by In recent years I have been worried about my diet – not in the way I have to lose weight (which is positive), but in “Why am I eating so much garbage?” Way.
In my case, I mean ultra-processed food (UPFS) foods that usually contain additives and ingredients that you would not find in a home kitchen. Think of microwave meals with artificial flavors, packaged snacks with preservatives, instant pasta and processed muesli.
Mobile phone, yes. But healthy? Not if you eat many of them.
Upfs often contain a high degree of saturated fat, salt and sugar, and research has associated the oversaws of them with a number of undesirable health results, including heart disease and depression. No wonder that in a report by the advisory company Levercliff from the food industry, almost 19 million buyers in Great Britain have made changes to what they buy or eat to reduce the UPFs.
That includes me. I had had enough of the constant lack of energy and the feeling that I seek my body on autopilot with high -fat foods, salt and too much sugar.
So it just sounds like? Just cut it out and prepare the meal and cook more. Unfortunately, life is not that easy.
I try to cook slowly but safely and eat better while I am at home. (Jennifer McShane)
What do I eat?
When I moved to London in 2019, I had to cook for myself for the first time. Then I realized how much my disability – I have a slight cerebral palsy (CP) – complicated things about food. CP influences my grip, my balance and my coordination, so that even the basic preparation such as hacking or standing can be exhausting.
I also have a strong fright reflex (an involuntary cramp that is triggered by loud noises), which in my case even makes the hob almost impossible. A particularly painful journey to A & E-afternoon the sauce was burned to me enough to send me back directly into the microwave.
For me, Upfs are often the easy choice.
When I look through my cupboards and the freezer, the worst offenders are:
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Immediate soups and pasta
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Pre -packed snacks to go on the run
I also spend a small fortune for snack bars.
Some of the above are eating every day, others – and to be fair, I eat healthier options among them: salads, fruit, yogurt and tuna. But the habits are there. And when I’m tired of the most days, do you advise what is winning?
I know that every finished meal or every cereal bar that I could eat is harmful, but it is clear (literally in my case): they are not great, especially if they do not balancing them with fruit and vegetables.
Expert tips to improve UPF relief
Fortunately, Dr. Lindsey Fellows, Senior Doctor for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine at the University of Worcester, simple things that we can do if we improve nutrition and reduce the UPFs at the same time. Fortunately, this does not mean that my meals amaze my on -call meals at the same time.
I spoke to her to get advice.
“You can get some nutritious options when it comes to meals,” she explains. “And you can combine them with other things such as a salad or a vegetable – that gives you this balance.”
Dr. Fellows also shared practical ways to eat better, even if they are short or have difficulty cooking from scratch.
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Pay attention to UPF portion sizes: The amount you eat is a large amount, she says. It will be difficult at the beginning, but gradually eating in smaller portions is positive.
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Check the label: Usually the less ingredients that a processed product has, the better, read before you buy.
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Mass meals with vegetables and fiber: If you eat Upfs as part of a meal, add a lot of colorful vegetables and fiber sources such as whole grain pasta. “Pull that half of your plate is vegetables,” she advises.
Pizzas are another point of contact that I would like to reduce … (Getty Images)
The results: what was simple – and what wasn’t
I did my best for Dr. Following fellows, but I won’t lie, it wasn’t all a picnic.
Some things came, of course. I have always adhered to individual portions, but now I check the labels correctly instead of just choosing everything that looks delicious. So when it comes to meals, I step options such as VEG-Currys or chilli with rice instead of my popular creamy pasta dishes, some of which warns warns, full of calories, salt and hidden sugar.
I also made sure that I added a salad or some greens to reach the half-a VEG target. It felt feasible.
What was more difficult? Feel full. I tend to eat only a real meal and a snack during the day – and although I had not reduced the portion size, these dinner were not always balanced. As soon as I cut back creamy, carbon sacred options and exchanged it in lighter dishes (such as salad), I still would have hungry afterwards.
So I had to rethink how I ate. Increasing my protein helped: more crushed chicken, eggs and actually time for three meals a day instead of grassing until dinner – my worst habit.
Sugar -containing grain rods were replaced by yogurt or some fruit if it was peckic in the morning and it was popcorn instead of chips if I wanted a little more.
Whole grain swaps were surprisingly effective. Even just a piece of wholemeal toast or a wrap instead of white made a difference in how long I stayed fully.
Dr. Fellows also advised to stay well hydrated, and I realized that I didn’t drink much of anything. Since they strive for 2–3 liters of water a day, my energy level has improved noticeably.
Chocolate is still a snack (some things never change), but I choose a dark variety if I can.
So, yes, slowly but surely it helps. I sleep better, I have less burglaries all day long and even my skin looks lighter.
Prepared meals have not disappeared, but they are no longer night. And in a tiny but meaningful sign, I am on the right track in terms of these snack bars: Deliveroo recently by e -mail to offer me a voucher after “a time without use in your app”. Progress.
Read more about Upfs:
