Let me ask you “What is the one harmful food in our diet which if removed alone could have a significant benefit on your health?”

I know you would say sugar or dairy or even gluten?

But it is none of these.

According to a new research appearing in The Lancet. -a  large-scale study and in-depth analysis provides new details about the links between this food  and type 2 diabetes.

The scientists  outline some fascinating nuances and the study is quite eye opening in many ways.

So what are these foods? 

Answer: UPF – Also called Ultra Processed Foods.

UPFs in a nutshell

UPFs are categorized as products created using industrial processes and ingredients that you wouldn’t usually find in a kitchen, like emulsifiers, flavorings, and stabilizers. They’re also more likely to contain high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fats.

UPFs include ready meals, many types of bread, cookies, fast food, some meat and dairy products, and much more.

In recent years, scientists have found associations between high intakes of UPFs and a range of health issues, including obesity and poorer cardiovascular and metabolic health. 

The degree of processing matters. 

Scientists have found that the more processed your food is, the more harmful it is likely to be. They can study the impact of processing of foods  on health by using NOVA classification, a system that categorizes foods by their level of processing:

• NOVA 1 — Unprocessed/minimally processed food: Includes whole fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and meat.
• NOVA 2 — Processed culinary ingredients: Includes oil, sugar, and salt.
• NOVA 3 — Processed food: Includes tinned fish, smoked meats, fruits in syrup, and vegetables in brine.
• NOVA 4 — UPF: Includes breakfast cereals, ready meals, and artificially- and sugar-sweetened soda.

So, what should you do?

While the picture is growing clearer, scientists need to continue to dig into the links between UPFs and health.

It seems increasingly likely that certain types of UPF are linked to disease risk, particularly sodas, animal-based products, and ready meals. However, all of the studies do agree that a high intake of UPFs overall is linked to worse health outcomes; whether that is mental health, metabolic health, or otherwise.

I believe wou should feel free to enjoy the foods you love. However the key to good health is to fill your plate with a diverse range of plants — fruit, veg, seeds, nuts, and beans.

It’s not possible (or necessary) to remove all UPFs from your cupboard. Rather, I recommend the 80/20 rule: If you eat well 80% of the time, you can just let life happen for the remaining 20%.