How much of your diet do you think is UPF?

[Neverenoughbiscuits]

Listening to the Zoe podcast tonight and it estimates that the average diet is 50% UPF. I actually think that might be quite conservative but that is only based on my anecdotal observations.

I do try really hard to minimise UPF but it is so easy for it to creep in. Today I have had barely any - probably only some cream cheese with the toast, smoked salmon and spinach I had for lunch. I make my own bread but if I hadn't then 50% of my meal would have been UPF without even thinking about it. Yesterday I ate on the run so probably 85% of my diet was UPF; sandwich and packet of crisps from M & S at lunch and Ramona houmous and crackers for dinner along with some fruit and greek yoghurt.

Working in an office, I'd say the majority of my colleagues have a mostly UPF diet during the day. The office is near a Tesco and so many have a meal deal from there. There is always a constant supply of biscuits or cake around. I find it really scary that actually it's far easier to find and eat "non-foods" than it is to have real food.

What percentage of UPF do you think you have on your diet?

I cook from scratch including any bread
lots of quick stir fries or pan fried food, air fryer or oven.

I pre cook rice and freeze it into portions.

just as quick as a ready meal really

I would say that’s probably about right for me
I cook from scratch evening meals mostly but using ingredients like Lea and perrins, stock cubes etc. Eat supermarket bread.
Tonight I had quiche which was shop bought with salad and veg but a bought salad dressing
I can’t afford the sourdough and crosta wraps every week but I do eat plain yoghurt, cook with lots of veg etc

my colleagues seem to eat more - as in ready meals, jars of sauce, meal deals etc

Sometimes very little and sometimes loads of 'healthy' snacks (which are all UPF) at work if I don't have time for proper lunch/breakfast/both

My work lunches are chicken salad, fruit, bananas. Leftovers from the night before.

Today absolutely loads. Last week I did a full week of absolutely zero UPF. I actually find it ok to do as long as I don’t have social plans and have time to prep (eg make mayonnaise and plan my meals properly) I reckon my average is around 30-40% UPF but it is possible to do zero or very little.

I suppose upf creeps in but so long as we try for it not to dominate then it’s all good

I’m all or nothing. 50% of the time I cook completely from scratch. The other half I cannot be arsed and live off toast or other UPF stuff. I couldn’t give a toss.

Loads for me. Definitely more than 50%.

I’m 40 next year and trying to take my health more seriously. Looking back at my diet over the past decade or so, I’m quite embarrassed and really trying to make some changes. It’s really difficult though.

So I’d say maybe 20-30% might be

In my day to day diet really hardly any. I WFH and have salads for lunch and homemade dinner. I've also this year had to go gluten free so find that limits my options with upf anyway. I don't eat many gluten free snacks or alternatives.

However if the mood overcomes me I will absolutely devour any take away on offer. The gluten free means I can't have McDonald's or KFC or the like but I still crave it all the time. I just don't have much upf in the cupboards, doesn't mean I don't want it literally day in day out. If I didn't care so much about my weight I'd be Coco pops for breakfast, white bread for lunch pizza for dinner all the way

A lot I’m a bit ashamed to admit but will anon.i eat too many ready meals and processed bread. I have some reason disability but my body is still talking all the UPF in.

Even when I cook there are bits of UPF - trying to cook a a bit more from scratch it has it
trying to cut down fat - low fat coconut milk is UPF as are stockpots even though everything else fresh.
pasta - tomato purée and chorizo

Pretty low. About 5-10%.
We generally make most things from scratch due to allergies, buy loaf bread but proper rye type from bakers etc.

Main upf here is in condiments, chocolate sometimes, and I’m sure other random stuff.

I make a lot of stuff also as it’s simply not available where we live. But I also freeze so I’m not using time for everything. Ie we made a large batch hot cross buns for Easter, and I froze half in freezer so it’s as fast as bought for those over the next few months. Same with pitta, tortillas, cake

Not that much. I'm 60 and my diet would have been far higher in UPF as a child - rubbish bread, cereal, corned beef, spam etc. If the UPFs around are having the impact people are staying it would be good to look at what is different from when I was young in terms of what was used - I'm not sure a blanket term of "UPF" without differentiating what they are is helpful if we are looking for the cause of the current rise in NCDs. Although reducing them can only presumably be a good thing.

Probably 10-15% at most. I’m quite on top of food since losing weight so UPF is mostly stuff I eat out of the house where I don’t know what’s in it or the odd thing in the house where I value the convenience more over whatever is in it.

(I use the Nova food classification scale when talking about UPF or not).

A year ago, probably nearer that 50% for us and the kids.

A fair bit, almost 50% I'd say? I love chocolate and crisps

I'd say under 20% mainly because I'm low carb at the moment so cooking a lot from scratch. The DC have more unfortunately especially 13 yo ds for snacks etc. I'm planning to make some flapjacks and brownies for him to take to school next week.

I think it also depends what criteria you use eg a tin of tomatoes might contain citric acid but doesn't make your whole bolognese UPF .

I’m not sure

Today I think it was probably v high, other days better, other days worse.

block of tofu (ok I think?)
Fresh seeded sourdough bread and fresh but shop bought tomato soup (dubious?)

….then it gets v upfy?

Protein shake (pea protein) & soya milk

Ikea plant balls
mash
peas
(cooked at home)
squash

I genuinely don't know.

I eat bread a few times a week.
I have sauces like mayo and ketchup.

But I dont know if something like a tin of tomatoes, or peanut butter is upf or just processed?

Zero. Unless you count the (plain)kefir yogurt that I buy, which some people use as a “gotcha” with me.

I’ve only eaten meat, fish, eggs, nuts, kefir, Greek yogurt, cheese, butter, olive oil, coconut oil and some veg for about 3 years now (not all boring, I made great curries), due to a big health scare. I’ll sometimes have rice, potatoes and lentils, but mainly low carb.

I reversed all my health issues and symtoms and lost 14 stone - I was very obese.

As little as I can manage!
I’ve totally overhauled my diet this past 6 months. No crisps, biscuits, convenience on the go food. I avoid bread unless it’s been made at home.
Nothing in individual packets if that makes any sense!
today for lunch I had some leftover roast chicken (with last nights chicken) and a salad of avocado, leaves, spring onion, cucumber, peppers and something else I can’t remember. And a dressing made of olive oil and lemon.
For dinner I’m having some steamed fish and green veggies, there is some butter and oil and seasoning.
I am really trying to just eat whole foods as much as possible. We don’t buy things like ready meals or jar sauces or packet mixes etc, cook from scratch.

Next to nothing. Absolutely nothing at home but sometimes I’m out so I do my very best but it’s more difficult then.

I would say 10- 20% here is UPF

Cook from scratch 6 out of 7 nights.
Meat is from the butcher, fish is from the fishmonger and organic dairy.

The biggest UPF for me personally is sauces and condiments. I absolutely love things like chilli jam, pickle, mayo, peppercorn sauce and white crusty bread.

I don't have the white crusty bread often, but I love a slice with butter on. Sauces and condiments on the other hand, I eat regularly.

pasta, curry, cheese sauces are all made from scratch, but the other sauces are too time consuming to make from scratch.

My work lunches are usually lean protein, salad and low carb, but Saturday night is take away night and all my not eating UPF thoughts are abandoned, as I turn into a gluttonous pig scoffing my take away, followed by a glass or two of wine!

Around 50% I guess, if I didn't eat bread it'd be a lot less!

I guess MN (or at least the ones on this thread apart from a couple of us) are very aware and taking action on UPF

pretty low but ive been trying for a couple of year to actively avoid.

My plant milks contain UPF (while high levels of dairy make me unwell)

Breakfast my only UPF is the milk.

In my work lunch there will be UPF in the baked beans and in the vegan mayo on the home made coleslaw. If eating at home my soup or salad will be virtually 0 UPF.

My evening dinners are mainly UPF free, although things like hoison and oyster sauces in stir frys, or the occasional "decent" sausage will contain UPF.

I avoid bread and bread products, and only drink tea or coffee with plant milk, or water so I dont drink any (beyond the plant milk)