UPF is not your Enemy

Welcome to the MHD Newsletter

Your weekly dose of nutrition, mental health, and all things recovery

Let’s dive into this week’s nutrition news, which once again shows just how unhelpful (and even harmful) the term "ultra-processed foods" (UPF) really is.

Weekly Check-in:

How are you feeling about food this week?

It's normal to feel confused by all the nutrition headlines. One minute, a food is bad for you, and the next, it’s being promoted as a health food. This week, we’re going to continue the conversation about UPF in light of new research.

Nutrition in the News

New research on UPFs was released this month, and the findings were... pretty much what we already knew!

The study found that high intakes of some of the foods classified as UPF increased the risk of cardiovascular disease.

What were these foods?

You guessed it— high intakes of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed meats were linked to higher risks. (It’s almost as if we knew this already).

On the flip side, certain foods in the same UPF category, like breads, cereals, yoghurts, dairy desserts, and savoury snacks, were found to have a positive effect on health. Yes, you read that right—most of the foods that are currently being demonised are actually good for you.

For me, this highlights that UPF is a buzzword and that it is nothing more than a diet trend. Labelling foods UPF can stir up anxiety about perfectly safe and nutritious foods. There are also big names online suggesting that foods that fall into the UPF category are actually not food at all, and are akin to cigarettes. Which is total nonsense.

Trends in nutrition often drive research funding, and while it's important to understand the effects of processed foods, sometimes it feels like we’re just proving what we already knew. Wouldn’t it be better to focus on new findings that push the science forward?

If you're curious, you can read the full study here: Lancet UPF Study.

Journal Prompts

• How do nutrition headlines affect your feelings about certain foods?

• What are some foods you enjoy but sometimes feel anxious about eating?

I hope that the above commentary helps to reduce anxiety about UPF. It’s so important to check in on how nutrition headlines make us feel and can trigger anxiety. For some people, trying to avoid nutrition content in general may be the healthiest thing to do.

Book Club

This month, we’re reading Sugar Rush. It’s an insightful look at the conversation around sugar in the media and what drives the obsession with it. If you’ve ever felt conflicted about sugar or are curious about how diet culture shapes our views, this is a great read for you!

Clinic Update

Exciting news! I’ve recently moved to Mexico and will be working remotely for the next three months. Team MHD has officially gone international!

Our specialist team of dietitians continue to provide support to those with eating disorders, disordered eating, and more. Curious about what we offer? You can check out the full team and our services here

That’s all from us this week, back again same time next week.

Look after yourself <3

Sophie and the team at Mental Health Dietitians.

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