I've been eating ultra-processed foods (UPFs) my whole life - Coco Pops for breakfast, Chicken Tonight dinners, flavoured chippies in lunchboxes. It's not because I blame my parents, but now as a parent myself, I know how hard it is to avoid them.
The World Health Organisation has said that UPFs are linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. Australia is one of the highest consumers of these foods, alongside the US and UK. To try and change this, I decided to take on the challenge of avoiding UPFs for a week.
First, I need to understand what a UPF is. Prof Mark Lawrence from Deakin University said that it's products with lots of ingredients in them - basically anything you wouldn't normally buy at a supermarket. He also warned me about "chemical-sounding" ingredients which are usually found in UPFs.
Before I start my week-long avoidance, I need to know what foods fall into the four categories of food classification. Level one includes fruit, vegetables, nuts and dairy products. Level two is just processed culinary ingredients like butter and honey. Level three is just regular processed foods. And level 4 is the ultra-processed ones - anything with lots of added preservatives and flavourings.
It's not going to be easy because I have a whole stockpile of UPFs at home. To start, I buy some brown bread from a bakery which costs way more than supermarket white bread. I also buy butter made from 100% milk instead of the ones with all sorts of additives in them.
My first day is pretty successful - I make myself avocado toast instead of Vegemite and snack on raw nuts at work. It takes longer to prepare food, but it tastes better and I feel good about eating something nutritious for once.
As time goes by, however, things get harder. When I'm out and about, it's hard not to grab a takeaway coffee - especially when I see the oat milk is made from a chemical-sounding ingredient called maltodextrin.
One of the biggest hurdles comes on Friday lunchtime - my colleagues are going out for drinks and almost everything on the menu feels like an ultra-processed food. The only thing that passes the no UPF test is the fermented beer and wine.
When it's time to go back home, I let myself have a glass of wine and try not to overthink it. The whole challenge has been about balance - eating healthy at home but allowing myself treats when I want them.
The World Health Organisation has said that UPFs are linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. Australia is one of the highest consumers of these foods, alongside the US and UK. To try and change this, I decided to take on the challenge of avoiding UPFs for a week.
First, I need to understand what a UPF is. Prof Mark Lawrence from Deakin University said that it's products with lots of ingredients in them - basically anything you wouldn't normally buy at a supermarket. He also warned me about "chemical-sounding" ingredients which are usually found in UPFs.
Before I start my week-long avoidance, I need to know what foods fall into the four categories of food classification. Level one includes fruit, vegetables, nuts and dairy products. Level two is just processed culinary ingredients like butter and honey. Level three is just regular processed foods. And level 4 is the ultra-processed ones - anything with lots of added preservatives and flavourings.
It's not going to be easy because I have a whole stockpile of UPFs at home. To start, I buy some brown bread from a bakery which costs way more than supermarket white bread. I also buy butter made from 100% milk instead of the ones with all sorts of additives in them.
My first day is pretty successful - I make myself avocado toast instead of Vegemite and snack on raw nuts at work. It takes longer to prepare food, but it tastes better and I feel good about eating something nutritious for once.
As time goes by, however, things get harder. When I'm out and about, it's hard not to grab a takeaway coffee - especially when I see the oat milk is made from a chemical-sounding ingredient called maltodextrin.
One of the biggest hurdles comes on Friday lunchtime - my colleagues are going out for drinks and almost everything on the menu feels like an ultra-processed food. The only thing that passes the no UPF test is the fermented beer and wine.
When it's time to go back home, I let myself have a glass of wine and try not to overthink it. The whole challenge has been about balance - eating healthy at home but allowing myself treats when I want them.
I swear, they're just so fluffy and adorable! Anyway, back to this ultra-processed food thing... I mean, I get it, they can be bad for us, but have you ever tried making your own snacks from scratch? Like, homemade granola or energy balls? It's literally so easy and you can control what goes into them. And the best part is, you'll save money in the long run! 
I've been meaning to try out a new recipe for kale chips... maybe I should join you on this UPF challenge 
. It's not easy, but it shows that you're willing to make changes and be mindful of what you eat. I'm curious - how do you feel about your eating habits now? Have you noticed any differences in your energy levels or mood?
The ultra-processed food epidemic is seriously affecting our health and wellbeing. It's crazy how something as simple as a breakfast cereal or dinner can have so many added chemicals and preservatives that can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and depression. 
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Like, you're already tired from being a parent, do you really need to worry about what's in your food too? But hey, props for trying and all that jazz 
. I'm no expert, but it seems like making the switch wasn't as hard as expected – now it just comes down to willpower (yeah right, who needs that much motivation?). And let's be real, taking a whole week off from UPFs? That's some dedication right there 
. Balance is key, apparently.
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. It's definitely not easy, especially when you're out and about and all the options seem to be UPFs 
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. Those chemical-sounding ingredients in processed foods can be super scary 
. The fact that you're making avocado toast and snacking on raw nuts at work shows that healthy eating doesn't have to be a chore 
. But I get it, temptation is real when you see takeaway coffee with oat milk 
. And Friday lunchtime sounds like a tough one - fermented beer and wine can feel like an indulgence even if they're less processed than the rest of the menu 
gotta be mindful of ingredients, even if it's just in your coffee 
️. but hey, at least you're trying to find healthier alternatives and finding balance 
. that avocado toast was a good move 
I'm glad you stuck to your guns and bought that expensive brown bread from the bakery - sometimes it's about making small changes that add up 
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. It's easy to get caught up in the convenience of UPFs, but at what cost? 
. Who knows, maybe by next week we'll be hooked on avocado toast and raw nuts like that! 
. And yeah, it can be hard when you're out and about and everything seems so processed... like, what's wrong with a good ol' fashioned burger and fries? 
. Wish me luck!
! I remember growing up with loads of Coco Pops too 
. And yeah, avoiding UPFs for a week sounds like a tough challenge 
! You're doing so much better than me, eating avocado toast and raw nuts all day 
! And good luck getting drinks that aren't ultra-processed when you're out with colleagues 
! As someone who's always about that layout life 
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, but also finding balance 
. That's a total game-changer for me too - it's all about moderation and self-care 
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. We need to be more mindful of what we're putting in our bodies, especially when it comes to processed foods 
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! It's definitely given me some food for thought (pun intended 
) and I'm gonna try to do better about my own UPF intake