Ultra Processed Foods: The Modern Nutrition Trap

Modern convenience has made food more accessible than ever but it’s also made it easier to lose touch with what we’re really eating. Ultra processed foods are everywhere: from breakfast bars to frozen dinners to “healthy” protein snacks that promise energy but deliver little nutrition.

Ultra processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted or derived from foods, this includes things like refined starches, added sugars, hydrogenated oils, colourings, flavour enhancers, and preservatives. They’re designed to taste great, last long, and save time but they often lack the natural structure, fiber, and micronutrients that real food provides.

Common examples include:

-Packaged pastries, chips, candy, and sugary cereals

-Instant noodles, frozen entrées, and fast food

-Flavoured yogurts or energy bars with long ingredient lists

-Sweetened beverages and powdered drink mixes

Ultra processed foods can disrupt hunger signals and metabolic health. Their refined ingredients are digested quickly, leading to blood sugar spikes, increased cravings, and eventual fatigue. Over time, high UPF intake has been linked to inflammation, obesity, heart disease, and even mood changes due to poor gut brain signalling.

We don’t believe in demonizing convenience, we believe in awareness. The goal isn’t to never eat something from a package, but to make those choices intentionally. Ask yourself: Is this fueling me or just filling me?

For example flavoured yogurts may seem like a great choice at the grocery store but often lose their nutritional edge because they’re loaded with added sugars, artificial flavours, and colourings. These ingredients not only increase calories and spike blood sugar but can also alter the gut microbiome, reducing the benefit of the live probiotic cultures. Processing steps like pasteurization or heat treatment after flavouring may further kill off beneficial bacteria. While flavouring itself doesn’t completely destroy probiotics, the combination of high sugar, artificial additives, and extended shelf life undermines their effectiveness. These things are essentially what turn could be a healthy, fermented food into more of a sweet dessert than a probiotic powerhouse. So instead of all that why not just go with the closest thing to its natural form? Try plain yogurt with added oats and fruits and maybe a shake of cinnamon powder. Having meals in their natural form allows your body to better digest, absorb and use them.

Ultra processed foods might be convenient, but true nourishment comes from foods that come with nutrients not marketing claims.