One morning earlier this week, I came across several fresh articles and podcasts on the subject of ultra-processed foods. For reference, Harvard Health Publishing explains ultra-processed food in this way:
“Ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added sugars, and hydrogenated fats. They may also contain additives like artificial colors and flavors or stabilizers. Examples of these foods are frozen meals, soft drinks, hot dogs and cold cuts, fast food, packaged cookies, cakes, and salty snacks.”
So why is there a renewed push from publishers in every corner of the internet to write, talk, and bloviate on the matter? The answer is obvious to me, this new book:
Written by Chris Van Tulleken, a well-known British physician, the book was released on June 27th (in April in the UK) and is a dive down the rabbit hole of processed food and how eating it does (or doesn’t) affect our health. Certainly, Van Tulleken is media savvy and can write a clever title. But now it seems everyone from food industry lobbying groups to “anti-diet” podcasters, is fighting for a piece of the ultra-processed publicity pie.
The Game
This is standard operating procedure in media (probably not news to you). What got me this week, was every piece of content spun the same decade-old report out of Brazil in an oddly controversial way. The most notable result of the initial paper by the Brazilian team was the creation of the NOVA system, a way to categorize food based on how much it’s processed. And maybe it’s just me, but I found the explanation in the book rather straightforward (why I love reading books, as opposed to headlines these days).
Here’s a graphic two guys at Stanford reference in a 2021 review that sums it up for our visual learners:
The Good News
In spite of the fact that many publishers have forgotten their manners or never learned journalism basics, I love books that get the conversation started (again). Even if no one gives it credit.
And regardless of Van Tulleken’s motivations, his writing is thorough, heavily cited, entertaining (for me anyway), and historically revealing. Like how paraffin, a by-product of the coal industry, was first combined with glycerin in 1930s Germany to create one of the first processed cooking fats he calls ‘coal butter.’ Yum.
Also in the book:
Why weight gain might not be about sugar or exercise (hint: genetics)
The reasons nutritional studies are so hard to get right and harder to draw solid conclusions from (reason to ignore flashy headlines)
Why the type of diet you eat, low-carb, high-fat, etc. isn’t the whole story (hint: genetics again)
Interesting studies on the Hadza hunter-gatherers
How corporations like Coca-Cola throw millions into nutrition studies (did someone say conflict of interest?)
The effects of advertising, stress, and our environment on what we eat
On the subject of advertising, I studied this at length at FSU (don’t make me tell you when). And even more so now than 20 years ago, advertising and brand promotion has permeated every corner of our lives. Watching football? Commercials for pizza. Scrolling on a device? Games developed by fast food companies targeted at teenagers. Grocery shopping? National chains like Kroger routinely promote coupons for junk food.
I’m now about 150 pages into the book, and Van Tulleken is talking about some frozen food in the UK called a Turkey Twizzler that is shaped like a slinky and made from minced turkey meat and 36 other ingredients. If it gets any more interesting than that, I’ll definitely let you know.
Eat + be well,
Christina
This was an unplanned email I was inspired to send after diving into the book. Now, really, coming up next is how I like to save the parsley.
P.S. If you would like to read the book, and can’t find it at your library or stomach the price, reply to this email. I’m happy to let you borrow my copy when I’m finished. First come, first serve…