Low UPF diet - to think the experts weren’t lying?

[AusBoundDD]

Nearly 6 months ago I made it my New Year’s resolution to start eating a low UPF diet in hopes of losing some weight for a once in a lifetime trip, alongside just being healthier in general. Honestly it has been life changing! I’ve lost nearly 10kg without really having to think about it - no restricting or anything like that and in general I just feel so much better. UPFs like crisps, ready meals, even basic supermarket bread don’t feel like ‘real’ food anymore and no longer appeal. On the occasion that I do choose to eat something UPF (which for me is no big deal, im not strict!) it just isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. I’d choose some sourdough over a loaf of Hovis any day when previously I used to hate it! I feel much fuller + satisfied for longer and rarely get the urge to snack.

Obviously it has its downsides - much less convenience food so cooking takes longer (PITA when doing lunch/dinner prep after a long day at work!), ingredients are more expensive so my shopping bill has gone up but all in all it’s a decision I don’t regret. Honestly I think that this way of eating should be the future.

Anyone else feel this way?

My absolute favourite food is tuna sashimi, a case in point. Apparently protein is filling. I think I could eat a whole tuna of it.

But the upf (or lack of) obsession is just the current way for some people to feel superior to others...it's particularly popular amongst the middle classes as a way to differentiate between themselves and the plebs. It's really quite amusing to watch. The nutritional equivalent of having a clean front step.

My mum and her brother were born after the war but when rationing was still a thing. Both their parents were overweight and both of them were overweight. In pictures when they were children and teens they were, and remained so in adulthood. I doubt they were living off upfs in the 1950s and 60s. And my grandma smoked 60/day so she literally blew the theory that smoking keeps you thin, out of the window, as well.

Growing up in the 1980s/90s we had shop bought bread but my mum was a very competent cook and very judgy and scornful of people who didn't make their own gravy/pastry/scones/cakes/quiches/sauces etc. She would say she was "naughty" if she ate eg a penguin biscuit but wouldn't think twice about having a wedge of home made cake at a coffee morning.
Both her and her brother would likely have qualified for WLI if they had lived that long, but they definitely got fat while barely touching a upf.

Months, I think.
I used to feel a bit "hungover" when I ate UP bread.

Has your weight fluctuated a lot in your life by any chance? As in, have you lost and gained weight a lot?

You really are a comedian 😂

🙄

Yeah, better keep on eating shit then.

I haven't said what I eat or don't eat.

But as PPs have mentioned, UPFs are not like for like. They mess with your gut biome and hormones. They are not real food and they WILL make you gain weight more than proper food.

🤔 I have been on an off UPF free food since about 2006 (after a particularly bad patch in my life).
I do sometimes lapse and that's OK.
But I don't advertise my diet in RL, because it's quite specific and people usually turn their noses up at dry lentils, butterbeans and chickpeas.

If you are happy with what you eat and the way you feel & look, who am I to say otherwise?

The main fluctuation was when I had children. Before then I maintained my weight very well although I always had to watch what I ate and exercise to stay slim.

Then you're not the type of person I'm talking about. It's just your own personal decision.. good for you.

There are many unpleasant rude smug posts on here though...I honestly find it absolutely bizarre how so many people believe what they eat makes them a fundamentally better person.

‘I honestly find it absolutely bizarre how so many people believe what they eat makes them a fundamentally better person.’

The only person on this thread who has suggested that idea is you. Projecting much?

I’m sorry if possessing natural ability to control my own portions and utilising willpower (and common sense…) against overeating seems to offend you

This is what you said

Haven't RTFT so sorry if this has already been mentioned, but anything by Jason's is non UPF - they do a range of soughdough loaves, sourdough ciabatta (my favourite!) and rolls etc. Also anything by crosta mollica is non upf - they do wraps, breadsticks, crostini etc

Also for kids' cereal the alphabites Bear range is good

I have a bread maker and also buy ‘Jason’s’ bread rolls from waitrose.

My top tip for a sugar fix is to eat a couple of dates.

You are not being unreasonable at all. What really shocked me was the study that fed two groups of people a diet matched in macros, same amount of calories, sugar, fat etc but one was UPF and one wasn't. The UPF group gained much more weight. It's not surprising when you start looking into it more. UPF food is often extremely moreish, softer in the mouth, easier to chew and therefore easier to eat more of.

I think I'm right in saying that NOVA came out of Brazil where the rise in UPFs saw a huge rise in obesity rates in the population. That pattern has been shown again and again across different countries.

I'm not perfect at all, I aim for 80% of my food to be free from UPFs. I focused on the biggest culprits first that we ate often:

Bread - swap to Jason's for sliced bread and rolls and Crosta and Mollica for wraps.

Flavoured yoghurt - swap to plain greek yoghurt with fruit.

Bacon or ham - swap to parma or serrano ham that is just pork and salt.

Spreads - swap to butter

Cereal - swap to Shredded wheat (100% wheat and that's it), porridge oats or one of the granolas that doesn't have any UPFs. I use Bio&Me.

Instead of a ready meal on a busy night I'll have scrambled egg on toast. It's made just as quickly and is better for me.

I still have the odd diet coke, and I still love crisps! But I try to buy the ready salted crisps in the white packet from Lidl that are just potatoes, oil and salt.

I'm convinced that doing the above has been better for me and better for DDs.

If you swap artificially low fat/carb/sugar stuff for their “real” equivalent, like for like, you’ll be consuming way more calories.

Of course you do. You just add up the calories in the ingredients and divide it by the number of slices!

Yeah? Said with the confidence of someone that doesn't struggle with their weight.

The post you responded to, by @Comedycook, is the sort of thing I eat. This evening for example, I've eaten a curry made from chicken, made the sauce out of onions, tomatoes and a bit of yoghurt, rice, and home made flatbreads. If I wasn't actively trying to slim down, yes I'd absolutely overeat because it's NEVER as simple as "cut this one thing out and you won't struggle"

Seed oils are not UPF. There are many arguments to be had about the benefits of them, but they are not UPF.

If anything I find I am more likely to overeat when it's good quality home made food... because it's just much nicer than heavily processed food. So agree, the idea that you won't overeat is not necessarily true. We are all different.

Probably a stupid question but are the microwaveable packets of oats UPF or not . I do them on the hob and feel it’s healthier than the chocolate squares I was eating for breakfast!