Kompas.com – Today’s diet, especially Ultra Processited Food (UPF) or ultra-process food, is mostly unhealthy.
Increased scientific evidence shows that excessive food consumption can cause various health problems.
The two latest large studies even connect UPF consumption with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
Also read: Ultra Foods Process should not be consumed by healthy children, why?
The study found that consuming more than four servings of UPF per day can increase the risk of heart disease by 10 percent and the risk of death by up to 62 percent.
What is Ultra-Process (UPF) food?
The researchers developed the Nova system to classify food based on the processing level.
This scale includes natural raw foods, foods that have been extracted or ground such as sugar and oil, as well as foods that are processed to extend the shelf life or change their shape, such as canned vegetables, canned fish, cheese, and processed meat.
Ultra-process food is in a separate category because it experiences various industrial processes that make it lose nutritional value.
UPF is often cheap, practical, and very appetizing because of the combination of fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. In many countries, including Britain, UPF contributed around 25-60 oersen from daily energy intake.
Also read: Ultra Process Food Linkages with the Risk of Early Death and Disease
Some examples of common ultra-process foods include packaged biscuits, fast food cakes, frozen foods ready to eat, processed meat, and sweet cereals such as muesli, cornflakes, and granola which are often marketed as a healthy breakfast option, but contain high sugar levels.
How to recognize ultra-process food
Determine whether a food included in the UPF category can be a challenge, but there are some signs that can be considered:
High content of low -cost but strong -flavored ingredients
UPF is usually high in trans fat, sugar, and salt. Trans fat is often listed on the label as’hydrogenated fat‘ or ‘Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil‘.
Illustration of Ultra Processed Food (UPF) or Ultra Process FoodUse a nutritional information table to check the content per 100g. Foods high in sugar contain more than 22.5g of total sugar, high sodium more than 1.5g of salt, and high saturated fat of more than 5g per 100g.
Label with unknown material
Beware of ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed protein, and various additives such as flavor enhancers, artificial dyes, sweeteners, thickening, and other additives.
Long shelf life
Products that are usually consumed fresh but have a long shelf life tend to be UPF, except those preserved with salt water such as olives or tuna.
Also read: Scientists Calling Ultra-Olarahan Food Needs Label Hazards such as Cigarettes
Ease and speed of consumption
Instant or ready -to -eat food that only needs to be heated often classified as UPF.
