Is eating well a luxury? A new book looks at how companies keep us wanting more junk food. Now some experts say that it cannot be called food at all.
Food industry is killing us warns top doctor
Is eating well a luxury? A new book looks at how companies keep us wanting more junk food. Now some experts say that it cannot be called food at all.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">What's happening? </h2>
Sanjay buys a packet of crisps. He tells himself he will save them for later. But within two minutes he has eaten the whole packet.
In his book Ultra-Processed People, Chris van Tulleken explains why Sanjay is unable to stop himself from eating the crisps. Food companies have spent years making sure he cannot.
The book is about ultra-processed foods - UPFs for short. These include chemicals which trick the body into thinking it needs more food.
For example, Pringles includes ingredients that tells the body a good proteinLarge biomolecules made of up amino acids, which in turn are made up of DNA. is coming its way, when in reality it is not.
People in Britain get around 60% of their caloriesThe amount of energy released when your body digests and absorbs food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it gives your body. from UPFs. Some of these come in takeaways and ready meals. But they are also in things we eat every day like cereal, ice-cream or cheap supermarket bread.
Chris van Tulleken spent a month eating UPFs. By the end of it, he writes: "I was aching, miserableSad. and angry."
Many point out that eating UPFs is not always a choice. They are often in cheaper foods. Today, lots of people are struggling to pay their bills during the cost of livingThe money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes. crisis. Many of the foods they can afford include UPFs.
Some think this is a big problem. Today, up to 60% of British people are overweight.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Find out more</h2>
Yes! It is always good to tell people what is in the food they are eating. But many families cannot afford anything else.
No! UPFs may be cheaper than other foods, but they end up costing people more in the end. Eating too many can cause health problems.
Protein - Large biomolecules made of up amino acids, which in turn are made up of DNA.
Calories - The amount of energy released when your body digests and absorbs food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it gives your body.
Miserable - Sad.
Cost of living - The money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes.
Luxury - Something that makes your life very comfortable or pleasant.
<h5 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Is eating well a <strong class="glossary-tip">luxury<span class="tt" data-beeline-skip="true">Something that makes your life very comfortable or pleasant. </span></strong>?</h5>
Food industry is killing us warns top doctor

Glossary
Protein - Large biomolecules made of up amino acids, which in turn are made up of DNA.
Calories - The amount of energy released when your body digests and absorbs food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it gives your body.
Miserable - Sad.
Cost of living - The money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes.
Luxury - Something that makes your life very comfortable or pleasant.