Welcome to Wellness Reimagined, a monthly link-up focused on health and wellness in 2025. This series aims to support participants in maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle, staying on track, and creating space for reflection, planning, and realignment with individual goals and intentions. Although I have managed to keep up my usual fitness routine (outlined here), my focus this month has been on better understanding ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and implementing concrete actions built upon this understanding.
I’ve done much reading, video viewing and, per usual, have tumbled down many rabbit holes related to this topic. To help keep things brief and prevent your eyes from glazing over, here are five (not so) fun facts that I discovered about UPFs (in a minefield of current information on this topic)
1. Wait, What!? My Unsweetened Soya Milk is Ultra-Processed?
Reducing meat and dairy consumption felt like a healthy choice for me personally and environmentally. But most plant-based milks, including my beloved soya, are now classified as UPFs due to heavy processing and added emulsifiers, salts (and oftentimes sugars). My soya milk label, boldly proclaiming “Organic Soy, Deliciously Nutritious,” also lists ingredients like gellan gum, “natural flavour” (kinda vague) and salts. The classification of plant-based milks as being truly ultra-processed has been highly debated.
This is an excellent illustration of how confusing the journey of understanding ultra-processed foods can be.
2. And My Peanut Butter Is No Better?
This one was less ambiguous—and came with an unpleasant surprise. My name-brand peanut butter listed roasted peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, palm oil, and salt as its ingredients. While manufacturers claim palm oil acts as an emulsifier here, critics argue it’s simply a cheap filler.
High in saturated fats and linked to devastating environmental harm, palm oil makes my morning breakfast more problematic. Add to that, my ‘baked in the store’ whole wheat bread is also ultra-processed (seriously, who knew?). Yes, I know I could bake my own bread—but I have already given away my breadmaker and stand firm on that decision.
3. Food Labels Can Be Misleading – Is That Even Legal?
Health claims on food labels often boldly proclaim a UPF to be healthy, “low-fat,” “sugar-free,” and/or “fortified” when they have simply replaced one ingredient with a worse one (e.g., swapping fat for sugar and other questionable ingredients).
This causes the food to become nutritionally unbalanced, often resulting in a cocktail of chemicals. Adding to this, foods that are deemed “saints” and “villains” keep changing over time (think butter/margarine, dairy milk/nut milk, coffee, wine, meat patties/vegetarian patties…..etc., etc.). No wonder many of us start with healthy eating intentions, then end up in the corner with a bag of Doritos for dinner!
Additionally, many ingredients listed on ultra-processed food labels are impossible to pronounce. Terms like maltodextrin, carboxymethyl cellulose, and butylated hydroxytoluene make me gloss over them without knowing what they mean. This helps UPFs to include hidden salts, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and artificial colours (many derived from petroleum). These ingredients often result in food that is not really food and negatively impacts our microbiomes, cognitive function, emotional wellness and overall health.
4. What In the Heck Are Bliss Points?
UPFs are scientifically designed to maximize pleasure through an ideal mix of salt, sugar, and fat – called the “bliss point.” UPF’s low-fibre content and rapid digestibility hinder natural satiety cues, leading to overeating and, in some cases, addictive-like behaviours. This creates a vicious cycle that’s tough to break
5. Increasing Consumption of UPFs Has Been Linked to a Higher Risk of Developing Dementia
Various studies are now showing an increased risk of dementia for those who consume a high amount of UPFs. A UK study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2023 showed that a 10% increase in UPF intake was associated with a 25% higher risk of dementia. This was enough said for me!
Taking Action
Here are a few steps I’ve taken this past month to help address the above. While it’s not a lengthy or perfect list, it has been my sincere focus, and I believe it’s been a good start.
- Becoming Better Informed: I’ve been working hard to better understand the broad topic and potential dangers of ultra-processed foods. Along with Van Tulleken’s book (see my review here), I have read numerous articles and have viewed several videos. If you don’t have time to read his book but are interested in what Tulleken has to say, you can watch this 10-minute video summarizing his insights.
While some argue UPFs aren’t as harmful as critics suggest, consider who funds those opposing studies—often the same corporations that profit from these foods.
2. Homemade Nut Milk: I’ve started making almond, oat, and coconut milk with a $35 Starfrit Nutmilk Maker from Walmart. While more expensive nutmilk machines constantly parade themselves online, this one was quick and simple to use, and I found the nutmilks it produced were actually quite tasty. With the leftover nut pulp, I made delicious, healthy muffins. Win-win!
3. Selecting Foods With Fewer Ingredients: I switched to a two-ingredient brand of peanut butter (just peanuts and sea salt). Yes, I have to stir it, but I don’t miss the palm oil.
4. Meal Planning: Weekly meal planning has been a game-changer—easier, faster, healthier, and more affordable. I’ve also found it to be highly enjoyable. Seriously, why have I not been doing this more often?
5. Whole-Food Focus: My husband and I have doubled down on whole foods. We have found sheet pan dinners to be a lifesaver. Combine protein, veggies, olive oil, a few spices and we’re done!
6. Daily Exercise Challenge Women Living Well After 50
Sue at Women Living Well After 50 hosts an exercise challenge where participants can check in with their daily wellness goals/accomplishments. For February, she has included a focus on nutrition, explicitly addressing UPFs. This is a wonderfully supportive group without judgment. If you are curious, I highly recommend checking it out.
7. Local Shopping: Whenever possible, I buy local products, changing what I had originally planned to make, when necessary, in order to buy Canadian. But this is a story for an entirely different post.
Over to You
How was your January? What has been your recent experience with ultra-processed foods? Do you have any other health/fitness/wellness stories or tips to share? Please tell us about them in the comments, via ‘Contact Me’ or by linking up your own wellness-related post here:
We would love to hear from you!
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