What does “Ultra-Processed” really mean in food & drinks?

“Ultra-processed” is a term that has been popping up more and more over the last few years, usually when people discuss healthy eating or “eating clean”. Let’s look at what it means and especially in the context of workplace refreshments.

In a nutshell (sorry!), it typically means that a product is made with ingredients you wouldn’t find in a home kitchen. In drinks this could be artificial sweeteners, colourings and flavours; in food can be things called emulsifiers, preservatives, flavour enhancers, processed oils and fats. Also, the use of sugar, fat, salt and saturated fats in food forms a highly addictive cocktail and keeps you wanting more. Industrial additives (they don’t sound nice!) are also cheaper than natural ingredients and with cost playing a factor in food choice you can see why so many manufacturers adopt these ingredients.

How do you know if a product is ultra-processed?

Well, you have to know what to look for in the small print (otherwise known as ingredients). No brand I know of markets themselves as ultra-processed but I can think of a few who position themselves as healthy but sadly their products wouldn’t pass the scrutiny of the Nova classification system which seems to be the leading measure.

Are there better choices available for workplace drinks and snacks?

Yes, is the answer and this is an area we’re working hard on at Totally Tasty. There are generally more healthy choices available in the soft drinks sector, but we have also identified great choices in food snacks too.

Since our re-launch at the beginning of the year, we’ve had lots of discussions with businesses wanting to review, not only the health aspects of their choices, but sustainability credentials too. This is something we will be talking more about in the coming months, especially how we can help measure your current choices because that goes hand in hand with recommending better products.

Please reach out to us if you want to know more.