{"id":185389,"date":"2025-06-15T03:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T03:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/185389\/"},"modified":"2025-06-15T03:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T03:45:11","slug":"seven-upfs-the-nutritionists-say-are-actually-good-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/185389\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven UPFs the nutritionists say are actually good for you"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ultra-processed foods \u2014 or UPFs \u2014 have become a dietary bogeyman. The artificial ingredients that make them so tasty (and addictive) aren\u2019t very good for us: research suggests that consuming too many could increase our likelihood of colorectal, breast and ovarian cancers. <\/p>\n

But before you start making your own nut milk, there are some UPFs that aren\u2019t so bad for you after all. Here are seven you can keep adding to your basket (in moderation).<\/p>\n

1. Use your loaf<\/p>\n

Sliced bread is widely maligned but it has (a few) health benefits. \u201cBread can provide us with a very good source of fibre and essential micronutrients,\u201d says Rhiannon Lambert, the author of The Unprocessed Plate, published on Thursday. \u201cMany are fortified with iron and B vitamins, which are particularly important for pregnant people, children or those at risk of deficiencies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Choose carefully for greater health benefits. \u201cSliced bread that contains chia, flax, poppy and sunflower seeds can help us reach our target of 30 or more different plants a week, which is what research from the American Gut Project suggests we should be doing,\u201d says Emma Bardwell, a nutritionist. <\/p>\n

2. The best plant milk<\/p>\n

Critics say that many of the trendy plant-based milks such as oat, soy and almond count as ultra-processed due to the thickeners, emulsifiers, oils and sweeteners added during production. But they still have their good points. \u201cSome varieties are fortified with calcium and vitamin D,\u201d Lambert says. \u201cPlant-based milks are often lower in saturated fat, and soya milk in particular offers a nutrient profile similar to that of cow\u2019s milk.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u2022 The ultra-processed foods the top nutritionist says are healthy<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

3. Be full of beans\"Illustration<\/p>\n

\u201cBaked beans are classified as ultra-processed due to added sugar and salt, but they are still a good source of plant-based protein, fibre and essential nutrients such as iron and folate,\u201d says Emily English, a nutritionist. <\/p>\n

A portion counts as one of our five a day and, \u201ccombined with wholegrain toast, they provide a complete amino acid profile\u201d \u2014 meaning you get all nine amino acids essential for muscle repair and overall health. <\/p>\n

4. Pass the hummus <\/p>\n

The added preservatives in your supermarket pot means it counts as a UPF . Don\u2019t worry. \u201cChickpeas, tahini, olive oil \u2014 hummus is made from all-natural ingredients, which provide iron, calcium and magnesium,\u201d says Rob Hobson, the author of Unprocess Your Family Life. \u201cIt\u2019s useful for those who are on a plant-based diet, as these nutrients can otherwise be harder to come by.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u2022 Ultra-processed foods: 9 things you should never buy again<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

5. Marmite is all right\"Illustration<\/p>\n

This is one of those kitchen cupboard staples that technically falls under the UPF umbrella. However, it is rich in B vitamins \u2014 which are essential for energy production \u2014 and also magnesium, which supports the nervous system. Eat on wholegrain toast for a (fairly) healthy breakfast. <\/p>\n

6. Stay on the sauce<\/p>\n

When it comes to fruit and vegetables we naturally assume fresh is best. But don\u2019t beat yourself up about serving pasta with a jar of ready-made tomato sauce \u2014 it will provide a better source of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh tomatoes.<\/p>\n

\u201cLycopene is a powerful antioxidant linked to heart health and reduced inflammation,\u201d says English, adding that cooking the tomatoes makes it easier for our bodies to absorb lycopene. \u201cChoosing a sauce with minimal added sugar and pairing it with olive oil can further improve its nutritional benefits,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The ultra-processed food Britain\u2019s top nutritionist avoids<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

7. Squeeze some juice in<\/p>\n

Shop-bought orange juice contains preservatives for a long shelf life, but still has many of the benefits of the freshly squeezed stuff. Look for varieties with no added sugar that aren\u2019t made from concentrate and are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. <\/p>\n

\u201cEating an actual orange will give you much more fibre and will be more filling, but it\u2019s worth noting that a 150ml glass of juice counts as one of your five a day and is very practical for most people,\u201d Bardwell says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ultra-processed foods \u2014 or UPFs \u2014 have become a dietary bogeyman. The artificial ingredients that make them so…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":185390,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4318],"tags":[105,4434,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-185389","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114685327888272186","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185389"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185389\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/185390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=185389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=185389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}