TALK 11. THE WHITER THE BREAD, THE SOONER YOU'RE DEAD

Defining UPFs isn't straightforward, with no single official definition. A useful, though perhaps simplistic, starting point offered was Chris van Tulleken's idea: if it's wrapped in plastic and contains an ingredient not typically found in a home kitchen, it's likely a UPF. Charlie Bigham, whose business is notable for avoiding UPFs, amusingly pointed out that his products, while looking like ready meals, are explicitly not ready meals, and follow recipes you could make at home – some even in his new cookery book (no plug intended) - yet, in some minds, the factory setting somehow magically transforms them into UPFs, which he finds a bit absurd.

The panel quickly moved beyond definitions to the real-world impact. Heloise Balme of the Bristol Food Network highlighted the complex environmental factors, particularly the local food environment, socioeconomic status, and affordability, that severely limit people's choices, especially in deprived areas – making it genuinely difficult not to eat UPFs even if you wanted to. She cited a local GP prescribing fresh veg as an example of grass roots activity that can help make a difference.

Will Shotton, who had a Damascene conversion following the discovery of a carcinoma in situ dumped Big Food for fermentation ,via a masters in functional nutrition, questioned the lack of government enforcement despite clear legal violations regarding food marketing to young children The relationship between food and drugs industries was painted starkly: food companies want you ill from additives; drug companies want you poorly but alive for profits. To him, the sugar tax was an excuse for food companies to dump expensive sugar in favour of cheaper sweeteners like aspartame, which triggers the body to produce insulin and is just as likely to lead to diabetes as the real thing. He assured us that if there’s an additive, there’s a profit motive.

Charlie Bigham founded his company on simplicity of ingredients and found the Big Food reaction to proposed government legislation of “lets not confuse matters” a trifle.. convenient? He recommended Henry Dimbleby’s book Ravenous – a previous Book fo the Month of ours – as a decent upsum of what could actually be done.

The conversation then shifted to the powerhouse within us: the gut microbiome. Will, the expert here, explained that humans are 50% bacteria, with 100 trillion bacteria across a thousand species weighing about 3kg in our guts. Their primary job? Eating fibre – they don't live on chicken, rice, potatoes, or UPFs. In return, they manage our bodies. Good bacteria are the real foundation of our immune system, identifying pathogens and educating white blood cells. They also produce short-chain fatty acids from fibre, which repair the gut wall. A "leaky gut" (from lack of fibre) allows endotoxins into the bloodstream, contributing to inflammation, mental health issues (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's), and achy joints. Crucially, the gut microbiome produces 95% of the body's serotonin (the happy hormone) from fibre. He stressed the miraculous impact of a high-fibre, plant-based diet, stating health can turn around in under a week, and importantly, it's incredibly cheap. In case anyone didn’t get the message, he favours fibre.

In questions, we picked up on the interesting fact that in Italy only 20% of the diet is UPF as against 60% in the UK. Is this because in the UK other costs (transport, accommodation) are higher and we can afford less on food, or are we just badly trained from birth?

As usual, we finished with the Toolbox, some practical tips (and a long reading list, plus some homework on Japan) to take away

Books: Charlie recommended Michael Pollan's thin, impactful "Food Rules"  as well as Henry Dimbleby's "Ravenous" and Chris van Tulleken's "Ultra-Processed People". Did anyone mention he has a cookbook available also? Will passionately recommended Dr. Will recommended Bulsiewicz's "Fibre Fuelled" for its recipes and science.

Websites/Platforms: Heloise plugged Bristol Good Food 2030 for local food events, blogs, and opportunities. Will also recommended watching Dr. Will Bulsiewicz's videos on YouTube and generally exploring gut health content there.

Key Concept: Fibre, fibre, fibre, fibre, fibre, fibre, fibre! Eating more fibre is paramount for gut health and overall well-being. Prioritise variety in your diet, embrace plant-based options, and try fermented foods. Be suspicious of big food companies' motives. Education, especially for children and parents, is key.

The panel left us contemplating whether UPFs are a deliberate public health crisis driven by profit or simply a symptom of a complex, broken food system. The call to action is clear: look after your gut, eat more fibre, question the industry, and support local initiatives.

On the night we spun a not very politically correct themed playlist, featuring:

Siouxsie and The Banshees ‘Candyman’

Bad Manners ‘Lip Up Fatty’

The Rolling Stones ‘Brown Sugar’

Getdown Services ‘Crisps’

Duran Duran ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’

The Flying Burrito Brothers ‘Christine’s Tune’

Jarvis Cocker ‘Fat Children’

Meat Puppets ‘Up On The Sun’

Florence and The Machine ‘Hunger’

Fats Domino ‘Blueberry Hill’