Name: Simple tips for cutting back on ultra-processed foods | BBC Global
Uploaded: 2025-06-23T21:01:10.000Z
Duration: 2 min 22 s
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If you bought your bread in a supermarket, it's likely to be highly processed.

As is your oven pizza, most crisps, fizzy drinks, and even a shop-bought birthday cake.

However, they can also include less obvious foods.

Including some breads, breakfast cereals, and yogurts.

Ultra-processed food can be cheap, convenient, and at times, irresistible.

But a diet high in ultra-processed food is linked to a range of health conditions,

including obesity, cancer, and type two diabetes, all of which can lead to an early death.

Think about it, why does a brioche burger bun last for months, but a piece of fresh bread goes moldy in days?

Ultra-processed food tends to contain ingredients you wouldn't store at home.

A homemade sponge cake contains only a handful of ingredients compared to a shop-bought one, which contains dozens more.

While it can feel impossible to avoid ultra-processed food,

here's a few simple swaps I've been trying out that can make a difference.

use passata or tinned tomatoes and add fresh herbs, garlic, and onions, and leave it to simmer for 10 minutes on the hob.

Swap out ready-mixed stir fry sauces for soy sauce, and add a combination of honey, vinegar, and sesame oil.

An alternative to ice cream is homemade frozen yogurt, freeze yogurt and blend it with frozen fruit and sweeten with honey.

If you're craving a salty snack, opt for some nuts instead of crisps.

I've been trying this recently, and my craving for crisps has somewhat reduced.

Shop-bought chips are covered in maltodextrin and flavoring.

So instead, chop up potatoes, sprinkle with salt and olive oil, and bake them in the oven.

A healthier alternative to cereal bars can be made by mixing oats with fruits, nuts, and sweeten with honey or dates.

Over time, you may get used to these simple swaps and even begin to prefer the taste of the healthier option.