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?

“Comparing oat-based milk analogs and traditional milk, we found that from different perspectives, both have their own characteristics and are suitable for different populations. In the background of “double carbon”, plant-based milk has a greater advantage from an overall environmental perspective and has a lower impact than dairy in terms of land use as well as water and greenhouse gas emissions…,From the perspective of nutritional value, milk contains higher amounts of protein and is high-quality protein. However, the plant protein industry has recently experienced rapid growth with increased health awareness and consciousness of sustainable development (Kumar et al., 2020). For calcium supplementation, the calcium content can be increased by adding the calcium fortifier calcium carbonate/calcium phosphate to oat milk. Moreover, oat milk is richer in unsaturated fatty acids and contains a variety of bioactive components as well as dietary fiber, which have the effect of preventing disease. Plant-based milk was first produced to solve nutritional problems for lactose-intolerant people, then championed by vegetarians, and is now prized by environmental advocates who argue that it requires far less energy to produce than traditional milk. For those who are not suitable for milk, such as lactose-intolerant people and people with milk protein allergies, when we choose the plant-based milk we need, opting for oat base milk analogs that have been fortified with nutrients is a better option and to ingest enough nutrients from other diets.”

Extract from a study on oat milk https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10534225/

I think the key thing to note is different types of milk are suitable for different people and there are obviously variations even within those foods, so some oat milk will be better for you than others. It’s the same with a lot of foods really.

It’s really nice and creamy but with a subtle taste. I don’t have a sweet tooth and so find even unsweetened nut milks a bit too sweet for me. Oat milk in a coffee gives it a nice touch of creaminess without the taste being overpowered by it. I believe it’s one of the better ones environmentally too.

I’ve found a recipe online that includes using a date and some cashew nuts too to replicate Oatly’s creamy taste - I’ll report back if it’s anything remotely similar! 😂

I was talking more from a nutritional point of view.

I don’t think many people have milk for nutritional purposes tbh, especially not if it’s just in the odd coffee. It’s more taste - for me anyway!

Nutrition wise I focus more on what I’m eating, milk in my two coffees a day isn’t a big concern and such a small percentage of what’s going into my body so I’d rather choose taste. However I’m obviously trying to cut down on UPFs generally.

I guess.

I see friends drinking endless oat milk lattes though and I wonder what all this oat milk does to people’s blood sugar. Plus it’s so processed.

Yeah I don’t drink it for nutritional purposes either but I don’t think it’s anything to
worry about in the grand scheme of things . Especially if your overall diet is good.

Heres what Dr CVT author of Ultra Processed People said of it.

“While some oat milks do meet the definition of UPF,’ says Van Tulleken, ‘they’re not the most harmful type. They contain no artificial sweetenersor phosphoric acid. However, they’re somewhat harmful, in the way any UPF is’, as they’re low in nutrients and don’t fill you up. As for non-UPF oat milks, they’re ‘not particularly bad’, says Van Tulleken. ‘I don’t want to demonise oat milk!’ Still, it’s liquid calories. ‘You consume it quickly and it’s not very satiating, so it may predispose you to weight gain.’

I don’t drink it on its own to fill me up but I do add it to some nutritious foods which are satiating and help keep me from snacking.
As far I’m aware, it’s not causing me to gain weight, so I’m good - everything in moderation.

This lady on TikTok is on a mission to search out products with real ingredients. Not all are brilliant, but she’s highlighting changes some supermarkets are making such as bake at home rolls with real ingredients, ice lollies that are just orange juice and sugar etc. she’s worth a follow.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdrXXAa8/