Behind the label II:
— Challenging the trends —
'Eat clean'. 'Choose free-from'. 'Ramp up your protein intake'. And remember:
'sugar is the new fat'. These days, the headlines seem to scream nonstop nutritional advice - but should we bother listening?
With the help of registered nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed, we peel back the label once again, this time challenging the foodie fads that have taken over your supermarket and your social feeds. We look at processed, free-from, protein-enhanced, and sugary foods to find out exactly how they should fit into your lifestyle.
Is it worth following the trends, or should you take an aisle less travelled?Find out
Processed and ultra-processed foods
More than half of the food we eat is 'ultra-processed'1, but do we actually know when we're eating them – and exactly what we're eating? According to our survey, less than half of us feel confident identifying which foods fall into the 'processed' and 'ultra-processed' category.
For example, 70% of people wouldn't count frozen vegetables as being a processed food – even though that's exactly what they are! Scroll down to find out which foods you're eating are classed as 'processed' or 'ultra-processed' and how they should (or shouldn't!) fit into your overall dietary intakes.
Brits and processed foods
Processed foods are defined as foods that have been changed in some form during the preparation stage. This isn't necessarily a bad thing (think frozen veggies or dried fruit).
Ultra-processed foods contain additives and ingredients to enhance their flavour, texture, or longevity10 – potentially including excess salt, sugar, and fat, and it's these ingredients that can have a negative impact on our overall diet.
It's important to be aware of what counts as 'processed' and 'ultra-processed' – which is something Brits aren't always sure about:
Proportion of Brits who don't know these foods are classed as 'processed' or 'ultra-processed'
Being 'processed' doesn't necessarily make foods 'unhealthy'. However, the added sugar, salt, and fat often present in 'ultra-processed' foods such as chocolate, sweets, and ice cream can have a negative effect on our health if we're not careful to eat them in moderation.
What came first, the chicken or the fortified wheat flour?
1 in 3 Brits eat chicken nuggets (or a variation of them) regularly. We looked at three British mealtime favourites to find out how processed they really are.
How much meat is in these dinner table classics?
Can you pronounce these ingredients?
Processed foods play a prominent role in our everyday lives, and it's important not to demonise them or feel bad for using for them. Some processed foods simply make it easier for us to choose healthy options.
However, many foods contain long ingredient lists and include additives and preservatives – this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but we should keep an eye on how many of these additives we're eating, including numbers of added fats, sugars, and salt.
5 tips for choosing processed foods, from nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed
- Don't be afraid of frozen: "Frozen foods are great for adding to meals at the end of a long day or helping to reach your five-a-day relatively easily."
- Choose water: "When choosing canned fruits and vegetables, opt for ones kept in water or natural juices rather than brine or sweetened water."
- Check ingredients lists: "When shopping, opt for foods with ingredients you understand, especially if you're concerned about additive intake."
- Visit local farm shops: "Fresh foods and frozen foods are often made on site and are likely to have fewer additives. However, it's still smart to check how much salt and sugar they are using in their cooking, too."
- Make your own takeaways: "Have fun with online recipes and quick meal cookbooks. Some of the 5-ingredient meals or 20-minute meal recipes can be very handy (and yummy!) for busy adults."
Sugar is the new fat
From the fat-free fad of the 1990s to the carb-cutting craze of the 2000s, countless diet and nutrition trends have swept through the nation. Sugar is the current enemy – but it's not just a passing phase.
So, just how much of an impact is sugar having on us?
Brits and sugar
'Free sugars' are the most important thing we should be monitoring, As opposed to the sugars that occur naturally in foods such as dairy and raw fruit, free sugars include any sugars that have been added to foods, along with sugars that occur naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit juices.
But not everyone is tracking how much they're eating:
The proportion of Brits keeping tabs on sugar and added sugar intake:
keep track of their own sugar intake
keep track of their own added sugar intake
keep track of their children's sugar intake
keep track of their children's added sugar intake
A sugar by any other name would taste just as sweet…
'Free sugar' is sometimes called:
The government recommends that free sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of our daily calorie intake. However, according to the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey3, everyone aged 2 and older exceeds the official advice4.
Seeing the sugar:
Total vs. free sugars
Calculating our free intake isn't easy. Nutrition labels in the UK only show us the total sugar in a product. This means the number on the nutrition panel is showing the sugar that occurs naturally in foods (such as fruit and dairy) along with the sugar that has been added.
Seeing the sugar
The main free sugar offenders, especially for children, are cereal products, closely followed by soft drinks and fruit juice.
We looked at some of the UK's popular cereals and breakfast bars that only contain free sugars. Find out how much free sugar is in a recommended serving size of some of our favourite products:
Kellogg's Crunchy Nut (30g serving)
Kellogg's Corn Flakes (30g serving)
Kellogg's Special K Original (30g serving)
General Mills Lucky Charms (27g serving)
Nature Valley Crunchy Oats and Honey (42g/2 bars)
Kellogg's Rice Krispie Square (28g bar)
It's clear from looking at the comparisons between popular products and the sugar hidden inside them that we're at risk of consuming far too much free sugar – especially as not all of us always stick to the recommended serving sizes.
According to a recent survey5, parents are most likely to choose breakfast foods they know their kids will eat. This often results in parents choosing cereals high in free sugars, mainly because these are the options that tend to be popular with children.
However, starting children off in the morning with high levels of sugar from these cereal options could put them at risk of regularly going over their free sugar recommendations. Ultimately, this could lead to dental health problems as well as the consumption of extra calories.
When trying to work out the levels of free sugars in your food, the ingredient list is a good place to start. This can allow you to see if there are any fruit or milk products in the food, which may account for a large proportion of the total sugars. Try to see how far up the ingredients list fruit or milk is, as opposed to added or free sugars such as fructose, glucose, or honey.
Does free-from = healthy?
Free-from foods aren't just for those with special dietary requirements – they're getting trendier with each weekly shop. Sales of free-from products rose more than 40% in 2017 to a whopping £806.1m2.
According to our survey, almost a quarter of us would be more inclined to eat something 'unhealthy' (like biscuits) if it's free-from, and 28% are happy to pay more for free-from products to benefit their health. But are free-from foods actually better for us than the standard alternatives?
Brits and free-from foods
1 in 3 people say that they, or someone in their household, avoid certain foods as part of their everyday diet. But perhaps not for the reasons you might think:
Why we choose free-from:
For the health benefits
A medical condition
It's important to realise free-from products are designed for people who are avoiding certain ingredients for specific reasons, such as allergies, intolerances, cultural, or environmental reasons. They are not designed to be 'health foods' and therefore won't necessarily make us lose weight or feel healthier.
Free-from vs. standard:
Which is healthier?
Meat, gluten, and dairy are some of the most common products that people replace with free-from alternatives – but how do they really compare?
Should I choose gluten-free?
Tesco Multiseed Farmhouse 100g(about 2 slices) vs
Free Triple Seeded Farmhouse 100g
We can see from these examples the gluten-free bread has higher sugar levels, lower protein and, importantly, it's a lot more expensive too! Although this particular free-from brand also has smaller slices than the standard bread, meaning you might consume fewer calories overall in a typical two-slice sandwich.
Gluten-free certainly doesn't mean 'healthy' and, unless you're coeliac or have specifically been told by a healthcare professional to avoid gluten, there really isn't a need to do so.
Should I choose dairy-free?
Tesco British Semi-Skimmed(100ml) vs
Alpro Almond Fresh Milk Alternative(100ml)
Milk alternatives are often very different in micronutrient content than traditional dairy milk. Cow's milk is a good source of calcium, B vitamins, and iodine, whereas alternative milks are only a good source of calcium and B vitamins (if they've been fortified with these nutrients), and they're often lower in protein too.
Plant-based milks are a good option for those who choose not to drink milk or are allergic or intolerant to dairy. It's best to opt for fortified options when choosing milk alternatives, and not choose them simply because you believe they are healthier.
Should I choose meat-free?
Tesco British Lincolnshire Sausages(100g - about 2 sausages) vs
Tesco Meat Free Lincolnshire Style Sausages(100g - about 2.5 sausages)
The free-from sausages are significantly lower in calories, fat (especially saturated fat), and carbohydrates, while still offering a similar amount of protein and almost double the fibre. Meat doesn't contain any fibre and tends to be higher in saturated fat than plant-based options. When shopping, look for products that have a higher meat content to benefit from the nutrients.
Meat can provide a source of nutrients in your diet that you may not get from meat-free alternatives. If you follow a meat-free diet, make sure you include a variety of foods that will provide these missing nutrients, such as zinc, omega-3, protein, iron, and B vitamins.
Should I choose free-from dessert?
Tesco Digestive Biscuits 100g(about 6 biscuits) vs
Tesco Free From Digestive Biscuits (gluten, wheat, and milk-free) 100g(about 10 biscuits)
Our survey revealed some people are more likely to reach for a biscuit because it says 'free-from', but our comparison shows the gluten, wheat, and dairy-free biscuit option is very similar in terms of calories and fat – but has a whopping 10g more sugar per 100g compared to the standard option.
This just proves that 'free-from' doesn't necessarily mean healthier and demonstrates how it's important to check and compare labels if you are on a free-from diet. The cost is, once again, another factor, as the free-from biscuit is almost six times the price of the standard option!
Is it better to eat free-from foods?
The best advice is always to be a bit savvy and check the labels before assuming something is good for you. Remember 'free-from' doesn't mean 'healthy'!
I've seen in my practice previously that people often eat more of a product that is 'free-from' simply because they believe it to be healthier. However, doing that in this case would lead to eating a lot more calories overall.
The best choice for you will depend on your lifestyle and dietary requirements. However, apart from sausages, none of the free-from foods we looked at appear to be substantially 'healthier' than their standard counterparts. They are, however, far more expensive!
So, if you're reaching for 'free-from' solely because you think it's better for you, flip the packet and compare the small print – in most cases, you're paying a premium for something that’s the same (if not less) nutritious than the standard option.
These days, it seems you can't get through a supermarket aisle without seeing PROTEIN splashed on a label. The global protein supplement market alone was valued at £9.2bn in 20166, and it doesn't end there: take a look around any shop and you'll find protein-enhanced products on every shelf – it's added to your cereal, your shakes, and even your bread.
The latest magic ingredient in the nutrition world, protein promises to help us lose weight, build muscle, stay fuller for longer, and keep our hair, skin, and nails looking sleek. But is that protein bar really doing all it promises? We look at why Brits are buying into the protein craze and ask whether or not it's worthwhile.
Brits and protein
It seems protein products are regularly making it into British shopping trolleys: 43% of us have bought some form of 'protein' marketed product in the past, with 18-24-year-olds most likely to amp up their intake with protein-specific foods.
The most popular protein products:
When asked why we consume added protein products, the main reasons include:
- 1.To increase my daily protein intake
- 2.To consume after exercise
- 4.They're healthier than the normal version
A closer look at protein products
According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the average UK adult consumes up to 55% more protein than they actually need7. The UK Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) recommends we consume 0.75g for each kg of weight, which, based on average weights, roughly equals:
- Men: 55g
- Women: 45g
This, of course, will vary, depending on your bodyweight and lifestyle. However, for the average person who only exercises moderately, meeting the RNI should be sufficient.
We wanted to find out just how much protein is in specialty protein products, and how they compare to natural sources of protein.
Total Greek Yogurtvs
Arla Protein Strawberry Yogurt
2 medium eggsvs
Grenade Reload Chocolate Flapjack Bar
Tesco Wholemeal Sliced Loafvs
Tesco High Protein Loaf
Weetabix (2 biscuits)vs
Weetabix Protein Cereal (2 biscuits)
Getting it right: How much protein do you need?
Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "Protein is an essential macronutrient especially important for the growth, development, and maintenance of bones and muscles in the body.
"Most of us get more than enough protein in our everyday diet, and so it's not something that we need to think about supplementing too often. However, for some, such as athletes, those training intensely, or very active individuals they may have extra requirements for protein to support muscle growth and repair."
"To put it simply, unless advised by a medical professional, you don't need to be eating protein-specific products. If you find them to be a convenient way to top up your intake or to help you spread your protein intake across the day, there is no real problem with using them. However, it's important to remember you can get all the protein you need from everyday foods."
How to get your protein in:
Expert nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed says: "A single serving of protein is roughly the size of your palm7. Most people should aim for two servings each day. This might look like the below."