As parents of young children, it can be extremely challenging to make food choices with such confusion around ultra processed foods (UPFs). But also what is best for your family based on so many factors. It is not easy to navigate choices when UPFs are everywhere, particularly when they are often so desirable and attractive for kids.
it is more important than ever to understand what these products are and how they can impact your children’s health. In this definitive guide, you will discover what qualifies as ultra-processed foods, and provide easy swaps that parents can make to ensure your kids are getting nutritious meals and snacks. Here I dive into the world of ultra-processed foods and learn how to make informed choices for your kids.
What are highly processed foods or ultra processed foods (UPF’s)?
NOVA defines UPFs as “formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes, many requiring sophisticated equipment and technology” (1)
UPF’s or highly processed foods fit into the group 4 of the Nova scale, discussed further down.
UPF’s typically go through a number of steps/processes.
Step 1 – whole foods are split or deconstructed into fractions of isolated ingredients
Step 2 – These separate ingredients then undergo some chemical modification e.g hydrolosis or hydrogenation (depends on the product.
Step 3 – Reassembly (putting back together) of some of the modified and un-modified food substances, through some form of industrial processing like extrusion.
Step 4 – Other ingredients added to make them more palatable such as additives, texture agents, taste enhancers, dyes, sweeteners and others.
Nova scale
The nova scale groups foods into four groups according to the extent and purpose of their industrial processing. It has nothing to do with the nutritional quality of the foods and this is where the confusion lies.
Here are the four groups:
Group 1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (to make them safe to eat) such as pasteurization, drying, freezing, boiling, chilling, vacuum packing and other ways that do not add other ingredients such as salt, sugar, oils and fats. These include:
Fruits and vegetables
Starchy foods like pasta, rice, potatoes
Beans, pulses and lentils
Dairy – milk, eggs and plain yoghurt
Meats and fish (whole or fillets)
Group 2. Processed culinary ingredients
Substances gained from group 1. Either by nature or industrial processing. Such as:
Vegetable oils from crushed plants, seeds and nuts
Sugar from cane or sugar beet
Starches from corn and other plants
Honey extracted from honey comb or maple trees
Butter from milk
Group 3. Processed foods
Products made by adding group 2 to group 1 such as canning and bottling. For example:
Tinned fish in oil
Fruit in syrup
Some cheeses
Salted, cured meats and fish
Salted and sugared nuts and seeds
Groups 2 and 3 may contain additives to help preserve them and protect their original properties.
Group 4. Ultra processed foods
Formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes, many requiring sophisticated equipment and technology (Monteiro et al, 2019).
Confectionery and chocolate
Biscuits, cakes and pastries
Energy drinks and carbonated soft drinks
Ice cream
Fruit yoghurts
Mass produced breads
Milk alternative drinks
Breakfast cereals
Pre-prepared ready to eat products such as pizza, pies, hot dogs, chicken nuggets
Sweet and savoury packaged snacks e.g crisps
Margarine and other spreads
Commercial milk formulas
Many commercial produced baby and toddler foods
Processed foods vs whole foods – what are the differences?
The whole foods or unprocessed foods have had little or no processing or nothing added so this is the group to focus on most where possible.
Whereas the processed foods have had more processing and some ingredients added like sugar or salt. Many are also nutritious but can contain higher levels of sugar like fruit in syrup which wouldn’t be ideal for a young child.
As you can see from the foods that are in UPFs, some are foods that maybe you wouldn’t expect to see such as breakfast cereals, mass produced bread, fruit yogurts and plant based milks. Even though these are ultra processed they are also nutritious and play a role in the diet.
Consumption of UPFs
- 0 – 6 months
Formula milk falls in the UPF group, but please remember it is an EXCEPTIONAL UPF. This is a necessary, safe and nutritious alternative for many mums who can’t breastfeed or for other reasons choose to use formula. So there is no need to be alarmed or worried about giving formula milk.
After one year of age, public health recommendations say formulas are not necessary but data from Mintel, 2022 shows many parents still use formulas well into the second year. So it is something to bear in mind if you continue for longer periods of time.
- 6 – 12 month olds
There is no current data for specific UPFs but the data from DNSIYC in 2011 showed that nearly three quarters (72%) of 7 – 9 month olds and two thirds (67%) of 10 – 11 month olds had eaten a commercial baby or toddler meal as their main meal of the day. (2) It is estimated that about half of these baby meals may be UPF (3)
- 0 -2 years
Data from Mintel, 2022 shows that the most popular product purchased for one year olds was commercial baby finger foods. (69%) and approximately 50% were UPF.
Only 6% of parents reported purchasing no commercial baby food products or drinks.
- 2 – 5 years
Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) in 2008-2014, quantified by Neri et al 2022 showed that in 2 – 5 year olds, UPFs accounted for 61% of the total mean energy intake of UK children. Only 32% came from unprocessed or minimally processed, 2% from processed foods and 5% from processed culinary ingredients.
The types of UPFs that were being consumed included: soft drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, packaged breads and buns, reconstituted meat products and pre-prepared frozen or shelf-stable dishes (4).
Are they bad for us?
It is not a black and white answer as some foods that fall into the UPFs do contain a mix of nutritious ingredients and less healthy ingredients. For example, In the case of many children’s breakfast cereals, vitamins and minerals are also added. Due to the processing and adding of other less desirable ingredients they fall into the UPF group.
Health risks
So if we look at the evidence of health risks from UPF then we can see that there is an Increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, irritable bowel syndrome and depression (5) It is worth noting that UPFs are not a direct cause, it is bit more complicated than that because there are other factors at play.
So whilst there is certainly a link to poor health you have to put it all in perspective. Consuming large amounts of CERTAIN UPFs on a regular basis is not recommended – particularly cakes, biscuits, sweet and savoury snacks, sweetened drinks and commercially produced ready meals. These types of UPFs shouldn’t be forming a regular or most of childrens and adults diets, is not ideal from a nutrition and health perspective.
Negative health effects
Here are some more negative effects certain UPFs can potentially have on children.
- Increased energy intake
Many of the UPFs are higher in calories, such as from fat, sugar or both. If your diet is high in UPFs and you are eating alot of these UPFs foods, then your calorie intake is likely to be higher. UPFs tend to be more palatable and easier to eat, leading to overconsumption of these foods with a higher energy intake.
One study has shown that participants consumed on average an extra 500+ calories a day more when eating a UPF diet for 2 wks, compared to a minimally processed diet. All foods were matched for their macronutrient content. (6) This shows how easy it would be to eat extra calories through particular UPFs.
- Nutrition imbalances in the gut
Many of the ultra processed commercial baby and toddler foods are higher in fat, salt and sugar compared to unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Therefore a diet high in these types of foods will cause an imbalance of nutrients. E.g too much fat, salt and sugar and not enough of other important nutrients.
One study has shown that in most categories, those UPFs had lower fibre content as well as higher energy, fat, saturated and sodium content compared to the minimally processed or processed products. (3).
In the NDNS data amongst 2 – 5 year olds, UPF intake was associated with eating less dietary fibre. For all ages it showed reduced dietary intake of fibre, protein and potassium (7).
- Encourages taste preferences for particular UPF foods
If a diet high in UPFs- particularly foods like ultra processed commercial baby and toddler foods etc are eaten early on in life and on a frequent basis, they are more likely to form unhealthy eating habits as they grow up. Often showing a preference for these types of foods.
This can displace other unprocessed and minimally processed foods which are needed for health and development at this critical time.
We know that offering a range of first foods, that are unprocessed and minimally processed are crucial for babies to develop a liking for a wide range of tastes and textures in order to grow healthy but also to become less picky as they grow older.
- Introduces potentially harmful additives to the gut
Some UPFs contain additives, these include:
Cosmetic additives, which are added to give a particular taste or colour to the product such as colouring, flavourings and sweeteners.
Functional additives are all added to add some form of function to the product such as (binding water and fat together) emulsifiers, thickeners and antioxidants.
Whilst these are permitted and necessary for certain products, little research has been done on the effects of these UPFs with additives and contaminants on children to date. There are some concerns about some of the levels used and the potential health effects but more research is needed.
Why do we like UPFs?
Highly palatable (easy to eat)
We know that commercial baby finger foods are one of the most popular foods in the UK baby foods market (Mintel, 2022). These sorts of finger foods include products like extruded snacks, which are consistently the same in texture and shape. They don’t require babies to chew very much, some even just melt in the mouth and therefore are highly desirable and easy to eat.
Convenience
Many UPFs are convenient in terms of being ready to eat, packaged for on the go and heavily marketed to children with fun characters to make them more desirable.
So, because UPFs are so desirable, attractive, and convenient for parents they can play a role in children’s diets. It is up to parents to make that informed decision about choosing foods and getting a good balance of nutritious foods.
Top tips for parents when shopping and cooking
If you are wanting to make some changes and incorporate more unprocessed foods, processed foods and less of the UPFs then here are my top tips:
Menu planning and shopping
- Plan meals from scratch where possible using whole or minimally processed foods.
- Use mostly whole foods. These can include fresh, frozen and tinned fruits and vegetables. Including tinned fish and vegetables is great too even though these sit in the processed group they are very nutritious.
- Read labels to see what foods contain. General rule of thumb is if you can see lots of ingredients listed you don’t recognise they are probably best to limit. There are exceptions to this rule though such as mass produced bread and breakfast cereals.
- Think about foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt as these are more likely to be UPFs.
Cooking
- For meals choose easy, simple meals for convenience such as traybakes, and one pot dishes.
- Batch cook some recipes when you have time, so you can use these on nights you don’t have time to cook
- Choose simple easy snacks such as from my 33 cheap and healthy snack ideas on a friendly budget.
- Positive Reinforcement: “Focus on foods to eat more of, rather than demonising or strictly banning UPFs, to promote a balanced diet.” says Rob Hobson, Registered Nutritionist
Easy swaps for kids foods
Some of these are not easy to swap but here are some ideas.
Confectionery and chocolate – Opt for dark chocolate with a higher % cocoa for less sugar versions.
Biscuits, cakes and pastries – make homemade versions adding in things like dried fruits, bananas, nuts and reducing the sugar.
Ice cream – make your own or opt for ice cream from gelatos that don’t use emulsifiers.
Fruit yoghurts – plain unsweetened yogurt with fruit or fruit yoghurts with no added sugar or sweeteners but add fruit puree instead. Try making your own smoothies with yoghurt and fruit.
Mass produced breads – opt for a mixture of wholemeal and white or 50/50 bread for extra fibre.
Breakfast cereals – Opt for cereals like porridge oats and shredded wheat that contain no added sugar or salt but other cereals have added vitamins and minerals,
Pre-prepared ready to eat products such as pizza, pies, hot dogs, chicken nuggets – make homemade versions when possible or limit.
Sweet and savoury packaged snacks e.g crisps – swap for homemade popcorn or dried fruit and vegetable crisps. Look for ones with minimal ingredients.
Commercial milk formulas – ideally not use after 12 months of age.
Many commercial produced baby and toddler foods – homemade meals (see below)
Recipes
Easy family friendly meals
Savoury snacks
Sweet snacks
Useful resources:
Unprocess Your Family Life: Transform your family’s health with easy unprocessed meals
Conclusion
Whilst these UPFs are highly desirable and convenient, they can play a role in children’s diets, however more of the unprocessed and minimally processed foods and some processed foods is the ideal solution. So it is a BALANCE of processed foods and whole foods. Variety is always key in anyone’s diet and introducing your children to as many unprocessed foods early on is going to expand their range of foods and give them a good chance for healthy development.
References on request
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