings from a significant study which revealed that nearly 18,000 people potentially died as a result of consuming UPFs. The research, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that in 2018/19, approximately 17,781 premature deaths in the UK could have been associated with UPFs, , reports
Surrey Live
.
Lead investigator Eduardo Nilson, hailing from Brazil's notable Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, outlined: "UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats, and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colourants, artificial flavours and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids, so assessing deaths from all causes associated with UPF consumption allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health."
Dr Nilson highlighted the stark findings of the study: "Each 10% increase in the participation of UPFs in the diet increases the risk of death from all causes by 3%."
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) cautions: "More than half of the energy (calories) an average person in the UK eats and drinks comes from ultra-processed foods. That's perhaps not surprising as they can be convenient and appealing and are heavily marketed to us. But researchers have shown that ultra-processed foods can impact our health."
However, it's not always straightforward to dodge UPFs, some are more elusive than you think. It's clear they go beyond sausage ice cream, crisps, and biscuits - striking some as seemingly healthy or just unexpected.
Ultra-processed foods that might catch us off guard.
Many people might not realize that their 'healthy' breakfast cereal or a ham salad sandwich could be packed with UPFs. The BHF remarks: "When you think of ultra-processed foods, you might think of chips, sweets, and colourful sugary drinks, but there are some less obvious examples."
It's highlighted a few items that may fly under your UPF radar.
Breakfast cereals and bread.
Common goods like breakfast cereals and mass-produced or packaged bread are often tagged as ultra-processed foods. They typically contain added extras during their making, such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours.
The BHF notes: "One of the criticisms of the NOVA method of categorising foods is that foods like these, which can be part of a healthy diet, sit alongside less nutritious ultra-processed foods. Less nutritious ultra-processed foods can include pre-prepared meals, sausages and nuggets, as well as sweets, biscuits, pastries, buns, cakes and pre-prepared chips."
Vegetarian and vegan foods.
Even plant-based meat and cheese alternatives fall into the ultra-processed category, so they might not be as wholesome as their marketing suggests.
Cheese.
Most fresh dairy cheeses such as Cheddar, Brie, mozzarella, and Edam are classified as processed foods because they're made using methods like pasteurisation, fermentation, or ageing, according to the BHF. However, some cheeses are considered UPFs.
The BHF advises: "Cheeses that are ultra-processed include cheese slices, spreads, some shredded cheeses, and flavoured cheeses. They have been industrially processed and can typically contain added fats, sugars and salt, as well as ingredients we do not have at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and artificial colourings.
"Vegetarian and vegan cheeses can also be ultra-processed because of the ingredients and additives used to make them taste and feel like dairy cheese. Cheese is a good source of calcium and protein and, in moderation, can be a healthy part of your diet.
"To avoid ultra-processed foods, stick to traditional cheeses. For example, buying Cheddar in a large block and slicing it yourself is cheaper and healthier than buying pre-sliced options.
"But keep in mind that cheese can be high in salt and saturated fat, so aim for a matchbox-sized portion (around 30g) per day to keep your intake in check."
Beverages.
Ultra-processed foods aren't limited to brightly colored options. According to the BHF, "carbonated drinks and some alcoholic beverages, including whisky, gin, and rum," all fall under this category.
Is it necessary to completely eliminate UPFs from my diet?
The BHF advises that even though evidence is piling up against ultra-processed foods in relation to heart and circulatory health, the current research isn't strong enough to mandate completely ditching them. They suggest: "Instead of trying to completely cut out these foods, think about the balance in your diet.
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"Make sure that there are minimally processed foods in there too – eat fruit and vegetables with your meals and drink water instead of sugary drinks – and try to fit in time over the week for home cooking. It's also important to remember that not all ultra-processed foods are equal.
"When you do include ultra-processed foods in your diet, choose those with more nutritional benefit – wholegrain bread and cereals or baked beans for example, instead of crisps, sweets or pizzas. Get in the habit of reading food labels so you can easily identify and cut back on foods that are high in sugar, salt, or saturated fat."
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