Dr. Sarah Berry

We also change it using manual industrial techniques as well. So we use techniques like grinding or we might use pasteurization for dairy or, you know, extrusion for some carbohydrate-rich foods. We use all of these different techniques that also change the food matrix.

We also change it using manual industrial techniques as well. So we use techniques like grinding or we might use pasteurization for dairy or, you know, extrusion for some carbohydrate-rich foods. We use all of these different techniques that also change the food matrix.

It's a double-edged sword.

It's a double-edged sword.

And I think this is what we need to remember, that everyone's demonizing at the moment. Old processed food, you know, it's killing the nation. 60% of our energy is coming from old processed food. Yes, we are eating too much unhealthy food, much of which has been heavily processed, but processing can also be used to our benefit. And we have to think, why do we even process food in the first place?

And I think this is what we need to remember, that everyone's demonizing at the moment. Old processed food, you know, it's killing the nation. 60% of our energy is coming from old processed food. Yes, we are eating too much unhealthy food, much of which has been heavily processed, but processing can also be used to our benefit. And we have to think, why do we even process food in the first place?

Well, we process it to make it edible. I don't want to go and eat a rice grain that's not been cooked. We make it safe. I want to drink pasteurized milk because I know it's safer. We want to make it stable. I think how long a can can last and frozen vegetables versus fresh. So you're saving food waste. We want to make it taste good and we want to make it convenient.

Well, we process it to make it edible. I don't want to go and eat a rice grain that's not been cooked. We make it safe. I want to drink pasteurized milk because I know it's safer. We want to make it stable. I think how long a can can last and frozen vegetables versus fresh. So you're saving food waste. We want to make it taste good and we want to make it convenient.

So there's all of these different reasons that we use food processing. But when we think about the healthfulness of a food, We need to think about it in terms of the processing techniques that have been used, as well as the nutrient composition. We can't look at them in isolation, in my opinion. And this is what I've done a lot of research looking into.

So there's all of these different reasons that we use food processing. But when we think about the healthfulness of a food, We need to think about it in terms of the processing techniques that have been used, as well as the nutrient composition. We can't look at them in isolation, in my opinion. And this is what I've done a lot of research looking into.

I think processing gone bad is when you've changed the nutrient profile of a food such that It is unhealthy, so in simple terms, it's too much saturated fat, too much salt, too little fibre, too little bioactives like polyphenols, a food that is very energy dense. So you eat it really, really quickly. So you're eating too many calories.

I think processing gone bad is when you've changed the nutrient profile of a food such that It is unhealthy, so in simple terms, it's too much saturated fat, too much salt, too little fibre, too little bioactives like polyphenols, a food that is very energy dense. So you eat it really, really quickly. So you're eating too many calories.

You're eating it before your hunger signals have got to your brain to say, whoa, Stephen, you've had enough. And there's great research that has been looking at how processing can affect your eating rate, the energy density of food, the nutrient profile of a food. And that's where it can go wrong.

You're eating it before your hunger signals have got to your brain to say, whoa, Stephen, you've had enough. And there's great research that has been looking at how processing can affect your eating rate, the energy density of food, the nutrient profile of a food. And that's where it can go wrong.

But where it can go right is you can improve all of those things I've said, the stability, the safety of the food. You can also increase what we call bioaccessibility, so the availability of some of the nutrients within a food as well.

But where it can go right is you can improve all of those things I've said, the stability, the safety of the food. You can also increase what we call bioaccessibility, so the availability of some of the nutrients within a food as well.

So I think all of these first three foods, the crisps, the chocolate, the cookies, you know, if compared to what would be a healthy food, they've all got less fibre. They've all got, well, certainly the chocolate and the cookie has got more sugar. They won't have all of the wonderful bioactives in them. And then with the crisps, depending on the type of crisps, it's probably quite high in salt.

So I think all of these first three foods, the crisps, the chocolate, the cookies, you know, if compared to what would be a healthy food, they've all got less fibre. They've all got, well, certainly the chocolate and the cookie has got more sugar. They won't have all of the wonderful bioactives in them. And then with the crisps, depending on the type of crisps, it's probably quite high in salt.

But the chances are with those three is that they are quite energy dense. So they have quite a lot of calories per gram, which is partly because of the processing techniques. Yet if you take a whole food like a nut, now they're actually very energy dense. So they're very high in fat. They're high in calories.

But the chances are with those three is that they are quite energy dense. So they have quite a lot of calories per gram, which is partly because of the processing techniques. Yet if you take a whole food like a nut, now they're actually very energy dense. So they're very high in fat. They're high in calories.