9 Ways to Identify Unsafe Ultra-Processed Foods

Improving your eating habits doesn’t always mean reducing calories or carbohydrates in your diet. A good way to have a healthier diet is to pay attention to how much of the food we bring to our table is processed .

According to the WHO, Chile is the seventh country that consumes the most ultra-processed foods in the world . Most people consume these foods without realizing it, as many are even marketed as healthy options, like protein bars or breakfast cereals.

The properties of these foods make them very harmful for health , because they are industrial formulations created from food. Nutritionist Samuel Durán explains that “These are inventions of science , by some definitions, and modern food technology. Most of them eat little or no whole foods “.

The offer of ultra-processed products in supermarkets, it is much higher than that of organic, and has been based in Chile since the 1980s, Durán explains. Although the supply of organic foods has increased in recent years, “they are aimed at a more elite group, because they are more expensive than their processed peers,” he points out.

On the other hand, ultra-processed foods are transversal in the diet of Chileans, since There are both very cheap prices and very high prices. . And although it is difficult to identify the impact of these foods on diseases such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension “These provide a large amount of calories, compared to their similar groups,” comments the nutritionist.

Other risks associated with ultra-processed foods are addiction that they can generate, as they are presented as alternatives with better flavor, texture and consistency than natural foods. This is in addition to the fact that they generally require less preparation time makes it a useful alternative for Chilean families, although lower nutritional value .

Ultra-processed foods contain a large quantity of chemical ingredients , which seems unknown at first glance. If you like bread, for example, choose a brand that contains only simple ingredients, such as wheat flour, barley flour, sourdough, salt, nuts or raisins. Many ultra-processed breads contain sugar, vegetable oil, artificial sweeteners and multiple preservatives, emulsifiers and shelf life extenders.

Ingredients such as soy lecticin, guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides or carboxymethylcellulose, are used to provide a greater consistency in ultra-processed products . This is used to reduce mass production costs, in addition to dyes to give them an attractive look, preservatives to give them a long lifespan and thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers to improve their texture or prevent their ingredients from separating while they sit on store shelves for weeks or months.

Not all sugar is bad, humans need a base amount for energy and a balanced diet. However, corn syrup, cane sugar, malt syrup or molasses are used in recipes like sugars additional to natural sugars, which are not necessary .

Sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose or glucose are also sugars generally added, to give a better flavor to products. These two additives and others “they do [los alimentos ultraprocesados] are much tastier » explains Durán.

Artificial sweeteners and flavors are another distinctive feature of ultra-processed foods. Sugar and sweeteners are often added “to mask the unpleasant taste of preservatives and other ingredients that are added,” he said Nicole Avena, author of the book Without Sugar.

Foods with warnings, such as stamps of “rich in” have a tendency to concentrate a larger quantity of ingredients in your recipes. Additionally, an increase in essential nutrients such as sodium or calories can lead to an unbalanced diet, which can lead to diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or obesity, says Durán.

Usually, manufacturers They remove natural sugar, but in exchange for the integration of artificial sugars to maintain the good taste and attractiveness of the product.

According to Durán, ultra-processed foods are attractive because of “their smell, appearance or sound, which stimulate the desire to eat . In general, studies show that when a person is fed ultra-processed foods, they tend to eat more calories,” he comments.

When in doubt, look at the ingredient label and ask yourself if you can make it at home. Ultra-processed foods contain additives that are not typically used in home kitchens . Returning to the bread example, no one would think of adding artificial sweeteners to a homemade kneaded bread recipe.

Choosing more natural foods, accompanied by a balanced diet and physical exercise, can significantly improve a person’s eating habits and therefore their quality of life. Duran recommends consuming no more than one ultra-processed food per day , which “can be a glass of juice, a yogurt with sugar, but only one; and thus we ensure that our diet is not based on ultra-processed foods,” he comments.