Great video Melanie. It’s really important how you highlighted that it’s corporate greed and not personal failure leading to the amount of UPF in almost everyone’s diet. It takes a lot of the shame and frustration out of it, while still showing that it can be possible to eat whole foods.
This might be interesting to you; the Brazilian health ministry has moved away about a decade ago from using the food pyramid, and now simply classifies foods into three categories: Whole Foods, minimally processed foods, and ultra processed foods. The recommendation is that everyone’s diet should mostly consist of Whole Foods, minimally processed foods should complement those, and ultra processed foods should be generally avoided. The document about it is, of course, dozens of pages long and goes in way more depth, there was a separate set of guidelines that were released for food introduction for babies/ toddlers recently that was also excellent. But that is the gist of it.
This would be so helpful for young people! And as a guideline for families, for those in control of school lunches etc! Hopefully they bring this in everywhere! 💖
That sounds like a very good system! I hope it will be introduced in more countries. The system we currently have in the Netherlands rates many types of real wholefoods as 'unhealthy' and upfs as 'best choice'. It's crazy.
Me personally, I started losing the most weight after reading the book Woman’s weight loss secrets: the unspoken truth, a few things you are mentioning in this video are also in the book
I grew up on whole wheat bread baked at home, vanison from local hunters and fish that was no more than 1-3 days caught. Our veggies came from our place in the countryside and we would bring it to the city after the weeneds and summers. Fruit was presented to me as a treat and candy was more a thing on special occasions. Never knew about McDonalds until I started school and other kids told me. I’m so thankful that my parents held on to the oldtime mindset of Scandinavian living, where you opt for organic and local products paired with movement (walks and bike rides as a natural part of every day life). I genuinly believe unscented things also helps to not mess up our hormones, just like proper food can help the body with such a thing. My grandma always told me to not shower daily, never skip a meal, tend to the body’s natural resources instead of trying to get it from a product, priorities such as sleep and hydration is key and npf for protection not due to preventing lines. She never spoke of how people looked, and focused on health. I wish more people could get such luxury protection instead of dealing with detangling off narratives that focus on judgment and critical opinions of other people’s bodies.
@@samanthamartin1407 The friends I had who mostly grew up on processed foods, changed that in adulthood. It’s ok to learn new ways when in charge as an adult💕
my mom sheltered me from american tv (spongebob, victorious, drake n josh) but not american food. i lost my 1st tooth in a mcdonald’s chicken nugget 🤣 deadass 🙈 i went vegan in 8th grade, im vegetarian now im way less strict on it, mostly focus on eating whole foods. my energy levels r insane, i walk 50 some miles a week n my muscles r never sore. i’m sore after a long day of laying on the couch not moving !!! processed meat specifically was fuckinggg w my energy levels. bad. now i look at dairy as a treat, i drink milk in my coffee and i eat pizza maybe once a month. just that little dairy makes me sick now. it’s insane the typa “food” our bodies just evolved to digest… it literally makes me sick now. i’m 22 it’s been 10 years since i changed my diet for reference. i’ve never struggled w my weight, dare i say, its obvious to me the majority of the ppl around me r kts w “food.” it makes me MORE upset this topic is so taboo… its literally killing more ppl than tobacco… shits straight bamboozling and needs to be talked abt !!!
We need to bond over MAKING the food. My roommate and I use to make a chili every weekend in the winter. It was not great but making it with her is a dear memory….we ate it with grilled cheese or chips so ya know, not healthy. But we bonded over making it. My daughter loves making cookies. She loves eating them too but I think the cooking is what she really loves. Let’s bond over cooking healthy foods with our loved ones.
As a nutritionist, this is one of the best videos I’ve seen discussing ultra-processed foods. So balanced, evidence based and accurate. Thank you for sharing this important educational information!!
I have felt the need to cut UPF out of my family's diet for such a long time, but even when cooking from scratch so many of our "single ingredients" have been messed with (flour, sugar, whole grains, GMO grown produce, meats full of chemical dye and growth hormones etc). It's not only a bit overwhelming, but also insanely expensive. Im so blessed to be able to grow so much of our food in our garden, but i am very aware that many people don't even have that as an option. This topic is such a huge ball of systems that need to be unraveled. Thank you for talking about it, and thank you for using your platform to show your genuine growth and change through the years. ❤
She sure opened the gate for me! I already had a terrible relationship with food, viewing it as a hurdle…an addiction…the cause of my weight gain etc etc…my EDs were very much a ME issue! Though I wouldn’t ever have become afraid of all food bar raw fruit and veg if it wasn’t for her and her then boyfriend 😣 Her content really did feed my food issues.
@@melaniemurphyofficialSadly her restrictive diet hasn't worked out well for her. She looks so much older than her age now and frail too. Freelee needs serious help.
I love that you are doing this! I am actually grateful for my autoimmune and health issues starting because it shook me up and made me realize what we eat is everything and directly impacts our health. I am now ultra healthy and people think I am crazy but when we go through dramatic and mysterious health problems it makes you seek real solutions that get to the root of our health!
I was already eating very healthy when I developped auto immune diseases but struggling with normal everyday life made it even more important to eat well.
My nightly bowl of ice cream gets me through the day mentally yet healthy meals and snacks get me through physically. I have found a balance in which I feel the best mentally and physically.
I have started eating ‘real’ ice cream that’s not upf and really look forward to it! Found some in Dunnes, the ingredients are just dairy/sugar/vanilla or a nut paste or whatever - the ice cream in Italy on my holiday made me determined to find some actual ice cream 🤤 Non upf doesn’t have to only mean healthy xx
@@melaniemurphyofficialAldi has a very good “real” ice cream that ever since I started eating I can’t enjoy any ice cream that’s made with corn syrup or other garbage. I mix either matcha powder for matcha ice cream or instant cold brew coffee powder for the best coffee flavored ice cream I’ve ever tasted.
What an amazing testimony! Thank you for that. I myself have had a similar story. Last year I developed arthritis (I'm only 37!). I went to a reumathologist and she simply pushed some medication at me (there was no talking of healthy eating or exercising whatsoever). I didn't feel any improvement but the symptoms were manageble so I just stopped taking the meds and never returned. This year last month on the first two weeks I felt extreme fatigue. I did the bare minimum at work and any free time I had I slept. As soon as I layed down I would imediately fall asleep. I would sleep for 8 hours straight over night and still wake up absolutely exausted. After 2 weeks the extrem fatigue went away but my arthritis started flaring like nothing before. Previously I would feel pain when I tried to carry things over a pound and putting my shirt on was also a struggle but this time even when I was just breathing whilst laying down my shoulders would hurt so much I could barely fall asleep. I happened to weight mysel out of curiosity really (I am 20lbs overweight) and I noticed that I had lost 5 pounds over the last six months. Very little right? The problem is that I wasn't doing anything to lose weight. Just the opposite. I was having lots of soda and sweets everyday and I barely moved. I work at home and there are days I don't even leave the house. Also, I've always been overweight my whole life. I have a tendency to gain weight and I'm almost 40. There's nothing in my life that could account for weight loss even in the slightest. I've seen a doctor and explained all this. He said that it's a very small amount of weight over a long period but prescribed me exams anyways. I'll be doing those at the end of the month but I didn't want to wait and I didn't want to go back to the dreaded reumathologist so I started researching diets to treat or at least decrease arthritis symptoms . I found dr Brook Goldner. I don't follow her diet completely but I do the green juice in the morning and for the rest of the day I eat only whole natural foods. The most processed food I eat is oats and chia flouer that I ground myself. After 4 days my pains were completely gone. I just had a little discomfort on my hand joints. On the 5th day I gave in and had Doritos and a sneaker bar. My arthritis flared so much, my body was so inflammed that it felt like I was on fire. It took 24 hours for the inflammation and pain to subside. Since then I've stoped all UPF again and 'm feeling very healthy for the first time in a very long time.
I am so delighted to hear it 😭 A friend of mine experienced the same at uni! She had terrible arthritis but went on a strict whole foods diet to lose weight for a wedding. What she wasn’t expecting was to lose ALL the arthritis pain!
My cousin had terrible rheumatoid (she’s 37) and she did a strict elimination diet with a doctor and group of people - I can look it up and give you the name - and it was basically veggies and you could have salads or most people did it with smoothies and she has gone waaaah down from her meds and even took a break for a while. She’s lost a few stone too and just is feeling much better due to healing inflammation. I am going through something similar due to being diagnosed with acid reflux 10 days ago
Completely inspired Melanie ❤ I have MS and have been completely dedicated to living my healthiest life since getting diagnosed 6 years ago. Eliminating ultra processed foods is the last thing standing in my way, and seeing your journey is helping me to try it without feeling restricted. Can I also just say - I adored the sponsored part 😄feels like conversations between myself and my sisters! Sending much love!
I love this video!! I myself was at my lowest point healthwise back on december and on january i decided to stop with UPF and i cannot believe how much and how quickly my health changed! I am so glad you are talking about this topic and spreading the awarenes ❤❤❤
This video has had a profound effect on me. I typically eat a healthy and varied diet, but I do have a fair amount of ultra processed foods. Your experience of feeling better and sleeping better has made me want to reduce the amount of UPF in my life! Thank you for sharing Melanie 🙏
I’ve been semi UPF free for a year and a half now and I 1000% agree with this! It’s so important for this conversation to become more common 💯, thank you 💚
@@Dee_Dee794 yesss, so many of my previous health problems have gone away. For starters, my brain fog almost immediately cleared and I’m so much more alert and less drowsy now. I also used to have a lot more acne and nasal congestion and that’s mostly cleared up too, especially the nasal congestion. I was booked in for surgery to have my nose “fixed up” internally, only to find out it was just a reaction to these upf foods and so the surgery would have solved nothing. In regard to tips, read the ingredients list on everything if you can. It’s a massive eye opener 💯☺️
It took me about a month to click on this video, but I'm glad I waited until now to do so. This really hit the mark, more so with what has been happening in my life at the moment. It was the right time for me to listen and absorb all that you were saying - Thank you!
I quit upf a while ago after reading the book and the difference is insane. I have autism and adhd and food was such an easy way for me to soothe myself. I started binge eating and because everyone said "eat everything in moderation" I never cut out upf. I'm not as hungry as I used to be and even things like chocolate bars taste too sweet now. When I do have a cheat meal I notice I immediately keep craving sugar/fried foods. I still occasionally have them because I love food. I just get sick of people telling me that cutting out upf is disordered eating. I just can't eat it in moderation so cutting it out is actually easier for me.
Agree with all your points,so glad you've covered this Mel! I love the doctor too,he made me start to realise I had to start cutting things out I wanted to cut out supermarket bread even before I found out about him,due to the emulsifiers x
I relate to this so much in my worry about school lunches. My daughter chooses to have school lunch and at 8 years old she is starting to complain that the lunches all come in packages. If a child is taking notice, that tells you things are bad!
After seeing your stuff about ultra processed food I started looking more at all those added ingredietns and now am also trying to eat as many 1 ingredient foods as i can. Thanks for the information! It really is just so normalized to be eating upf all day every day, especially here in America
I was diagnosed with diverticulitis at 23. Then I was fine for about 10 years and this past December it came back with a vengeance. Over the last few months of being in and out of the hospital, being active in the diverticulitis subreddit, talking with doctors, etc...and hearing about how younger and younger people are being diagnosed with it, I 1000% think it has to do with the western/processed diet. I thought I was doing pretty well the last few years because I've been vegetarian (also cutting back on eggs and dairy) since 2020 but it wasn't enough because I was still eating foods that were processed. I still am, but I'm definitely eating less processed foods than I was before...just trying to be better. We'll see how it goes! Good luck on your journey, Melanie!
My dad had this! It had him in AGONY, he ended up needing a Sigmoid Colectomy. He 100% believes it was diet related, too! And now on top of heart and lung disease, he has type 2 diabetes…so he’s started for the most part removing UPF too! And thankfully he’s already seen some health benefits 🥹❤️ I wish you all the best I know from seeing my dad suffer that diverticulitis is no joke! Xx
@@melaniemurphyofficial Ughhh your poor dad! That's a LOT of conditions to deal with/manage 😔 I'm glad he's seeing some improvements with the diet shift though! That's fantastic! And thank you so much! Yeah, it's kind of like 50/50 now on if I'll need that surgery or not, but we'll see how the next few months go lol Thanks again 💕
So inspiring melanie! ❤ Im at a point in my life where im working so much, i got very limited energy, i get agitated, i feel very anxious and altough i generally eat healthily and prepare my own food i feel a pull toward accessing more ultra-processed food due to wanting to get some sugar in me to keep me going. Long-term follower here, you are my favourite youtuber 🦋 Wish you the best The most appealing point made in this video was that the mind fog went away
My thought process about food has changed so much recently - I have been consuming way more wholefoods and replacing UPF sweet treats with things like homemade cupcakes. Next up, introducing more fermented foods into my diet. UPF is no longer considered as food in my home, it's a chemical composition that makes the occasional snack or meal. My cravings for UPFs have reduced significantly. I am aiming to cut them out completely one day, but that will be a massive mission!!
I loved this video. I'm quite concerned about what I eat, especially for brain fog issues, as I have a lot and its great to know that this discussion and these realisations are happening.
I find that a clean whole foods high protein diet with less carbs reduce cravings. When I eat a lot of animal protein my body feels calm and satiated. After being very strict I now allow myself 10% upf in my diet and my cravings for them are still less than before.
Yeah I feel like whenever I do have some I won’t have binge urges as I will be doing the same as before - not having lots of them in the house etc! Also eating lots of whole foods and making sure to have enough protein, it seriously does make a huuuuge difference! 💖
Would love to see and hear more on your transition with this. I am halfway through ultra processed people on your recommendation and my eyes have been OPENED! practically I am struggling to know how to make the switch particularly with my two young children (1 and 2 years) I would love to hear how your family have adapted and how you source your food more naturally etc
This is an incredibly comprehensive breakdown on such an important issue. Thank you Melanie for taking the time to speak out about something that should be common knowledge! The way ultra processed food is advertised should really be criminal. We should be wishing health on our fellow humans not sickness and death. It takes an extreme amount of perseverance to actually break out of these addictive patterns, something that I have yet to manage, I find it really difficult! 😞
Love this! I read this book too a few months ago and agree it is literally life changing. I’m not obese but I am overweight and have struggled with my weight for years after gaining several stone when I started a new medication. Since switching to mainly whole foods, I am over 1 stone down, almost halfway to my goal weight! ❤
Your previous video inspired me to get a blood test cause my skin was tingly as well. My vitamin d level was so low. I knew I was prediabetic but my A1c went up by .1. It’s a low number, but any number going up brings a person closer to diabetes. For 2 weeks I just stopped ordering food and prepared or cooked my food and I lost almost 10 pounds. I sleep better and my mindset is more positive. I still need to make more changes but the little change I made has helped a lot. Now I need to look more into this ultra processed food. Small steps!
I’m so happy for you. I think we have all gone down this path for a bit (think New Year’s resolutions lol) and we know for a fact it’s better. But the addiction is strong. I keep telling my husband that I’m so excited to birth our last child and get on track. I eat far better than most people I know. But I just know it can also be 10x better. Thank you for putting this content out. I think we all look forward to more of it if this is the direction you want to head! What a drastic shift for you. This was meant to happen.
Yessss! Just eat real food🙌🏻💖 This conversation is so important but we all need to dig into it and understand it’s part of a system for profit not health! Avoiding ultra processed foods is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.
This inspires me a lot! I burned out this easter, no energy, migrains became a chroonic thing, crying everyday because of frustration, ended up with me dropping out of my degree midway, and I'm still trying to get back on track... Then I got a "near prolapse" diagnosis, superstiff muscles all over my right side....Maybe a better diet can help me with everything
It's become so normal for me to eat like this- whole foods. no fastfood and minimal packaged food. Unfortunately I still developped illnesses, but eating well helps me manage my life better.
I loved your video, thank you for sharing! I'm 35, overweight and I'm about to start a lifestyle change, 'clean' my diet while also doing an elimination diet, as turns out I have intolerance to a number of foods, potentially causing inflammation and other issues. While I don't have obvious chronic conditions when it comes to my physical health, apart from migraines, I do suffer a lot with my mental health and feel like I never have any energy lately - after listening to Ultra processed people and reading a bunch of other books about the relationship between gut health and mental health, I only now fully realise how much my diet matters and how much damage I've been doing over the years, sabotaging my own well-being. It's going to be a long journey, as unfortunately my relationship with food is not great to say the least, I do struggle with emotional eating, binge eating, but I'm working on resetting my brain and establishing a healthier mindset for the long run. It's great we now have so much research about this, I hope more and more people will start to realise how bad UPF is for us and consumers can start driving some change in the food industry.
Been similarly down this rabbit hole and been verrrrrry interesting and actually life changing as this info has been changing my everyday. Thanks for talking about this. So important.
Yes! I was just thinking about going back on whole 30 (whole foods for 30 days) I did it a couple years ago and felt great. I made home made mayonase so I could have tuna mayo, chicken mayo with salads, sweet potato ect. Thanks for inspiring me to take the next step ! ❤
This video actually made me really happy about my life choices again. I've always been a "clean" person in terms of habits and food, not talking about occasional pack of chips or some ice cream or chocolate. But thanks to my parents I've always loved homecooked meals and somehow also developed subconscious repulsiveness towards alcohol, smocking and carbonated drinks. Sweets have been my guilty pleasure tho but not in big quantities, just a bit. And the only delivered food I've liked was sushi. Although when I got into a relationship I started eating more junk food because my boyfriend used to like it a lot and it was a lot cheaper than rn. But he's always been quite overweight. He's tried diets and stuff but it's never worked. But this year little by little we made changes together, which, basically is me going back to 7/7 days of homecooked meals and no sweets other than an occasional small ice cream. Together with the intermitted fasting he started losing a lot of weight and now his favourite meal is the veggie ragout. I make it at least once a week now. Considering that his fav food used to be a burger I think it's a huge success😂I also feel and sleep a lot better and seems like my boyfriend does too. More energy, less mood swings, more control over my weight too. Still have sweets cravings but it's not bad. So thanks for reminding me again that it's a good way to live!
Honestly what you said about people not being able to go to the grocery store every few days is shocking to me. I live in Central Europe and that's just normal part of life. Nobody would go longer than say a week without grocery run. And usually grocery store is within a walking distance.
Thank you for making this!! I’m doing the same thing for health reasons as well, and it’s encouraging to hear someone else discuss the difficulties and rewards of it all. I feel so much better living like this-no matter how easy it is to miss the convenience of premade meals and snacks, they just cannot and do not outweigh the benefits to my health and my family’s. I’m looking forward to any other videos you release on this topic!!
i think you should market your videos as more of video essays instead of vlogs! because it’s surprisingly informative contrary to the title which sounds more personal. rlly great video!!
Glad you are raising awareness of this issue. I think it is so important that people are informed of how UPFs are impacting our health. As you said, it is truly is so complex as knowing about UPFs is not enough. We need to change our food environment and access to healthier options. Regulating marketing to children is only the first step. I also wanted to encourage people to listen to a variety of expert opinions on the topic and to avoid fear mongering around 1 ingredient being particularly toxic. Aiming to eat a diet that is mostly non-UPFs is in line with national food guidelines and full restriction is not sustainable for most.
Thank you so much for making this video and getting the word out there🙏🏻 There’s a revolution happening in the nutrition science world and this information needs to become widely known. I also agree with you that there needs to be stricter regulations when it comes to marketing upfs, and that better access to healthy affordable food for all is imperative. I’m so glad you are taking care of your health and happy to see you are doing better ❤
There was a very interesting study that came out last year that looked at the effects if different groups of UPFs and it actually found processed breads and cereals to potentially lower risk if multimorbidity. They also found meat alternatives, desserts, and savory to have no effect. They only found that animal products and sweetened drinks to be associated with multimorbidity, and that sauces and condiments may be but theres less certainty in the data. I think the best nutrition advice I've ever gotten is to focus on what you can add to your diet rather than what you "should" take out. To me its a much healthier mindset.
It was my Natural Cycles app that prompted me to get tested for hypothyroidism! Despite having friends who suffer, I had never considered that I might also have it. Turns out that I had it in an extreme way (and had been suffering the symptoms for years).
Your story sounds so similar to mine. The struggle with food addiction and binge eating, and the health scare that seemed to "lift the veil" and lead to healthier eating and a better relationship with food are exactly what I went through. Everything you've said is so true. Once you start eating whole foods on the regular, that's what you start to crave. I used to pound back giant cadbury dairy milk bars in one sitting multiple times per week, and now even a serving (which is maybe 4 squares?) makes my stomach hurt. I'm much more likely to reach for an apple for a sweet treat now, even though I don't restrict myself from having UPF sweets if that is what I really want. This was such an enjoyable watch and your energy is so fun!
Y’know what I am LOVING!? Any nut butter in a chopped open date with melted 80% dark chocolate melted on it then put in the fridge…insane. Better than any of the Cadbury binges of yester year! Xx
As someone who was forced to eat clean from a super young age because my IBS yells at me if I don't, I have one piece of solid advice. You can't beat cravings. Denying yourself only works for a short time and then you will return to the same craving/instinct either to the same or a higher intensity than before. The only way to make a change is to slowly change the craving and replace it. The day will come when anything remotely processed grosses you out. As any teenager, I used to love chocolate. Milk chocolate, Nutella - all of that. I slowly started to eat darker and darker chocolate, and observed how much better I felt. Now, I can't eat anything less than 90% darker chocolate without it tasting gross and without me feeling sick. I used to be able to eat a lot of dessert - now "dessert" for me are a few dates with some dark chocolate in them.
I have rheumatoid arthritis which used to be severe for years. I was given medication after medication to try and manage it. Cutting down a lot on ultra processed foods has helped me lose a lot of weight and has helped me manage my disease better than ever. I'm very often in remission now. I used to think it was just the weight loss that did it, but I've had periods of time where I've eaten more ultra processed foods but have pretty much maintained my weight. My RA gets really bad almost immediately and my skin breaks out like crazy.
Hey Melanie, about the roasted parsnip being rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is thermolabile, meaning it breaks down with heat. Nothing wrong with roasting, just have some raw veggies or fruit as your main vitamin C sources :)
I loved this video and excited to see a week of what you eat with the new eating lifestyle. This was actually on my mind lately because every diet I went through fails because once I stop it I gain back my weight and more and I just had enough of diet culture I wanted something real and something good for my bodily health and mental health. I found the answer in this video ❤
All diets cut out an important group of whole foods in my experience! That’s why they aren’t sustainable for most people! I cut no ‘food’ out. Thankfully, industrially produced edible substances (upf) - not a food category because you stop even seeing it as food after reading Chris’s book. I’m about to eat a plate of roast potatoes dripping in butter, roasted paprika chicken and roasted broccoli 🤤 Better than any ready meal or take away.
I love your videos so much! I used to have otherexia so I know how triggering food related topics can be but this was so informative and kind. Thank you for sharing ✨
This is such an informative watch. I see a rabbit hole of learning about this topic in my near future! 😍👏 Also the Les Mis/I Dreamed A Dream ending made me happy! 😂💙
I love this topic! I work in a food shop and there are aisles that I consider to be ‘not food’. I’m shocked at how much of these things people buy. Half a trolley full of biscuits, chocolate, sweets, ready meals, canned meat I saw just this afternoon. People are teaching these ways of eating to their kids!! I think part of the problem is people aren’t taught how to cook. I had quite a big health scare in December and it made me reevaluate my diet further. I’d say I have cut down to about 10% UPF whereas before that I was probably around 30%, and in the past as much as 60%. I too have a history of orthorexia and binging, and learning to intuitively eat has made it possible not to eat a whole family bar of chocolate/ bag of crisps. I’ve found that the more whole foods I eat the more my body doesn’t want the UPF.
Thank you for sharing this, your videos have helped me so much Melanie! I’m recently a new Mam and the same age as you and also addicted to self development ❤❤ you’re going on my gratitude list today 🫶🥰 glad to hear your health is better sending love and healing to you and all of your beautiful family xxx
Fantastic bloomin video, Melanie! 💚 You're going to help so many people, including myself! I heard someone once say "the longer the list of ingredients, the shorter your life"..and that hit me soooo hard!...just like this video has. Thank you, Melanie! I have woken up now! 👏👏👏
I feel very gaslit too, can’t believe I’m only finding out about this now! I have the algorithm to thank too & I’ve been binge-watching UPF videos & podcasts ✨
Thanks for this video, Mel. I have been struggling with this for a couple years now since finding Van Tulleken. My main things have been being raised in a low income household which relied on UPF, and vegan/vegetarian guilt - a fully vegan/veggie diet is so so incompatible with a UPF-free life. "At what cost" totally got me because I am eating myself up over this while not feeling my best and knowing in my heart that UPF is the source of so many of my issues. I knew I needed to go UPF-free and this is a sign 💗💗
One thing to remind yourself of with that guilt is that Ultra-processed food and the system that produces it is the second leading cause of emissions…it causes so much loss of biodiversity etc! But I do go through this, too. I felt like dog shit as a vegan. I experimented with a few versions of a vegan diet, and even as a vegetarian I never felt my best so I have included some animal products for a long time now! But yeah, I relate in that I was raised in a UPF house however for us it wasn’t because my parents were financially poor, but time poor. They both worked a lot and we essentially fed ourselves from packets! My addiction started very, very young. I believe it’s easier for me to not want to binge on upf when I have none of it, a bit like with alcohol…I just have none so I never need to make myself stop at just one or two glasses. Food is different though so I likely will have some sometimes! Just so as not to set rigid food rules. But feeling what it’s like to have it out of my system has been VERY eye opening xx
Totally get the vegan / veggie side of this challenge as well! I really have to focus on the protein. The thing I have tried to up my game on - alongside tofu and tempeh which are more spenny - is beans, lentils, chickpeas - all those legumes / pulses. They are usually quite affordable in tins which is great. I end up adding them to everything - salads, pasta sauce, chili 'non' carne, traybakes...yum. If you are looking for veggie / vegan recipe inspiration I would highly recommend "The Green Roasting Tin" book which has the added advantage that the recipes are mostly just based on a method of: chop a load of stuff and then shove it in the oven!
I'm interested that you say fully vegan is 'so so' incompatible with UPF-free... that makes it sound impossible to eat a whole foods plant based diet when it's really not, can you explain? Even if you include vegan UPFs (meat/dairy alternatives), studies show so far they aren't comparable to other UPFs (bread, fizzy drinks etc) as they don't have the same effects. But that aside, you can get plenty of protein/iron etc from plant-based whole foods anyway, so I'm a bit confused?
I get recommended those videos too lol. Interesting how you didn't get intense cravings for minimally processed foods. For me, I've had really intense craving for all sorts of foods, even healthy, single ingredient, minimally processed ones. Daily cravings for at least 3 plain boiled eggs, ate that every day for about two and a half months, an entire watermelon or honeydew melon, plain boiled carrots, entire packs of fish fingers, cottage cheese etc.
If I ever got a craving for a whole food, I’d be satisfied after a bit of it! I’d never obsess over it/feel guilty having it/stuff myself with it…when I used to binge eat there were times I binged plain bread etc but it was always UPF bread from a supermarket, the really soft kind that’s so easy to overeat! I experience a craving for a grapefruit very different to how I experience an urge to polish off a family sized ‘sharing’ bag of crisps…if I have a few crisps and the bag is there and is open, I find that absolutely maddening and very very hard to resist! It’s just easier for me to have none! Xxx
I am in desperate need of this information right now. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing. You are always such an inspiration to me and again, I'm all fired up and ready to go towards a more UPF free life 💚
Thank you for this video. My health has dropped quite a lot this year, so in order to save energy, I started buying upf things this month. Stuff i never used to buy like packaged sausage and beef patties. I thought i had gotten so much worse this month, my brain fog is bad and my stomach always hurts. But of course it does, im not used to upf. There was a reason i never bought it, i even have acid reflux now, something i had never previously suffered from.
I went through a serious health scare myself, in and out of the hospital all last summer with severe gut issues, pelvic pain, chest pain and anxiety. I thought I was going to die at one point. None of my doctors were able to help me, in fact one of the meds I’m still trying to taper off made me worse. The one thing beside therapy that has had the most positive change though is all the changes I’ve made with what I eat, I had to become more aware of what I was putting in my body. It felt like something in everything was making me more sick and I could never figure it out. But then some things started being fine.. I switched to an eastern diet, a lot of Asian foods, made at home from scratch with more whole ingredients, and I noticed my symptoms became more manageable. I cut out a LOT of crap food but there’s still plenty of things in my fridge, sauces, breakfast bars, frozen waffles etc that I’ve never actually looked at the labels. This video has inspired me to. I’m not into diet culture, I don’t restrict my eating in fact I’m underweight and WANT calories but I am still on this journey to heal my gut with more than just supplements or medication. I really appreciate you making this video, a few years ago I would have scoffed at this stuff but now, it’s very eye opening. Thank you 🙏
Thank you for sharing Melanie! I work in the hospital as a pharmacist and often hear stories of health scares and the amazing changes it can trigger. I also think without that change to get someone to change their mind, this transformation can be slower. For a lot of Americans, it looks like losing weight immediately due to the health risks, and then moving towards a healthier relationship with food, (not saying this is the best way but sometimes transformative journeys are step by step). For me this has been the case, and I’m finally at place where I have time and I’m ready to look at avoiding UFP for myself and my family. This video has ABSOLUTELY kickstarted my educational spiral. And I’m so excited! I hope we can all get to a point where we’re ready to start looking into this and not letting this industry rule our health.
Loved this video! Please make more content around this, I find it very inspiring. Maybe a grocery haul or what I eat in a week or maybe some go to recipes for the week? Go to snacks etc...i think that would be so helpful. Love your content ❤️
I love that you’re on this journey Melanie and that you’re feeling so much better! I went through a similar process a couple of years ago, and also feel as though I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been. /// I find it’s the perfect balance to take this approach in my own home day-to-day as much as I can (90%), while still allowing for the balance of things like going out to eat at favorite restaurants etc. (10%)…For me, that keeps it sustainable for the long term, and keeps the fun of life and social activities alive too! :)
Yesss like no way will I ever deny myself upf at Christmas if it’s in my face and I truly want it! For me I much more enjoy a lovely restaurant meal over a takeaway…but there WILL be times in life where a takeaway is just…happening! 😂💖 I haven’t had one since Feb apart from very plain Sushi and found I felt SO good after the Sushi compared to how I normally feel after a 3 in 1! 😅
So I absolutely love you, iv been following you for years and have seen how naturally you have changed in your life journey as we're all supposed too 🙏🏼🙏🏼 My only concern with this video (as much as I agree with your thought process) is that it may encourage orthorexia for both yourself and your audience? Whole foods are a staple in many people's lives but it's also a foundation for an eating disorder. It would be great to know your thoughts on this. Love you and your content and thank you for everything you post and your sincerity 🙏🏼 Xx
That’s why there’s a trigger warning at the start. If someone has food issues, they shouldn’t watch videos like this! When I was in my recovery my therapist told me to stop consuming content about nutrition because I was obsessed. I wasn’t able to do it safely until I was well out of the rough waters of the dangerous habits I had! Orthorexia is a tricky little f*cker because a lot of people fall into it when they’re simply trying to make healthy choices. Ultimately I think anyone coming at this stuff from a place of anxiety etc should speak with a therapist and get to a strong mental headspace first ❤️
I’m sorry this is so off topic, and great video by the way, but your hair is just gorgeous. Like every clip in this video I just can’t stop staring. Truly God’s favourite 💚
thank you melanie. currently at uni with exams next week. i'm stressed but i'm gonna use the yummy vegetables in my fridge which i am so lucky to have. for yummy exam snacks i think i'm gonna get some honey roasted cashews or popcorn instead of some 45p bourbons which are tempting lol. love you lots
I feel so lucky that I have a a partner who has shared his healthy eating with me. I wasn’t allowed to have McDonalds or heavily processed food as a kid, so when I moved out - I would literally only eat microwavable or fast food options. Did I start to feel like utter shite? Yes. 😂 Did I make the connection until I met my SO and he was like…babes we gotta work on that? Yes lol.
Really enjoyed this video Mel - I love your video essays/ deep dive educational videos! :) I’d love to cut out UPFs and definitely will at some point in my life, but I’m currently a student so finding the time/resources is tricky. I am vegan tho (for the animals not the environment although that is a benefit) which makes that both easier and harder in equal measures haha removing most sweet UPFs but introducing new ones in the form of mock meats/dairy which I do try to eat sparingly. Thanks for mentioning that this is a structural issue too with governance and big business prioritising profit - that’s something that’s very apparent in the animal agriculture industry too where welfare standards are entirely abandoned in favour of money making. It’s ultimately ridiculous that something like food which everyone needs to survive can become such a money maker for the very few, at the detriment of all other living beings on the planet - but I guess that’s capitalism🥴
My two cents on why i don't think it is, I've read UPP - humans have only eaten naturally derived food for most of our existence because that's all that existed. UPP has sprung up in the last 50-80 years. So to call not eating UPF is not orthorexic or food restriction, it's literally just eating food. Real, actual food. It's not being scared of anything (sugar, fat, carbs, etc...) it's the decision to not eat not real food.
She’s not necessarily restricting food, she’s just choosing to eat loads of whole foods that aren’t ultraprocessed.. she doesn’t eat less food in general. This is a conscious, healthy choice..
Currently reading Dr Chris’s book! It’s so good. It recommends you keep eating UPF while you read until you get turned off of it. I’m starting to get to that point now - just need to find the time to actually cook again.
Yes I love this about it! I also just love how realistic he is about this stuff and always acknowledging the systemic change needed. He still feeds it to his kids, he absolutely isn’t trying to scaremonger. It’s such an important and educational book 💚
Happy for you that you're feeling so good! I inadvertently started doing this a couple of months ago when I realized I was eating too many carbs and ruining the good gut bacteria that I'd spent so much time (and $$$) healing last year and I just decided to eat some fish and shrimp and a lot of fruits, veggies, and nuts. I feel great! And it's not that hard, if you have the money and time to make the food, which I realize not everyone does.
Also the homogenizing of food is another issue. Britain has lost so many apple orchards - there are varieties lost to time, we have lost pig breeds, varieties of wheat and oats, we no longer have herbs or salads we once relied on. We import too much food and produce too little variety. Everything in the supermarket is the same or imported and it doesn't need to be like that - we need more food security, we need to produce more food locally, fish locally, we send so much food abroad and bring so much in, we no longer eat seasonally. So many issues but is there a fix?
This was fantastic!!! Thank you for making it. I learned this last year and had fallen off the wagon and forgotten this stuff, but you’ve reinspired me and reminded me why this is so important!
I started wanting to eat better and care more about the TYPE or the sort of foods I was putting into my body when I stopped caring about what my body looked like. I have dealt with chronic inflammation from a concussion and also deal with dysautonomia through a condition called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), and I found my inflammation all over my body really went down with consistent healthy eating and avoiding UFP! But I could only get to that point unfortunately when I stopped caring so much about how my body looked in terms of weight, or how much I was eating. I struggled like you with EDs and disordered eating through the restrict-binge cycle, and I never thought about how much damage or harm that was doing to my poor body! Now I let her be, just feed it right and take care of it through giving it lots of nourishing and whole foods, and let it thank me in return by feeling better and (funnily enough) looking better than it did back when I was restricting and calorie counting, but always with that inevitable UFP binge that would make me feel like shit. The UFP industry is so hand-in-hand with the diet industry. It's only when we free ourselves from marketing towards food and our own figures that we really become in control and able to be happy in ourselves and our bodies through being well-nourished and healthy! None of this food is truly nourishing. It makes our brains cloudy and our hormones wack and then add on all the awful diet culture media shaming us for how we look....it's a miracle any of us manage to be healthy!
You said it so clearly. Your homemade brownies might be the same calories, but they're not made by people who only want your money and care nothing about your health. I'm overweight and I hate it. I'm addicted to food and I can't stand it. My 15 year old son just stepped on the scal at the Doctors office and he's pushing 190 lbs. My 13 year old doesn't like taking off his shirt in public because his buddies poke fun at him. My husband won't swim with us in the pool because he's embarrassed. I cook 80% of our food from scratch, but one night a week we're getting pizza and I keep cakes and cookies in the house for the boys to munch on. We're addicted to processed sugars and the chemicals in these foods that make us want to eat them more and more. Thank you for sharing this video, you've opened my eyes to what we're putting in our bodies, to what I'm feeding my kids and husband. I've got to make a change in my kitchen.
I have also changed my diet so I only eat real food. I'd say I'm at about 95% real food, 5% UPF. And my experiences totally line up with yours - and I've been eating like this for about a year now. It is INSANE how much more energy I have now, and also just the general improvements of my mental health, which I've struggled with my whole life. I also struggled with eating disorders for years, and I can happily say that through eating this way, I have never been happier & most importantly, I've never obsessed LESS over food and weight as I do now. I think this is because food, and eating, is no longer a battle for me anymore. I eat until I'm full, then I'm satisfied. If I want a sweet treat (delicious homemade brownies, etc etc), I have it, and don't have to worry about it. Contrast that to before: I'd eat, and it would be a mental battle getting myself to stop. When I eventually did stop, I'd be obsessing over food, constantly thinking about it, and fighting the desire, until the next meal. I thought I was weak, that I had no self-control, and I'd try to restrict in response. And now, after research (like Dr Chris's book), I find out it was NEVER a problem with me in the first place???? THOSE FOODS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU FEEL THIS WAY!!! It makes me so angry. To those that think not eating UPF is disordered or a sign of orthorexia: I can promise you, it is not. I eat whatever food I want now, without all the mental turmoil. But that's the key word: FOOD. This diet just consists of eating real food. UPF does not consist of food - it contains a bunch of ingredients that are chemicals other things that are not food, which have been proven to be bad for our health, and drive disordered eating behaviours in the first place! Simply choosing to eat real food (and lots of it) is NOT in any way disordered. And it has changed my life.
I’ve been watching you for years and years (I’m 24) and it’s so amazing to see who you’ve blossomed/ are blossoming to become. My significant other has always been conscious of UPF and I’m definitely on the more health conscious side but have recently been feeling like my love of chips specifically is a huge hindrance to my overall health. This video definitely made something click in my mind and I just got the ultra processed people book. Thank you for making this video and these types of videos. I also screenshotted every recipe you had in the beginning because they look so good lol. And I can attest for natural cycles! I found it from you and have been using it for over a year and love it!
Also something you said that really resonated, and I’d never thought like this, but that organic UPF is still UPF. Maybe this would seem obvious for some but that changed something in my brain
I am SO glad you like Natural Cycles I’m genuinely such a fan, life without hormones has been amazing! 💖 But also HOME MADE CHIPS aaaactually taste even better! 😍 xxx
@@melaniemurphyofficial Ooh, home made chips... That has never occurred to me! 👀 Wait, you're Irish, so you're probably using it to mean the things McDonald's serves alongside burgers, not the flat crispy things that come in a packet. Dang it 😂
Loved this! Answers so many questions I've been having around whether my diet is contributing to certain conditions/issues with mental health! Please do a video of some of your recipes - the brownie and the banana and cinnamon treats sound amazing!!!
Currently backpacking and my diet changed for the worse out of ease when travelling. Definitely noticed I’ve felt a lot worse because of it and will try to find some easy and cheap wholemeal meals to take on the road !
Great video Melanie. It’s really important how you highlighted that it’s corporate greed and not personal failure leading to the amount of UPF in almost everyone’s diet. It takes a lot of the shame and frustration out of it, while still showing that it can be possible to eat whole foods.
This might be interesting to you; the Brazilian health ministry has moved away about a decade ago from using the food pyramid, and now simply classifies foods into three categories: Whole Foods, minimally processed foods, and ultra processed foods. The recommendation is that everyone’s diet should mostly consist of Whole Foods, minimally processed foods should complement those, and ultra processed foods should be generally avoided.
The document about it is, of course, dozens of pages long and goes in way more depth, there was a separate set of guidelines that were released for food introduction for babies/ toddlers recently that was also excellent. But that is the gist of it.
This would be so helpful for young people! And as a guideline for families, for those in control of school lunches etc! Hopefully they bring this in everywhere! 💖
That sounds like a very good system! I hope it will be introduced in more countries.
The system we currently have in the Netherlands rates many types of real wholefoods as 'unhealthy' and upfs as 'best choice'. It's crazy.
Love this! I find the food pyramid so unhelpful and incorrect. Like, there is no way I need that many servings of cereal/carbs in my day 😂
This was discussed in the book ultra processed people
@@lauramurphy5104 they mentioned the Brazilian recommendations? That’s awesome!
Me personally, I started losing the most weight after reading the book Woman’s weight loss secrets: the unspoken truth, a few things you are mentioning in this video are also in the book
I grew up on whole wheat bread baked at home, vanison from local hunters and fish that was no more than 1-3 days caught. Our veggies came from our place in the countryside and we would bring it to the city after the weeneds and summers. Fruit was presented to me as a treat and candy was more a thing on special occasions. Never knew about McDonalds until I started school and other kids told me. I’m so thankful that my parents held on to the oldtime mindset of Scandinavian living, where you opt for organic and local products paired with movement (walks and bike rides as a natural part of every day life). I genuinly believe unscented things also helps to not mess up our hormones, just like proper food can help the body with such a thing. My grandma always told me to not shower daily, never skip a meal, tend to the body’s natural resources instead of trying to get it from a product, priorities such as sleep and hydration is key and npf for protection not due to preventing lines. She never spoke of how people looked, and focused on health. I wish more people could get such luxury protection instead of dealing with detangling off narratives that focus on judgment and critical opinions of other people’s bodies.
I'm so envious, I wish we all lived this way
@@samanthamartin1407 The friends I had who mostly grew up on processed foods, changed that in adulthood. It’s ok to learn new ways when in charge as an adult💕
my mom sheltered me from american tv (spongebob, victorious, drake n josh) but not american food. i lost my 1st tooth in a mcdonald’s chicken nugget 🤣 deadass 🙈 i went vegan in 8th grade, im vegetarian now im way less strict on it, mostly focus on eating whole foods. my energy levels r insane, i walk 50 some miles a week n my muscles r never sore. i’m sore after a long day of laying on the couch not moving !!! processed meat specifically was fuckinggg w my energy levels. bad. now i look at dairy as a treat, i drink milk in my coffee and i eat pizza maybe once a month. just that little dairy makes me sick now. it’s insane the typa “food” our bodies just evolved to digest… it literally makes me sick now. i’m 22 it’s been 10 years since i changed my diet for reference. i’ve never struggled w my weight, dare i say, its obvious to me the majority of the ppl around me r kts w “food.” it makes me MORE upset this topic is so taboo… its literally killing more ppl than tobacco… shits straight bamboozling and needs to be talked abt !!!
We need to bond over MAKING the food. My roommate and I use to make a chili every weekend in the winter. It was not great but making it with her is a dear memory….we ate it with grilled cheese or chips so ya know, not healthy. But we bonded over making it. My daughter loves making cookies. She loves eating them too but I think the cooking is what she really loves. Let’s bond over cooking healthy foods with our loved ones.
Thank you for this video! Could you make a what i eat in a day/week with this new diet?
Definitely! ❤
Could yoh maybe include ideas for meals and snacks for kids in this🙏🏼
I’m
I'd like to see this
@@melaniemurphyofficial and make it ugly - like dont "instagram" the food, just real blob of food from the tupperware that you mealprepped
As a nutritionist, this is one of the best videos I’ve seen discussing ultra-processed foods. So balanced, evidence based and accurate. Thank you for sharing this important educational information!!
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Agree on the whole, but are you aware of the evidence surrounding plant-based animal product alternatives compared to meat/dairy?
I have felt the need to cut UPF out of my family's diet for such a long time, but even when cooking from scratch so many of our "single ingredients" have been messed with (flour, sugar, whole grains, GMO grown produce, meats full of chemical dye and growth hormones etc). It's not only a bit overwhelming, but also insanely expensive. Im so blessed to be able to grow so much of our food in our garden, but i am very aware that many people don't even have that as an option. This topic is such a huge ball of systems that need to be unraveled. Thank you for talking about it, and thank you for using your platform to show your genuine growth and change through the years. ❤
So glad you showed Freelee when you talked about orthorexia, that lady single handedly gave me orthorexia I swear ...
She sure opened the gate for me! I already had a terrible relationship with food, viewing it as a hurdle…an addiction…the cause of my weight gain etc etc…my EDs were very much a ME issue! Though I wouldn’t ever have become afraid of all food bar raw fruit and veg if it wasn’t for her and her then boyfriend 😣 Her content really did feed my food issues.
@@melaniemurphyofficialSadly her restrictive diet hasn't worked out well for her. She looks so much older than her age now and frail too. Freelee needs serious help.
I love that you are doing this! I am actually grateful for my autoimmune and health issues starting because it shook me up and made me realize what we eat is everything and directly impacts our health. I am now ultra healthy and people think I am crazy but when we go through dramatic and mysterious health problems it makes you seek real solutions that get to the root of our health!
Yes yes yes! 😭😭😭
I was already eating very healthy when I developped auto immune diseases but struggling with normal everyday life made it even more important to eat well.
Melly, I would LOVE a 'what I eat in a day' with whole foods please! I love this, but I am so stuck on where to even begin
My nightly bowl of ice cream gets me through the day mentally yet healthy meals and snacks get me through physically. I have found a balance in which I feel the best mentally and physically.
I have started eating ‘real’ ice cream that’s not upf and really look forward to it! Found some in Dunnes, the ingredients are just dairy/sugar/vanilla or a nut paste or whatever - the ice cream in Italy on my holiday made me determined to find some actual ice cream 🤤 Non upf doesn’t have to only mean healthy xx
@@melaniemurphyofficialAldi has a very good “real” ice cream that ever since I started eating I can’t enjoy any ice cream that’s made with corn syrup or other garbage. I mix either matcha powder for matcha ice cream or instant cold brew coffee powder for the best coffee flavored ice cream I’ve ever tasted.
@@CampingforCool41Ooo what is the brand?! I also love mixing instant coffee into vanilla ice cream 🤤
@@Krysb107 It's their "Specially Selected" brand, black packaging.
Sainsbury's taste the difference vanilla is also non upf
What an amazing testimony! Thank you for that. I myself have had a similar story. Last year I developed arthritis (I'm only 37!). I went to a reumathologist and she simply pushed some medication at me (there was no talking of healthy eating or exercising whatsoever). I didn't feel any improvement but the symptoms were manageble so I just stopped taking the meds and never returned. This year last month on the first two weeks I felt extreme fatigue. I did the bare minimum at work and any free time I had I slept. As soon as I layed down I would imediately fall asleep. I would sleep for 8 hours straight over night and still wake up absolutely exausted. After 2 weeks the extrem fatigue went away but my arthritis started flaring like nothing before. Previously I would feel pain when I tried to carry things over a pound and putting my shirt on was also a struggle but this time even when I was just breathing whilst laying down my shoulders would hurt so much I could barely fall asleep. I happened to weight mysel out of curiosity really (I am 20lbs overweight) and I noticed that I had lost 5 pounds over the last six months. Very little right? The problem is that I wasn't doing anything to lose weight. Just the opposite. I was having lots of soda and sweets everyday and I barely moved. I work at home and there are days I don't even leave the house. Also, I've always been overweight my whole life. I have a tendency to gain weight and I'm almost 40. There's nothing in my life that could account for weight loss even in the slightest. I've seen a doctor and explained all this. He said that it's a very small amount of weight over a long period but prescribed me exams anyways. I'll be doing those at the end of the month but I didn't want to wait and I didn't want to go back to the dreaded reumathologist so I started researching diets to treat or at least decrease arthritis symptoms . I found dr Brook Goldner. I don't follow her diet completely but I do the green juice in the morning and for the rest of the day I eat only whole natural foods. The most processed food I eat is oats and chia flouer that I ground myself. After 4 days my pains were completely gone. I just had a little discomfort on my hand joints. On the 5th day I gave in and had Doritos and a sneaker bar. My arthritis flared so much, my body was so inflammed that it felt like I was on fire. It took 24 hours for the inflammation and pain to subside. Since then I've stoped all UPF again and 'm feeling very healthy for the first time in a very long time.
I am so delighted to hear it 😭 A friend of mine experienced the same at uni! She had terrible arthritis but went on a strict whole foods diet to lose weight for a wedding. What she wasn’t expecting was to lose ALL the arthritis pain!
Amazing may you stay healthy
My cousin had terrible rheumatoid (she’s 37) and she did a strict elimination diet with a doctor and group of people - I can look it up and give you the name - and it was basically veggies and you could have salads or most people did it with smoothies and she has gone waaaah down from her meds and even took a break for a while. She’s lost a few stone too and just is feeling much better due to healing inflammation. I am going through something similar due to being diagnosed with acid reflux 10 days ago
Completely inspired Melanie ❤ I have MS and have been completely dedicated to living my healthiest life since getting diagnosed 6 years ago. Eliminating ultra processed foods is the last thing standing in my way, and seeing your journey is helping me to try it without feeling restricted. Can I also just say - I adored the sponsored part 😄feels like conversations between myself and my sisters! Sending much love!
Awww goodness this comment made me smile from ear to ear!
please show us lots of UPF-free recipes! i really struggle with knowing what to prep and take to work / on-the-go for lunches xx
I love this video!! I myself was at my lowest point healthwise back on december and on january i decided to stop with UPF and i cannot believe how much and how quickly my health changed! I am so glad you are talking about this topic and spreading the awarenes ❤❤❤
This video has had a profound effect on me. I typically eat a healthy and varied diet, but I do have a fair amount of ultra processed foods. Your experience of feeling better and sleeping better has made me want to reduce the amount of UPF in my life! Thank you for sharing Melanie 🙏
I’ve been semi UPF free for a year and a half now and I 1000% agree with this! It’s so important for this conversation to become more common 💯, thank you 💚
How are youu feeling a year & a half later & any tips?
@@Dee_Dee794 yesss, so many of my previous health problems have gone away. For starters, my brain fog almost immediately cleared and I’m so much more alert and less drowsy now. I also used to have a lot more acne and nasal congestion and that’s mostly cleared up too, especially the nasal congestion. I was booked in for surgery to have my nose “fixed up” internally, only to find out it was just a reaction to these upf foods and so the surgery would have solved nothing. In regard to tips, read the ingredients list on everything if you can. It’s a massive eye opener 💯☺️
It took me about a month to click on this video, but I'm glad I waited until now to do so. This really hit the mark, more so with what has been happening in my life at the moment. It was the right time for me to listen and absorb all that you were saying - Thank you!
I quit upf a while ago after reading the book and the difference is insane. I have autism and adhd and food was such an easy way for me to soothe myself. I started binge eating and because everyone said "eat everything in moderation" I never cut out upf. I'm not as hungry as I used to be and even things like chocolate bars taste too sweet now. When I do have a cheat meal I notice I immediately keep craving sugar/fried foods. I still occasionally have them because I love food.
I just get sick of people telling me that cutting out upf is disordered eating. I just can't eat it in moderation so cutting it out is actually easier for me.
Agree with all your points,so glad you've covered this Mel! I love the doctor too,he made me start to realise I had to start cutting things out I wanted to cut out supermarket bread even before I found out about him,due to the emulsifiers x
I relate to this so much in my worry about school lunches. My daughter chooses to have school lunch and at 8 years old she is starting to complain that the lunches all come in packages. If a child is taking notice, that tells you things are bad!
After seeing your stuff about ultra processed food I started looking more at all those added ingredietns and now am also trying to eat as many 1 ingredient foods as i can. Thanks for the information! It really is just so normalized to be eating upf all day every day, especially here in America
I was diagnosed with diverticulitis at 23. Then I was fine for about 10 years and this past December it came back with a vengeance. Over the last few months of being in and out of the hospital, being active in the diverticulitis subreddit, talking with doctors, etc...and hearing about how younger and younger people are being diagnosed with it, I 1000% think it has to do with the western/processed diet. I thought I was doing pretty well the last few years because I've been vegetarian (also cutting back on eggs and dairy) since 2020 but it wasn't enough because I was still eating foods that were processed. I still am, but I'm definitely eating less processed foods than I was before...just trying to be better. We'll see how it goes! Good luck on your journey, Melanie!
My dad had this! It had him in AGONY, he ended up needing a Sigmoid Colectomy. He 100% believes it was diet related, too! And now on top of heart and lung disease, he has type 2 diabetes…so he’s started for the most part removing UPF too! And thankfully he’s already seen some health benefits 🥹❤️ I wish you all the best I know from seeing my dad suffer that diverticulitis is no joke! Xx
@@melaniemurphyofficial Ughhh your poor dad! That's a LOT of conditions to deal with/manage 😔 I'm glad he's seeing some improvements with the diet shift though! That's fantastic! And thank you so much! Yeah, it's kind of like 50/50 now on if I'll need that surgery or not, but we'll see how the next few months go lol Thanks again 💕
So inspiring melanie! ❤
Im at a point in my life where im working so much, i got very limited energy, i get agitated, i feel very anxious and altough i generally eat healthily and prepare my own food i feel a pull toward accessing more ultra-processed food due to wanting to get some sugar in me to keep me going. Long-term follower here, you are my favourite youtuber 🦋
Wish you the best
The most appealing point made in this video was that the mind fog went away
I hope i get to experience that too
Being in touch with one-self is the outmost important value as it opens many doors.
💚🙏🏼💚✨️
My thought process about food has changed so much recently - I have been consuming way more wholefoods and replacing UPF sweet treats with things like homemade cupcakes. Next up, introducing more fermented foods into my diet.
UPF is no longer considered as food in my home, it's a chemical composition that makes the occasional snack or meal. My cravings for UPFs have reduced significantly.
I am aiming to cut them out completely one day, but that will be a massive mission!!
I loved this video. I'm quite concerned about what I eat, especially for brain fog issues, as I have a lot and its great to know that this discussion and these realisations are happening.
The pink jumper looks sooooo beautiful 😮 I'm trying to introduce more color into my wardrobe. Melanie, do you mind sharing where you got it from??
Collectif! 😍
@@melaniemurphyofficial thanks!!! 💜
I find that a clean whole foods high protein diet with less carbs reduce cravings. When I eat a lot of animal protein my body feels calm and satiated. After being very strict I now allow myself 10% upf in my diet and my cravings for them are still less than before.
Yeah I feel like whenever I do have some I won’t have binge urges as I will be doing the same as before - not having lots of them in the house etc! Also eating lots of whole foods and making sure to have enough protein, it seriously does make a huuuuge difference! 💖
Would love to see and hear more on your transition with this. I am halfway through ultra processed people on your recommendation and my eyes have been OPENED! practically I am struggling to know how to make the switch particularly with my two young children (1 and 2 years) I would love to hear how your family have adapted and how you source your food more naturally etc
I will make a vlog all about this! 💖
Beautifully said, we are just starting our UPF reduced life and I am excited 😊 thankyou from Australia 🇦🇺
This is an incredibly comprehensive breakdown on such an important issue. Thank you Melanie for taking the time to speak out about something that should be common knowledge! The way ultra processed food is advertised should really be criminal. We should be wishing health on our fellow humans not sickness and death.
It takes an extreme amount of perseverance to actually break out of these addictive patterns, something that I have yet to manage, I find it really difficult! 😞
Love this! I read this book too a few months ago and agree it is literally life changing. I’m not obese but I am overweight and have struggled with my weight for years after gaining several stone when I started a new medication. Since switching to mainly whole foods, I am over 1 stone down, almost halfway to my goal weight! ❤
Your previous video inspired me to get a blood test cause my skin was tingly as well. My vitamin d level was so low. I knew I was prediabetic but my A1c went up by .1. It’s a low number, but any number going up brings a person closer to diabetes. For 2 weeks I just stopped ordering food and prepared or cooked my food and I lost almost 10 pounds. I sleep better and my mindset is more positive. I still need to make more changes but the little change I made has helped a lot. Now I need to look more into this ultra processed food. Small steps!
Eel oh my goodness I am SO happy you got that test! ❤️ Working to get my own vitamin d up I will retest myself in a couple of months! Xxxx
I’m so happy for you. I think we have all gone down this path for a bit (think New Year’s resolutions lol) and we know for a fact it’s better. But the addiction is strong. I keep telling my husband that I’m so excited to birth our last child and get on track. I eat far better than most people I know. But I just know it can also be 10x better. Thank you for putting this content out. I think we all look forward to more of it if this is the direction you want to head! What a drastic shift for you. This was meant to happen.
Yessss! Just eat real food🙌🏻💖 This conversation is so important but we all need to dig into it and understand it’s part of a system for profit not health! Avoiding ultra processed foods is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves.
This inspires me a lot! I burned out this easter, no energy, migrains became a chroonic thing, crying everyday because of frustration, ended up with me dropping out of my degree midway, and I'm still trying to get back on track... Then I got a "near prolapse" diagnosis, superstiff muscles all over my right side....Maybe a better diet can help me with everything
It's become so normal for me to eat like this- whole foods. no fastfood and minimal packaged food. Unfortunately I still developped illnesses, but eating well helps me manage my life better.
I loved your video, thank you for sharing!
I'm 35, overweight and I'm about to start a lifestyle change, 'clean' my diet while also doing an elimination diet, as turns out I have intolerance to a number of foods, potentially causing inflammation and other issues. While I don't have obvious chronic conditions when it comes to my physical health, apart from migraines, I do suffer a lot with my mental health and feel like I never have any energy lately - after listening to Ultra processed people and reading a bunch of other books about the relationship between gut health and mental health, I only now fully realise how much my diet matters and how much damage I've been doing over the years, sabotaging my own well-being. It's going to be a long journey, as unfortunately my relationship with food is not great to say the least, I do struggle with emotional eating, binge eating, but I'm working on resetting my brain and establishing a healthier mindset for the long run.
It's great we now have so much research about this, I hope more and more people will start to realise how bad UPF is for us and consumers can start driving some change in the food industry.
Been similarly down this rabbit hole and been verrrrrry interesting and actually life changing as this info has been changing my everyday. Thanks for talking about this. So important.
Also - you have been GLOWING in the past few months so whatever you’re doing is working! ❤
Yes! I was just thinking about going back on whole 30 (whole foods for 30 days) I did it a couple years ago and felt great. I made home made mayonase so I could have tuna mayo, chicken mayo with salads, sweet potato ect. Thanks for inspiring me to take the next step ! ❤
This video actually made me really happy about my life choices again. I've always been a "clean" person in terms of habits and food, not talking about occasional pack of chips or some ice cream or chocolate. But thanks to my parents I've always loved homecooked meals and somehow also developed subconscious repulsiveness towards alcohol, smocking and carbonated drinks. Sweets have been my guilty pleasure tho but not in big quantities, just a bit. And the only delivered food I've liked was sushi. Although when I got into a relationship I started eating more junk food because my boyfriend used to like it a lot and it was a lot cheaper than rn. But he's always been quite overweight. He's tried diets and stuff but it's never worked. But this year little by little we made changes together, which, basically is me going back to 7/7 days of homecooked meals and no sweets other than an occasional small ice cream. Together with the intermitted fasting he started losing a lot of weight and now his favourite meal is the veggie ragout. I make it at least once a week now. Considering that his fav food used to be a burger I think it's a huge success😂I also feel and sleep a lot better and seems like my boyfriend does too. More energy, less mood swings, more control over my weight too. Still have sweets cravings but it's not bad. So thanks for reminding me again that it's a good way to live!
So positive that you’ve found this lifestyle. Well done and thank you so much for sharing. X
Honestly what you said about people not being able to go to the grocery store every few days is shocking to me. I live in Central Europe and that's just normal part of life. Nobody would go longer than say a week without grocery run. And usually grocery store is within a walking distance.
Thank you for making this!! I’m doing the same thing for health reasons as well, and it’s encouraging to hear someone else discuss the difficulties and rewards of it all. I feel so much better living like this-no matter how easy it is to miss the convenience of premade meals and snacks, they just cannot and do not outweigh the benefits to my health and my family’s. I’m looking forward to any other videos you release on this topic!!
i think you should market your videos as more of video essays instead of vlogs! because it’s surprisingly informative contrary to the title which sounds more personal. rlly great video!!
Glad you are raising awareness of this issue. I think it is so important that people are informed of how UPFs are impacting our health. As you said, it is truly is so complex as knowing about UPFs is not enough. We need to change our food environment and access to healthier options. Regulating marketing to children is only the first step.
I also wanted to encourage people to listen to a variety of expert opinions on the topic and to avoid fear mongering around 1 ingredient being particularly toxic. Aiming to eat a diet that is mostly non-UPFs is in line with national food guidelines and full restriction is not sustainable for most.
Hahahaha! The time machine bot and you talking to your pre-child self was hilarious. Love you Melanie.
It was pretty fun to film 😂😂💖
@@melaniemurphyofficial I wanna know! Did you plan this out YEARS AGO!!!??? :D
Thank you so much for making this video and getting the word out there🙏🏻
There’s a revolution happening in the nutrition science world and this information needs to become widely known.
I also agree with you that there needs to be stricter regulations when it comes to marketing upfs, and that better access to healthy affordable food for all is imperative.
I’m so glad you are taking care of your health and happy to see you are doing better ❤
There was a very interesting study that came out last year that looked at the effects if different groups of UPFs and it actually found processed breads and cereals to potentially lower risk if multimorbidity. They also found meat alternatives, desserts, and savory to have no effect. They only found that animal products and sweetened drinks to be associated with multimorbidity, and that sauces and condiments may be but theres less certainty in the data.
I think the best nutrition advice I've ever gotten is to focus on what you can add to your diet rather than what you "should" take out. To me its a much healthier mindset.
It was my Natural Cycles app that prompted me to get tested for hypothyroidism! Despite having friends who suffer, I had never considered that I might also have it. Turns out that I had it in an extreme way (and had been suffering the symptoms for years).
I bloody love NC 💖 That’s crazy! So good you could find out sooner rather than later!
Your story sounds so similar to mine. The struggle with food addiction and binge eating, and the health scare that seemed to "lift the veil" and lead to healthier eating and a better relationship with food are exactly what I went through. Everything you've said is so true. Once you start eating whole foods on the regular, that's what you start to crave.
I used to pound back giant cadbury dairy milk bars in one sitting multiple times per week, and now even a serving (which is maybe 4 squares?) makes my stomach hurt. I'm much more likely to reach for an apple for a sweet treat now, even though I don't restrict myself from having UPF sweets if that is what I really want.
This was such an enjoyable watch and your energy is so fun!
Y’know what I am LOVING!? Any nut butter in a chopped open date with melted 80% dark chocolate melted on it then put in the fridge…insane. Better than any of the Cadbury binges of yester year! Xx
As someone who was forced to eat clean from a super young age because my IBS yells at me if I don't, I have one piece of solid advice.
You can't beat cravings. Denying yourself only works for a short time and then you will return to the same craving/instinct either to the same or a higher intensity than before. The only way to make a change is to slowly change the craving and replace it. The day will come when anything remotely processed grosses you out.
As any teenager, I used to love chocolate. Milk chocolate, Nutella - all of that. I slowly started to eat darker and darker chocolate, and observed how much better I felt. Now, I can't eat anything less than 90% darker chocolate without it tasting gross and without me feeling sick. I used to be able to eat a lot of dessert - now "dessert" for me are a few dates with some dark chocolate in them.
Same! Xxx
I have rheumatoid arthritis which used to be severe for years. I was given medication after medication to try and manage it.
Cutting down a lot on ultra processed foods has helped me lose a lot of weight and has helped me manage my disease better than ever. I'm very often in remission now.
I used to think it was just the weight loss that did it, but I've had periods of time where I've eaten more ultra processed foods but have pretty much maintained my weight. My RA gets really bad almost immediately and my skin breaks out like crazy.
Hey Melanie, about the roasted parsnip being rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is thermolabile, meaning it breaks down with heat. Nothing wrong with roasting, just have some raw veggies or fruit as your main vitamin C sources :)
I loved this video and excited to see a week of what you eat with the new eating lifestyle. This was actually on my mind lately because every diet I went through fails because once I stop it I gain back my weight and more and I just had enough of diet culture I wanted something real and something good for my bodily health and mental health. I found the answer in this video ❤
All diets cut out an important group of whole foods in my experience! That’s why they aren’t sustainable for most people! I cut no ‘food’ out. Thankfully, industrially produced edible substances (upf) - not a food category because you stop even seeing it as food after reading Chris’s book. I’m about to eat a plate of roast potatoes dripping in butter, roasted paprika chicken and roasted broccoli 🤤 Better than any ready meal or take away.
I love your videos so much! I used to have otherexia so I know how triggering food related topics can be but this was so informative and kind. Thank you for sharing ✨
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This is such an informative watch. I see a rabbit hole of learning about this topic in my near future! 😍👏
Also the Les Mis/I Dreamed A Dream ending made me happy! 😂💙
well done mel! really great you are talking about this. its so important
I love this topic! I work in a food shop and there are aisles that I consider to be ‘not food’. I’m shocked at how much of these things people buy. Half a trolley full of biscuits, chocolate, sweets, ready meals, canned meat I saw just this afternoon. People are teaching these ways of eating to their kids!! I think part of the problem is people aren’t taught how to cook.
I had quite a big health scare in December and it made me reevaluate my diet further. I’d say I have cut down to about 10% UPF whereas before that I was probably around 30%, and in the past as much as 60%. I too have a history of orthorexia and binging, and learning to intuitively eat has made it possible not to eat a whole family bar of chocolate/ bag of crisps. I’ve found that the more whole foods I eat the more my body doesn’t want the UPF.
Thank you for sharing this, your videos have helped me so much Melanie! I’m recently a new Mam and the same age as you and also addicted to self development ❤❤ you’re going on my gratitude list today 🫶🥰 glad to hear
your health is better sending love and healing to you and all of your beautiful family xxx
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Kiana Doherty's video on upf really opened my eyes to this 'food'
Fantastic bloomin video, Melanie! 💚 You're going to help so many people, including myself! I heard someone once say "the longer the list of ingredients, the shorter your life"..and that hit me soooo hard!...just like this video has. Thank you, Melanie! I have woken up now! 👏👏👏
It's cool to see you make this change
I feel very gaslit too, can’t believe I’m only finding out about this now! I have the algorithm to thank too & I’ve been binge-watching UPF videos & podcasts ✨
Thanks for this video, Mel. I have been struggling with this for a couple years now since finding Van Tulleken.
My main things have been being raised in a low income household which relied on UPF, and vegan/vegetarian guilt - a fully vegan/veggie diet is so so incompatible with a UPF-free life. "At what cost" totally got me because I am eating myself up over this while not feeling my best and knowing in my heart that UPF is the source of so many of my issues.
I knew I needed to go UPF-free and this is a sign 💗💗
One thing to remind yourself of with that guilt is that Ultra-processed food and the system that produces it is the second leading cause of emissions…it causes so much loss of biodiversity etc! But I do go through this, too. I felt like dog shit as a vegan. I experimented with a few versions of a vegan diet, and even as a vegetarian I never felt my best so I have included some animal products for a long time now! But yeah, I relate in that I was raised in a UPF house however for us it wasn’t because my parents were financially poor, but time poor. They both worked a lot and we essentially fed ourselves from packets! My addiction started very, very young. I believe it’s easier for me to not want to binge on upf when I have none of it, a bit like with alcohol…I just have none so I never need to make myself stop at just one or two glasses. Food is different though so I likely will have some sometimes! Just so as not to set rigid food rules. But feeling what it’s like to have it out of my system has been VERY eye opening xx
Totally get the vegan / veggie side of this challenge as well! I really have to focus on the protein. The thing I have tried to up my game on - alongside tofu and tempeh which are more spenny - is beans, lentils, chickpeas - all those legumes / pulses. They are usually quite affordable in tins which is great. I end up adding them to everything - salads, pasta sauce, chili 'non' carne, traybakes...yum. If you are looking for veggie / vegan recipe inspiration I would highly recommend "The Green Roasting Tin" book which has the added advantage that the recipes are mostly just based on a method of: chop a load of stuff and then shove it in the oven!
I'm interested that you say fully vegan is 'so so' incompatible with UPF-free... that makes it sound impossible to eat a whole foods plant based diet when it's really not, can you explain?
Even if you include vegan UPFs (meat/dairy alternatives), studies show so far they aren't comparable to other UPFs (bread, fizzy drinks etc) as they don't have the same effects.
But that aside, you can get plenty of protein/iron etc from plant-based whole foods anyway, so I'm a bit confused?
I get recommended those videos too lol. Interesting how you didn't get intense cravings for minimally processed foods. For me, I've had really intense craving for all sorts of foods, even healthy, single ingredient, minimally processed ones. Daily cravings for at least 3 plain boiled eggs, ate that every day for about two and a half months, an entire watermelon or honeydew melon, plain boiled carrots, entire packs of fish fingers, cottage cheese etc.
If I ever got a craving for a whole food, I’d be satisfied after a bit of it! I’d never obsess over it/feel guilty having it/stuff myself with it…when I used to binge eat there were times I binged plain bread etc but it was always UPF bread from a supermarket, the really soft kind that’s so easy to overeat! I experience a craving for a grapefruit very different to how I experience an urge to polish off a family sized ‘sharing’ bag of crisps…if I have a few crisps and the bag is there and is open, I find that absolutely maddening and very very hard to resist! It’s just easier for me to have none! Xxx
I am in desperate need of this information right now. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing. You are always such an inspiration to me and again, I'm all fired up and ready to go towards a more UPF free life 💚
Thank you for this video. My health has dropped quite a lot this year, so in order to save energy, I started buying upf things this month. Stuff i never used to buy like packaged sausage and beef patties. I thought i had gotten so much worse this month, my brain fog is bad and my stomach always hurts.
But of course it does, im not used to upf. There was a reason i never bought it, i even have acid reflux now, something i had never previously suffered from.
I went through a serious health scare myself, in and out of the hospital all last summer with severe gut issues, pelvic pain, chest pain and anxiety. I thought I was going to die at one point. None of my doctors were able to help me, in fact one of the meds I’m still trying to taper off made me worse. The one thing beside therapy that has had the most positive change though is all the changes I’ve made with what I eat, I had to become more aware of what I was putting in my body. It felt like something in everything was making me more sick and I could never figure it out. But then some things started being fine.. I switched to an eastern diet, a lot of Asian foods, made at home from scratch with more whole ingredients, and I noticed my symptoms became more manageable. I cut out a LOT of crap food but there’s still plenty of things in my fridge, sauces, breakfast bars, frozen waffles etc that I’ve never actually looked at the labels. This video has inspired me to.
I’m not into diet culture, I don’t restrict my eating in fact I’m underweight and WANT calories but I am still on this journey to heal my gut with more than just supplements or medication. I really appreciate you making this video, a few years ago I would have scoffed at this stuff but now, it’s very eye opening. Thank you 🙏
🥹❤️ I am so glad you feel better and took things into your own hands!
Thank you for sharing Melanie! I work in the hospital as a pharmacist and often hear stories of health scares and the amazing changes it can trigger. I also think without that change to get someone to change their mind, this transformation can be slower. For a lot of Americans, it looks like losing weight immediately due to the health risks, and then moving towards a healthier relationship with food, (not saying this is the best way but sometimes transformative journeys are step by step). For me this has been the case, and I’m finally at place where I have time and I’m ready to look at avoiding UFP for myself and my family. This video has ABSOLUTELY kickstarted my educational spiral. And I’m so excited! I hope we can all get to a point where we’re ready to start looking into this and not letting this industry rule our health.
Watching this back for motivation! Just finished this book, ultra processed people and excited to move myself my family towards this!
I quit processed food for 5 years. Keep it up!
Loved this video! Please make more content around this, I find it very inspiring. Maybe a grocery haul or what I eat in a week or maybe some go to recipes for the week? Go to snacks etc...i think that would be so helpful. Love your content ❤️
Steak 🥩and Eggs🥚are incredibly nutrient dense. Thanks for bringing attention to this. You look great Melanie :)
I love that you’re on this journey Melanie and that you’re feeling so much better! I went through a similar process a couple of years ago, and also feel as though I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been. /// I find it’s the perfect balance to take this approach in my own home day-to-day as much as I can (90%), while still allowing for the balance of things like going out to eat at favorite restaurants etc. (10%)…For me, that keeps it sustainable for the long term, and keeps the fun of life and social activities alive too! :)
Yesss like no way will I ever deny myself upf at Christmas if it’s in my face and I truly want it! For me I much more enjoy a lovely restaurant meal over a takeaway…but there WILL be times in life where a takeaway is just…happening! 😂💖 I haven’t had one since Feb apart from very plain Sushi and found I felt SO good after the Sushi compared to how I normally feel after a 3 in 1! 😅
So I absolutely love you, iv been following you for years and have seen how naturally you have changed in your life journey as we're all supposed too 🙏🏼🙏🏼
My only concern with this video (as much as I agree with your thought process) is that it may encourage orthorexia for both yourself and your audience? Whole foods are a staple in many people's lives but it's also a foundation for an eating disorder. It would be great to know your thoughts on this.
Love you and your content and thank you for everything you post and your sincerity 🙏🏼 Xx
That’s why there’s a trigger warning at the start. If someone has food issues, they shouldn’t watch videos like this! When I was in my recovery my therapist told me to stop consuming content about nutrition because I was obsessed. I wasn’t able to do it safely until I was well out of the rough waters of the dangerous habits I had! Orthorexia is a tricky little f*cker because a lot of people fall into it when they’re simply trying to make healthy choices. Ultimately I think anyone coming at this stuff from a place of anxiety etc should speak with a therapist and get to a strong mental headspace first ❤️
This was exactly what I needed today ❤ I’m doing this time time! I’ve had enough of this food, they will not creep back in, I know better than this😢
I’m sorry this is so off topic, and great video by the way, but your hair is just gorgeous. Like every clip in this video I just can’t stop staring. Truly God’s favourite 💚
A dart in your eye 😅😅😅 no but I am so on board for quitting this stuff that makes me feel terrible. The tree analogy was great 🌳☺️
Greatest video I have almost ever watched. So honest. Thank you dearly.
thank you melanie. currently at uni with exams next week. i'm stressed but i'm gonna use the yummy vegetables in my fridge which i am so lucky to have. for yummy exam snacks i think i'm gonna get some honey roasted cashews or popcorn instead of some 45p bourbons which are tempting lol. love you lots
I feel so lucky that I have a a partner who has shared his healthy eating with me. I wasn’t allowed to have McDonalds or heavily processed food as a kid, so when I moved out - I would literally only eat microwavable or fast food options. Did I start to feel like utter shite? Yes. 😂 Did I make the connection until I met my SO and he was like…babes we gotta work on that? Yes lol.
Really enjoyed this video Mel - I love your video essays/ deep dive educational videos! :)
I’d love to cut out UPFs and definitely will at some point in my life, but I’m currently a student so finding the time/resources is tricky.
I am vegan tho (for the animals not the environment although that is a benefit) which makes that both easier and harder in equal measures haha removing most sweet UPFs but introducing new ones in the form of mock meats/dairy which I do try to eat sparingly.
Thanks for mentioning that this is a structural issue too with governance and big business prioritising profit - that’s something that’s very apparent in the animal agriculture industry too where welfare standards are entirely abandoned in favour of money making. It’s ultimately ridiculous that something like food which everyone needs to survive can become such a money maker for the very few, at the detriment of all other living beings on the planet - but I guess that’s capitalism🥴
No hate intended but do you not feel this is another form of orthorexia/food restriction?
That’s my concern as well
my thoughts exactly! so surprised by this video, especially coming from Melanie!
Oh I wanted to say this so bad, but I was afraid hate would be aimed at me 😅
My two cents on why i don't think it is, I've read UPP - humans have only eaten naturally derived food for most of our existence because that's all that existed. UPP has sprung up in the last 50-80 years. So to call not eating UPF is not orthorexic or food restriction, it's literally just eating food. Real, actual food. It's not being scared of anything (sugar, fat, carbs, etc...) it's the decision to not eat not real food.
She’s not necessarily restricting food, she’s just choosing to eat loads of whole foods that aren’t ultraprocessed.. she doesn’t eat less food in general. This is a conscious, healthy choice..
Currently reading Dr Chris’s book! It’s so good. It recommends you keep eating UPF while you read until you get turned off of it. I’m starting to get to that point now - just need to find the time to actually cook again.
Yes I love this about it! I also just love how realistic he is about this stuff and always acknowledging the systemic change needed. He still feeds it to his kids, he absolutely isn’t trying to scaremonger. It’s such an important and educational book 💚
Happy for you that you're feeling so good! I inadvertently started doing this a couple of months ago when I realized I was eating too many carbs and ruining the good gut bacteria that I'd spent so much time (and $$$) healing last year and I just decided to eat some fish and shrimp and a lot of fruits, veggies, and nuts. I feel great! And it's not that hard, if you have the money and time to make the food, which I realize not everyone does.
Also the homogenizing of food is another issue. Britain has lost so many apple orchards - there are varieties lost to time, we have lost pig breeds, varieties of wheat and oats, we no longer have herbs or salads we once relied on. We import too much food and produce too little variety. Everything in the supermarket is the same or imported and it doesn't need to be like that - we need more food security, we need to produce more food locally, fish locally, we send so much food abroad and bring so much in, we no longer eat seasonally. So many issues but is there a fix?
its really tragic.
This was fantastic!!! Thank you for making it. I learned this last year and had fallen off the wagon and forgotten this stuff, but you’ve reinspired me and reminded me why this is so important!
I started wanting to eat better and care more about the TYPE or the sort of foods I was putting into my body when I stopped caring about what my body looked like. I have dealt with chronic inflammation from a concussion and also deal with dysautonomia through a condition called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), and I found my inflammation all over my body really went down with consistent healthy eating and avoiding UFP!
But I could only get to that point unfortunately when I stopped caring so much about how my body looked in terms of weight, or how much I was eating. I struggled like you with EDs and disordered eating through the restrict-binge cycle, and I never thought about how much damage or harm that was doing to my poor body! Now I let her be, just feed it right and take care of it through giving it lots of nourishing and whole foods, and let it thank me in return by feeling better and (funnily enough) looking better than it did back when I was restricting and calorie counting, but always with that inevitable UFP binge that would make me feel like shit.
The UFP industry is so hand-in-hand with the diet industry. It's only when we free ourselves from marketing towards food and our own figures that we really become in control and able to be happy in ourselves and our bodies through being well-nourished and healthy! None of this food is truly nourishing. It makes our brains cloudy and our hormones wack and then add on all the awful diet culture media shaming us for how we look....it's a miracle any of us manage to be healthy!
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Love this video Mel
I’m currently reading this book and this video popped up on my main screen!
obsessed with the porridge bread. obsessed with the book. thanks for the inspiration Mel I too am loving it
You said it so clearly.
Your homemade brownies might be the same calories, but they're not made by people who only want your money and care nothing about your health.
I'm overweight and I hate it. I'm addicted to food and I can't stand it. My 15 year old son just stepped on the scal at the Doctors office and he's pushing 190 lbs. My 13 year old doesn't like taking off his shirt in public because his buddies poke fun at him. My husband won't swim with us in the pool because he's embarrassed. I cook 80% of our food from scratch, but one night a week we're getting pizza and I keep cakes and cookies in the house for the boys to munch on. We're addicted to processed sugars and the chemicals in these foods that make us want to eat them more and more.
Thank you for sharing this video, you've opened my eyes to what we're putting in our bodies, to what I'm feeding my kids and husband.
I've got to make a change in my kitchen.
I have also changed my diet so I only eat real food. I'd say I'm at about 95% real food, 5% UPF. And my experiences totally line up with yours - and I've been eating like this for about a year now. It is INSANE how much more energy I have now, and also just the general improvements of my mental health, which I've struggled with my whole life.
I also struggled with eating disorders for years, and I can happily say that through eating this way, I have never been happier & most importantly, I've never obsessed LESS over food and weight as I do now. I think this is because food, and eating, is no longer a battle for me anymore. I eat until I'm full, then I'm satisfied. If I want a sweet treat (delicious homemade brownies, etc etc), I have it, and don't have to worry about it.
Contrast that to before: I'd eat, and it would be a mental battle getting myself to stop. When I eventually did stop, I'd be obsessing over food, constantly thinking about it, and fighting the desire, until the next meal. I thought I was weak, that I had no self-control, and I'd try to restrict in response. And now, after research (like Dr Chris's book), I find out it was NEVER a problem with me in the first place???? THOSE FOODS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU FEEL THIS WAY!!! It makes me so angry.
To those that think not eating UPF is disordered or a sign of orthorexia: I can promise you, it is not. I eat whatever food I want now, without all the mental turmoil. But that's the key word: FOOD. This diet just consists of eating real food. UPF does not consist of food - it contains a bunch of ingredients that are chemicals other things that are not food, which have been proven to be bad for our health, and drive disordered eating behaviours in the first place!
Simply choosing to eat real food (and lots of it) is NOT in any way disordered. And it has changed my life.
Great video, this conversation reminds me of a book I'm currently reading called "The Myth of Normal" by Gabor Mate, MD.
Gabor is king 👑
I’ve been watching you for years and years (I’m 24) and it’s so amazing to see who you’ve blossomed/ are blossoming to become. My significant other has always been conscious of UPF and I’m definitely on the more health conscious side but have recently been feeling like my love of chips specifically is a huge hindrance to my overall health. This video definitely made something click in my mind and I just got the ultra processed people book. Thank you for making this video and these types of videos. I also screenshotted every recipe you had in the beginning because they look so good lol. And I can attest for natural cycles! I found it from you and have been using it for over a year and love it!
Also something you said that really resonated, and I’d never thought like this, but that organic UPF is still UPF. Maybe this would seem obvious for some but that changed something in my brain
I am SO glad you like Natural Cycles I’m genuinely such a fan, life without hormones has been amazing! 💖 But also HOME MADE CHIPS aaaactually taste even better! 😍 xxx
@@melaniemurphyofficial Ooh, home made chips... That has never occurred to me! 👀
Wait, you're Irish, so you're probably using it to mean the things McDonald's serves alongside burgers, not the flat crispy things that come in a packet. Dang it 😂
Loved this! Answers so many questions I've been having around whether my diet is contributing to certain conditions/issues with mental health! Please do a video of some of your recipes - the brownie and the banana and cinnamon treats sound amazing!!!
Currently backpacking and my diet changed for the worse out of ease when travelling. Definitely noticed I’ve felt a lot worse because of it and will try to find some easy and cheap wholemeal meals to take on the road !