Super processed foods are everywhere, but a few small changes to your diet can minimize the damage they cause. More than ever, we worry about the dangers of eating super processed foods (UPFs). Is there a safe level of UPFs to have in your diet? And could the occasional bag of crisps be okay? Dietitians share small swaps that will make big changes to your health.

1. Understand what processed foods really are
   “UPFs have undergone significant changes and processing from their original form,” says Charlie Watson, a Caversham-based NHS dietitian and author of the book Cook Eat Run. “They often contain a large number of ingredients, many of which you may not recognize, including stabilizers, preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors.”
   “If you were to go into your garden and pick a lettuce, then that’s definitely not going to be processed at all,” says Priya Tew, a dietitian from Southampton. “However, when the lettuce gets washed and placed into a bag, it has undergone some form of processing. And then, if we go all the way through to when these things have had lots of added ingredients and have been changed in terms of how they have been put together, then that will be super processed.”
2. Be aware of the limitations of classifying UPFs
   Foods are classified using the Nova system, Tew explains, which was developed in 2009 in Brazil and has four levels, from completely unprocessed to super processed, with the top category including high-fiber cereals, fruit yogurts, chicken nuggets, and fizzy drinks. “It’s not perfect,” she says, “but it’s currently the best we have. I don’t think we should be overly concerned about things like plant milks, which are classed as super processed, or shop-bought bread, which is a staple in so many people’s kitchens. It comes down to common sense about not over-relying on convenience foods, but it doesn’t mean we need to cut them all out.”
3. Try not to worry about avoiding them completely
   “Research shows that even those with the best health outcomes still include some UPFs in their diet,” says Sophie Medlin, a specialist colorectal dietitian at CityDietitians in London. “That’s because they are so ubiquitous, and it is really difficult to eliminate them from your diet entirely. No one expects people to be UPF-free. We are just hoping that people will become a bit more aware of them and reduce their intake.” However, Medlin adds, “It is not something to feel paranoid or overly anxious about. If it is causing people extreme anxiety and affecting their lives, it is definitely worth seeking help.”
4. Still, UPFs should be eaten in moderation
   “People who eat more UPFs have a higher rate of obesity and chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, particularly colon cancer,” says Linia Patel, a dietitian and public health researcher who works between Milan and London. “We know there is a link between UPFs and poorer health, but we don’t know why. It could be that the additives in super processed foods are affecting our gut health for the worse. It could be that processing changes the physical structure of food, making it easier to eat, and therefore these foods can be eaten faster, leading to overeating. It could be that these foods contain more saturated fat, sugar, and salt, and less fiber, which means it’s probably these foods causing the problem, rather than the processing.”
5. Aim for the 80/20 rule
   “It’s not about perfection,” says Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a dietitian from Leeds and author of the book How Not to Eat Super Processed. Ludlam-Raine works with obese patients and says that her philosophy is to focus on what they should achieve more of, rather than restricting them. “I always say moderation, not deprivation.” If you eat well most of the time, she says, you can justify a shop-bought birthday cake. Ludlam-Raine recommends the 80/20 rule, as does Adam Cummins, a dietitian from Manchester. “When I’m working with someone,” he says, “80% of their nutrition should focus on whole foods, and 20% can be focused on foods they enjoy and feel they can’t live without, like ice cream, which are likely to be processed. Reducing them can have a significant impact on health.”
6. Don’t underestimate hummus or Weetabix
   Shop-bought hummus usually contains one preservative, says Ludlam-Raine. “If you see ascorbic acid as a preservative, that doesn’t make the food a UPF—that’s vitamin C. Weetabix is a UPF because of the barley malt extract that’s added, but it’s high in whole grains, and there’s only one ingredient that you wouldn’t find in a standard kitchen. I wouldn’t class these as UPFs, but they would come under Nova level 4.”
7. Look for simple swaps
   “Look at the common foods you’re buying regularly,” says Tew, “and figure out where you can make swaps that won’t cause you loads of stress and days in the kitchen preparing things. Maybe you have a super processed breakfast cereal, and you swap over to making your own muesli, which is just oats, nuts, seeds, and raisins—stick it in a jar, shake it.”
8. Reconsider meal times
   “People lead very busy lives,” says Medlin, “and it’s not realistic for them to suddenly turn around and start cooking everything from scratch and eating an entirely wholefood diet. Look at the things that are easy wins. For example, if you’re relying on takeout foods or ready meals in the evening, then consider recipe box delivery options [such as Gousto and HelloFresh], even if it’s just once or twice a week.”
9. Takeaways should be a treat, but don’t rule out ready meals
   “I’m a big advocate for ready meals,” says Cummins. “There is a misconception from the past that they are poor quality, very high in additives, salt, and fats. But the ready meal industry has vastly improved. For many people, it removes the barrier of not having the confidence to cook, and it can reduce food wastage. It also helps people on a calorie-controlled diet with portion sizes. It is much better to have ready meals, or pre-prepared meals, than reaching for a takeout fast food app.”
10. Add a fresh side dish
    “If you’re buying a ready meal,” says Tew, “think about what will make the whole meal less super processed overall. Stick some salad on the side or add some frozen vegetables because often ready meals have little in terms of vegetable content.”
11. Get your head around hunger – and how to manage it 11. Get your head around hunger – and how to manage it

    “There are three fundamental types of hunger,” explains Ludlam-Raine. “There is head hunger, which is cravings; heart hunger, which is emotions; and stomach hunger, which is true hunger. You can keep stomach hunger at bay by having regular meals and adequate fluids; heart hunger, by coming up with ‘if’ strategies, for example: ‘If I’m feeling angry, I will take a walk in nature,’ or ‘If I’m feeling lonely, I will call a friend.’ However, your head hunger can be triggered by eye hunger, ear hunger, nose hunger: so smelling, seeing, or hearing a fresh packet being opened. If this happens while walking past a bakery, just plan to avoid it. Walk a different way.” If a doughnut is vegan, people think it’s healthier than other options, but it’s not.

    Don’t rely on willpower, she says. “Because willpower is like a muscle, and the more you use it throughout the day, the weaker it becomes. So, that’s why, in the morning, you might have resisted those office buns. But then the more you use willpower throughout the day, the more stressed you become, and you’re more likely to have something in the afternoon. Make sure in the office that any treats are not kept in view. Ideally, they’re kept in the kitchen, so they’re there for people if they really want them, but you’re not triggered by eye hunger and don’t have to rely on willpower.”

    12. Ditch the fizzy drinks
    “A lot of my patients fuel their day on Coke,” says Ludlam-Raine, “and then they come home from work starving, haven’t prepared a meal, and may rely on ready meals or takeaways, which leads to more UPF consumption. If we can get them fueling their day properly – with regular meals, more whole foods, more plants – then the Cokes will decrease. If they can switch to Diet Coke, that reduces the sugar intake. But diet fizzy drinks are not a health drink.”

    13. Eat like an Italian
    While working in Milan, Patel noticed that Italians snack much less, perhaps because they eat larger meals and there is more of a home-cooked “like Mom used to make” food culture. “They have biscotti for breakfast – that would be classified as ultra-processed – yet they are still generally making it work. Why? Because the overall dietary pattern includes whole foods,” says Patel. Homemade pancakes are great for children’s lunchboxes.

    14. Get kids involved in the kitchen
    Processed foods are marketed to appeal to kids from an early age, so naturally, kids would rather have sweets than a piece of fruit. Show them the importance of a balanced diet, says Tew, and get them involved with cooking. “My kids have always loved getting messy in the kitchen,” she says, recalling the joy of making energy balls with her son, who couldn’t believe he could choose the flavors that went into them. By baking on the weekend, you can add a homemade pancake to lunchboxes instead of snack packets, says Tew.

    A study published this summer highlighted that UK teenagers get around two-thirds of their calories from UPFs, which is a cause for concern, says Patel. “That’s a really important group to focus on because that’s when the brain is developing the most. And our brain is one of the hungriest organs we have: it consumes 20% of our energy every day. So we need to make sure that teenagers are eating in a way that nourishes their brains.”

    15. Be organized to avoid UPFs
    There is a perception that buying UPFs is cheaper than cooking. “Unfortunately, if you go around the shops, you’ll see that a lot of the processed foods run deals,” says Cummins. “They are the ones that you can buy in large multipacks. And for people who may be on lower incomes and with children to feed, this can certainly be more appealing than buying whole foods.”

    However, if you plan well, you can usually eat better, he says. “I always advise people to come up with a few ideas for the week ahead. Write a shopping list of things that are convenient and cheap. Baked beans won’t go off and they’ve had a very minimal amount of processing. Same with frozen vegetables and fruits. They last much longer than the fresh versions and are still as nutritious, so you can buy them in larger packs without them going off, and they are cheaper in the long run. You can batch cook, prepare more, and freeze meals instead of throwing food away.”

    16. Spend some dough on bread
    Most people can’t make their own bread, but it can be worth buying freshly baked bread, even from a supermarket bakery. “I’m not someone who has the time to bake my own bread,” says Medlin, “so it’s not like I would ever ask my patients to try to do that because I just don’t think it’s practical. But if you are in a position to pop to a local bakery and get some freshly made bread once a week, then that can be a really helpful way of nudging things in the right direction.”

    17. Choosing high fiber can offset other negatives
    Research has shown, says Ludlam-Raine, that the benefits of foods that are high in whole grain offset the additives they contain. “If one of my patients is on a budget and can’t afford UPF-free bread like sourdough, then it is much better for them to have whole grain bread because it adds to their fiber intake for the day.”

    18. When in doubt, check the label
    “I recently bought a sandwich on the train, and it had so many ingredients and various additives,” says Ludlam-Raine. “Check ingredient lists,” agrees Watson. “Limit foods with too many ingredients and many that you wouldn’t find in your home kitchen.”

    There are certain things to watch out for, says Medlin. “We think that emulsifiers are disrupting the barrier of the gut, which is not helpful, especially if you have inflammatory bowel disease. We also need to watch preservatives because we know that they are killing good bacteria as well as bad bacteria. And artificial sweeteners, flavorings, and colorings are best avoided if possible.”

    19. Beware of some ‘health food’ products
    “There is sometimes a health halo around certain products,” says Ludlam-Raine. “If a doughnut is vegan, people think it’s healthier than other options when it’s not.” Medlin adds: “The vegan protein market is full of UPFs. That can be difficult to navigate for people who want to follow a plant-based diet but don’t realize the choices they are making are actually adding a lot of UPFs instead of making their diet healthy.”

    20. Don’t let snacks drag you down
    Snacking is often where people fall down, says Tew. “You’re out and about, and you need a snack. It’s not so easy to run into the kitchen and prepare peanut butter on toast on the go. Think about what you can take with you if you’re going to be out for a while.” Medlin agrees that snacks are the best place to make a change. “There are really easy alternatives to processed snack foods: nuts, seed mixes, dried fruit, fresh fruit.” But even dietitians are only human: “I mean, sometimes crisps are lovely,” she says.