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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think it's impossible to eat a UPF free diet as an ordinary person?

338 replies

MyHealthyMission · 13/09/2025 14:14

I mean ordinary as in, works full time, earns a decent but not huge wage, has free time but not entire days at a time to dedicate to cooking etc.

I'm on a bit of a health kick, and have turned my attention to eating whole foods and ensuring I'm eating as healthy as possible as we come into winter.

I've had a sourdough starter on the go for a while and decided I'd knock up some bread rolls and soup to have for lunch in the coming week because it's turned cold. Figured it would be a great, low UPF meal. Until I googled the beef stock, which is apparently a really bad UPF! Even the super expensive all natural concentrates are UPF. So unless you can afford to buy and boil a load of beef bones, it seems you're out of luck.

Obviously you can do the normal things like avoiding crisps, protein shakes etc. as they're all full of UPF, but when even things like stock cubes are stuffed full of them, it just seems impossible! AIBU to think it's just become impossible to eat a UPF free diet?

OP posts:
Original poster
MyHealthyMission · 13/09/2025 14:26

TonTonMacoute · 13/09/2025 14:24

It probably is impossible, but do the best you can. Why worry if the odd UPF ingredient sneaks in from time to time?

My personal preference is to have a dedicated treat with UPF, as opposed to small amounts in every meal.

OP posts:
3678194b · 13/09/2025 14:26

Yep I think for most people it's impossible. Even if you add sauces, gravies, condiments etc.

I do try to 'eat better' and buy free range and organic but even that is difficult and not always possible, never mind UPF.

verycloakanddaggers · 13/09/2025 14:26

I think it's pretty straightforward to be almost upf-free, and just tolerate the occasional stock cube.

EleventyThree · 13/09/2025 14:25

Also, I'm sure one of the big UPF studies looks at people who reduced the amount of UPF they consume (rather than eliminate) and it had significant health benefits. I might try to find it...

EleventyThree · 13/09/2025 14:24

It can be really tricky, for all the reasons you mention.

Of course things like stock cubes were invented to save time and effort but obviously with little regard for their ingredients or lack of nutritional value!

Sometimes I think the standard workday needs to be shorter in order to allow us the time and space to dedicate energy to cooking well, without having to constantly be 10 steps ahead of ourselves at all times by batch-cooking and all that.

TonTonMacoute · 13/09/2025 14:24

It probably is impossible, but do the best you can. Why worry if the odd UPF ingredient sneaks in from time to time?

R0ckandHardPlace · 13/09/2025 14:24

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. People give up if they think they can’t do it completely - it feels like a waste of time. But it’s far healthier to eat a relatively clean diet, with the odd stock cube or portion of baked beans, than it is to eat a 50% UPF diet.

Original poster
MyHealthyMission · 13/09/2025 14:24

MasterBeth · 13/09/2025 14:23

I mean, of course a stock cube is UPF. It's a completely manufactured factory product! It can't have been a surprise!

It's literally (or it should be) dried beef stock. It says on the front it's free from artificial preservatives, so one would believe it's not a UPF!

OP posts:
MasterBeth · 13/09/2025 14:23

I mean, of course a stock cube is UPF. It's a completely manufactured factory product! It can't have been a surprise!

HelloIve · 13/09/2025 14:22

I don’t use stock cubes. I use miso paste instead, but that is also very salty and probably classed as ultra processed too! It suits me as it has no sugar so I count that as a win.

InfoSecInTheCity · 13/09/2025 14:22

The problem is wanting to eat UPF free in the first place. If you eat a diet that high in UPFs then yes it’s not great but that doesn’t mean that the only alternative is to have none at all. You can just moderate your intake. So buy your bread, get something with whole grains and seeds in it to get more nutritional benefit and accept that it has some preservatives because that’s what allows them to sell it days after it was made.

If you need to use ready made stock in order to then get a whole load of lean high quality protein and a range of vegetables that give you vitamins, minerals and fibre then that’s fine.

Its the all or nothing approach that’s impossible to sustain.

Original poster
MyHealthyMission · 13/09/2025 14:20

MatildaTheCat · 13/09/2025 14:19

I agree but there’s a massive difference to eating well and healthily and eating almost nothing but UPF. Some people do seem to exist on absolute rubbish.

Just do your best. Having some awareness is probably your best asset.

I do agree but I'd rather (for all my sins 😅) have a treat like the occasional chocolate or bag of crisps, than have small amounts of UPF in every meal, if that makes sense? It just feels impossible

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 13/09/2025 14:19

I agree but there’s a massive difference to eating well and healthily and eating almost nothing but UPF. Some people do seem to exist on absolute rubbish.

Just do your best. Having some awareness is probably your best asset.

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