How ultra-processed foods wreak havoc on your body

Ultra-processed foods have become ubiquitous in modern diets. Many of us eat them regularly without understanding their potential impacts on our health.

From hidden additives to addictive properties, these highly processed foods can pose risks.

Navigating the complex world of ultra-processing can be challenging, and many people struggle to understand what to avoid, how to break unhealthy habits, and make positive changes to their health.

In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by a special guest, Dr. Chris van Tulleken, to explore the science behind ultra-processed food.

• Dr. Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at University College Hospital, in London, and one of the BBC’s leading science presenters.

Chris shares the groundbreaking research from his own lived experiments, including the now famous study with his twin brother Xand. His book Ultra-ProcessedPeople is out now.

Jonathan and Chris are joined by ZOE regular Tim Spector. Drawing from their combined expertise, our guests provide practical tips and advice, empowering listeners to make informed choices and take control of their diets.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:31Introduction

02:14Quick Fire Questions

05:25Start of Chris's journey in nutrition

06:47Discordant twins - How can twin studies help us?

08:51What part do genetics play in our differences in health?

12:52What were the potential consequences of weight gain?

15:20What is ultra processed food (UPF)?

16:54What's the difference between processed and ultra processed food?

18:52Is ultra processing purely about profit?

21:13Examples of ultra processed foods (UPF)

23:13ZOE UPF survey - How much does the ZOE community eat?

25:28Are the products that say they're healthy lying to us?

26:12Are certain ingredients hidden by UPF?

27:44Is low fat yoghurt that good for us?

30:39Is UPF just junk food?

32:56Kevin Hall’s UPF study

34:19What makes UPF addictive?

36:34Chris' ultra processed food experiment

39:12Could food manufacturers make healthier UPF?

41:23How do we solve the issue of UPF as a society?

45:26Practical advice for cutting down on UPF

51:37Summary

55:15Goodbyes

55:27Outro

Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorChrisVT

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

Episode transcripts are available here.

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