Is halloumi an UPF?

[JanuaryOranges]

I've googled this, but for some reason can't find an answer. Does anyone know?
Also, feta?

I haven't considered either of those as upf and I don't think they get bad zoe scores

Well, they will be processed as all cheeses are -- adding rennet, or vegetarian alternatives, or souring agents like lemon juice, to turn milk into various kinds of cheese.
So while basic traditional cheeses (which would include halloumi and feta) are a processed product, originally done to store fresh milk so that it keeps for more than just a few days, I do not believe any of it is considered ultra processed, except perhaps things like american style cheese slices or squirty cheese from a can. Or 'cheese strings'?

I think it's possible to take the UPF thing way too far. Halloumi is delicious. It's been eaten for over 1000 years.

Thanks @Sodndashitall . Does Zoe have a scoring system? I follow all their podcasts but haven't come across that. Is it only available to those who do the personalised programme? (I was disqualified from starting that due to health issues ☹️).

Yes you get it if you do the actual programme. So of course thats depending on your response. I process both fats and sugars well but in any case upf always gets a bad score

Thanks @SiobhanSharpe that's what I thought, but good to have it clarified!

But it isn't a UPF is it? It is just processed. The fact that it has been eaten for hundreds of years means it isn't a UPF.

@mynameiscalypso I don't think it's a matter of taking things too far. A food item is either UPF or it isn't. And if halloumi's been eaten for 1000 years it clearly isn't!

Of course not. It has one ingredient - milk. Definitely not ultra processed

Just had a look at the Halloumi in my fridge and the ingredients are pasteurised milk, salt and dried mint which I think wouldn’t make it UPF. I’m not bothered about pasterisation as a process.

@Sodndashitall thanks that's interesting. Is the scoring of each food personalised? So there isn't a 'general' scoring that could be usefully shared with others?

It is processed, yes. Most foods go through some sort of process. But UPF usually have multiple ingredients that you don't have at home, and with names you don't recognise.
Cheese usually has a couple of ingredients and you could, if you wished, make it yourself. So no it's not UPF

Thanks @Ropeonasoap but no need to be snippy.

@HumphreyCobblers Oh of course, it's definitely not a UPF! But I think the fact that people are worrying about stuff like this means the whole thing has got a bit out of hand.

@mynameiscalypso as the alleged 'worrier' I can assure you I'm not worried or fretting at all!

In fact I'm having a very pleasant Sunday morning meal panning, and aiming to reduce UPFs more than I have been already, in part because I have a serious health condition that I've been told by a hospital dietician it might benefit from.

Not my brightest moment perhaps to ask about hallloumi on here rather than read the ingredients which I would normally do, but I thought I'd read somewhere that it was UPF which seemed unlikely. And I'm a bit tired and not fully functioning! (again, in part due to my health condition)

@JanuaryOranges I didn't mean to pick on you, apologies! I can actually totally understand why people (even if you don't) get really worried about this sort of stuff because the message is so clearly that UPF food is terrible for you and people hear that as a black and white message rather than with the nuance that is intended (eg that a lot of perfectly healthy food is processed and there's no need to cut it out). I just fear that some of the messaging around UPFs becomes a bit cult like and can end up with people becoming disordered in their eating because they - mistakenly cut out food they should be eating because they think it's "bad". I appreciate that might not be you at all (and I also have total health-related brain fog today so no doubt expressed myself very badly). For what it's worth, I do believe most of the evidence about UPFs and have wondered about its impact on my own autoimmune conditions given the link with gut health but I'm not sure Daily Mail-style headlines are helpful at a broader level.

As I said, I'm sorry if I offended you.

Well quite! If you wanted to avoid pasteurisation you had better be pretty healthy to start with! I would have no idea how many millions or more of people pasteurisation has saved.

Thanks @mynameiscalypso and no problem! 😊

Yes, I can imagine if there are unhelpful headlines out there it can stress people out. And anything like this can bring out obsessive tendencies, which isn't great either. I see it as a really positive opportunity to make potentially a real difference to my health, whereas until now I've never really been given a steer by doctors about what I can do for myself to manage my condition (other than well meaning but slightly pointless advice to 'live healthily').

A lot of food is processed before we get it. At what point, exactly, does it go from being a PF to UPF?

I'd say that it is much more of a sliding scale than a definitive is/isn't.

My rule of thumb is if it’s existed and been consumed for 1000s of years it’s not UPF. Many foods are “first stage” processed to transform them into something else but if the process is hundreds of years old then I would deem it pretty safe. The only exception to this would be cheap cured meats, as the traditional processes will often have been substituted by more chemical, faster and cheaper processes.

I would stick to worrying about food created in the 20th century, particularly in the latter half. Most of the convenience stuff was created then, with emulsifiers and whatnot to make it palatable. Or lots of sugar and salt added pointlessly, or artificial processes to speed up production (eg. The Chorleywood process for bread).

UPF I reckon is if it needs industrialised intervention to make the product. So most cheeses, unless they’ve been foamed or formed into slices, are not UPF. Tofu is not UPF. Sliced bread or any bread made by the Chorleywood process is UPF, naturally risen bread is not. As PP said you could make these things at home- the fact that generally we don’t and they are made in large quantities, doesn’t make them UPF.

Dr Chris Van Tulleken in his book described UPF as an edible non food substance. So if something is made up only of a recognisable food substance that you would find in the kitchen it is not a UPF. Halloumi is processed but not ultra processed.

I really fancy a halloumi/lountza flatbread now.

General rule of thumb. If you can buy the basic ingredients, and make the exact same thing in your kitchen, it is highly unlikely to be UPF.

I don't think halloumi is, but ready made halloumi are.

Feta isn't, but a ready made meal with feta would be.