ASK LOTTIE

“What are UPFs and are they actually that bad for us?”

UPFs stand for ultra-processed foods — basically foods that have been heavily altered from their original form, usually packed with additives like emulsifiers, sweeteners, preservatives, flavour enhancers, and other ingredients you wouldn't find in a home kitchen. Think supermarket-ready microwave meals, fizzy drinks, packaged snacks, processed red meats like salami and chorizo and even some “healthier” snack bars and protein shakes.

Studies have shown that over 50% of the average UK diet is comprised of UPFs and one of the biggest concerns here is around gut health. We know how interconnected our gut health is with practically all other aspects of health, from digestion, immunity, mood and so much more. These added emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners have been found to decrease the diversity of our gut microbes, which can then promote inflammation and impair the integrity of our gut barrier, things we do not want!

Of course, we do not believe in restrictive diets or cutting out the foods you love, so these can absolutely be enjoyed from time to time - we just want to be aiming to take it back to basics, cook from scratch where we can and focus on eating whole foods.

We totally appreciate that this is yet another element of the wellness space to navigate and it can feel super overwhelming, but don't worry - I cover all of this and so much more in ALIGN which you can access here.

Lottie x