By Performance Nutritionist, Tamara Walker book a 1-2-1 with Tam here



Walk into any supermarket, and you’re surrounded by convenience. Microwave meals, snack bars, fizzy drinks and protein-enriched everything! Modern life is busy, and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) offer a quick fix. But behind the shiny packaging lies a growing nutritional concern.



What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods are not just “processed” and includes even frozen peas or pasteurised milk. These are industrial formulations made from ingredients rarely used in home kitchens, such as high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavours, emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils, and colour stabilizers [1].



Examples include:

·      Sugary breakfast cereals

·      Flavoured chips and packaged snacks

·      Ready-made frozen meals

·      Instant noodles and soups

·      Soft drinks and energy drinks

·      Packaged desserts and shelf-stable pastries

·      Reconstituted meat products like nuggets or hot dogs



These foods are often high in sugar, sodium, unhealthy fats, and calories while being low in fibre, vitamins, and minerals.



Why Should We Care?



1. Increased Health Risks

High intake of ultra-processed foods is linked with:

·      Obesity and weight gain [2]

·      Heart disease and high blood pressure [3]

·      Type 2 diabetes [4]

·      Depression and anxiety [5]

·      Overall higher risk of early death [6]



2. Nutritional Imbalance

UPFs can displace whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Even if you’re hitting your calorie needs, your nutrient intake may be poor this is called “nutrient dilution.”



3. Addiction & Overconsumption

Many UPFs are designed to be hyper-palatable making you crave more and override natural fullness cues [7].

How to Read Food Labels Like a Pro

Avoiding ultra-processed foods starts with understanding what’s in your food. Here’s how.

Ingredients List

·      Shorter = better. Aim for fewer ingredients that you recognise.

·      Avoid items you wouldn’t cook with at home like:


o   Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

o   Maltodextrin

o   Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose)

o   Hydrogenated oils

o   “Flavourings” or “Colour (E102)”



Nutrition Panel

·      Sugar: Look for <5g per 100g

·      Salt (sodium): Look for <0.3g per 100g

·      Fat: Avoid high saturated fat (>5g per 100g)

·      Fibre: Aim for high fibre (>3g per 100g)

Don’t trust front-of-pack buzzwords like “natural”, “whole grain”, or “low fat” - always check the label.

Nutrition Hierarchy Table

Level	Focus Area	What It Means	Why It Matters
1	Total Energy Intake	Are you eating enough to support training, recovery, and health?	Energy availability is the foundation. Too little leads to fatigue, injury, and hormonal issues.
2	Macronutrient Balance	Are you getting the right mix of protein, carbs, and fat?	Each macro has a specific role: carbs fuel, protein repairs, fats regulate hormones.
3	Micronutrient Sufficiency	Are you hitting your vitamin and mineral needs from food?	Deficiencies affect endurance, immunity, focus, and recovery.
4	Meal Timing and Frequency	Are you fueling around workouts and spacing meals well?	Strategic timing supports performance, muscle recovery, and stable energy.
5	Hydration and Electrolytes	Are you hydrated and replacing sodium, potassium, etc.?	Even 2% dehydration can reduce performance and impair decision-making.
6	Supplement Strategy	Are you using science-backed supplements to fill gaps?	Supplements only help if your foundation is solid. Start with food first.
7	Food Quality & Processing Level	Are you choosing mostly whole, minimally processed foods?	Ultra-processed foods may harm gut health, increase inflammation, and reduce recovery quality.



Should You Cut Them Out Completely?

Not necessarily. Food is also about culture, convenience, and joy. The occasional indulgence won’t destroy your health. Although, an ultra-processed foods make up more than 50% of daily energy intake in the United Kingdom [1].



Tips to Reduce UPF Intake

1.      Stick to the perimeter of the supermarket

2.     Buy ingredients, not products

3.    Meal prep by even basic batch cooking helps

4.    Snack smart: fruit, nuts, yogurt

5.    Stay hydrated as thirst can feel like hunger

6.    Learn to read labels by ingredients



Final Thoughts

Ultra-processed foods are not evil, but they are designed for shelf life and profit, not nourishment. They are food-like products not real food. The good news? You don’t need a chef’s kitchen or elite budget to start phasing them out. Just a bit of awareness, a few swaps, and a closer look at the label.

By Performance Nutritionist, Tamara Walker book a 1-2-1 with Tam here

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information about nutrition for youth athletes and is not meant to replace professional dietary advice or individual nutritional counselling. Every child's nutritional needs can vary due to factors such as age, size, physical activity level, and medical conditions. We strongly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian or a healthcare provider before making changes to your child's diet, such as adding food powders. YSN and the author of this article do not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, dietary modification, action, or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this article.



References

1.      Monteiro, C. A., et al. (2019). Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition, 22(5), 936-941.

2.     Hall, K. D., et al. (2019). Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain. Cell Metabolism, 30(1), 67–77.

3.    Srour, B., et al. (2019). Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease. BMJ, 365, l1451.

4.    Chen, X., et al. (2020). Associations of ultra-processed food intake with cardiometabolic risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 21(11), e13091.

5.    Gomez-Donoso, C., et al. (2020). Ultra-processed food consumption and the incidence of depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 48–55.

6.    Rico-Campà, A., et al. (2019). Consumption of ultra-processed foods and mortality. BMJ, 365, l1949.

7.     Gearhardt, A. N., et al. (2023). Highly Processed Foods Can Be Considered Addictive. BMJ, 382, e074332.