Nutrition
![Chris Van Tulleken - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0C32WBR7N.jpg)
Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food
International Bestseller
A manifesto to change how you eat and how you think about the human body.
It's not you, it's the food.
We have entered a new age of eating. For the first time in human history, most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. There's a long, formal scientific definition, but it can be boiled down to this: if it's wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn't find in your kitchen, it's UPF.
These products are specifically engineered to behave as addictive substances, driving excess consumption. They are now linked to the leading cause of early death globally and the number one cause of environmental destruction. Yet almost all our staple foods are ultra-processed. UPF is our food culture and for many people it is the only available and affordable food.
In this book, Chris van Tulleken, father, scientist, doctor, and award-winning BBC broadcaster, marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease. The solutions don't lie in willpower, personal responsibility, or exercise. You'll find no diet plan in this book―but join Chris as he undertakes a powerful self-experiment that made headlines around the world: under the supervision of colleagues at University College London he spent a month eating a diet of 80 percent UPF, typical for many children and adults in the United States. While his body became the subject of scientific scrutiny, he spoke to the world's leading experts from academia, agriculture, and―most important―the food industry itself. But more than teaching him about the experience of the food, the diet switched off Chris's own addiction to UPF.
In a fast-paced and eye-opening narrative he explores the origins, science, and economics of UPF to reveal its catastrophic impact on our bodies and the planet. And he proposes real solutions for doctors, for policy makers, and for all of us who have to eat. A book that won't only upend the way you shop and eat, Ultra-Processed People will open your eyes to the need for action on a global scale.
A manifesto to change how you eat and how you think about the human body.
It's not you, it's the food.
We have entered a new age of eating. For the first time in human history, most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. There's a long, formal scientific definition, but it can be boiled down to this: if it's wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn't find in your kitchen, it's UPF.
These products are specifically engineered to behave as addictive substances, driving excess consumption. They are now linked to the leading cause of early death globally and the number one cause of environmental destruction. Yet almost all our staple foods are ultra-processed. UPF is our food culture and for many people it is the only available and affordable food.
In this book, Chris van Tulleken, father, scientist, doctor, and award-winning BBC broadcaster, marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease. The solutions don't lie in willpower, personal responsibility, or exercise. You'll find no diet plan in this book―but join Chris as he undertakes a powerful self-experiment that made headlines around the world: under the supervision of colleagues at University College London he spent a month eating a diet of 80 percent UPF, typical for many children and adults in the United States. While his body became the subject of scientific scrutiny, he spoke to the world's leading experts from academia, agriculture, and―most important―the food industry itself. But more than teaching him about the experience of the food, the diet switched off Chris's own addiction to UPF.
In a fast-paced and eye-opening narrative he explores the origins, science, and economics of UPF to reveal its catastrophic impact on our bodies and the planet. And he proposes real solutions for doctors, for policy makers, and for all of us who have to eat. A book that won't only upend the way you shop and eat, Ultra-Processed People will open your eyes to the need for action on a global scale.
Editorial Reviews
"In Ultra-Processed People, a persuasive mix of analysis and commentary, [Chris van Tulleken] shows how [ultra-processed] foods affect our bodies and how their popularity stems in part from shady marketing and slanted science."
― Matthew Rees, Wall Street Journal
"An unsettling examination of the food we eat [and] a fascinating, but frankly horrifying, investigation into our industrialised food system."
― Ben Spencer, Sunday Times
"Ultra-Processed People [is] a fearless investigation into how we have become hooked on ultra-processed food . . [It] is more than just a great science book: it breaks down a complex issue of cultural, social, economic and political importance with clarity and sensitivity but without moralising; it competently evaluates the scientific literature; and it roams the globe in search of answers."
― Anjana Ahuja, Financial Times
"Deeply researched and persuasive."
― Sophie McBain, New Statesman
"If Super Size Me were an introduction, Chris van Tulleken's book is the Ph.D. course . . . [Ultra-Processed People] is highly readable and van Tulleken writes with the confidence of a doctor who has a reassuring bedside manner."
― Dave Hage, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Eye-opening . . . Ultra-Processed People is a tremendously important book that will help readers choose less processed, better food."
― Vincent Lam, Toronto Star
"The book is ‘scholarly' . . . Yet it's also witty, pacy and (despite a lot of academic stuff) approachable."
― Adam Leyland, The Grocer
"An engrossing, infuriating read! UPF makes most fictional villains look quaint. You've got a diabolical product that scientists and capitalists have literally got into our bodies (even mine?!) profoundly affecting our health and even our thoughts. Chris van Tulleken has written an astonishingly well-researched book on a plague that most of us aren't even thinking about,...
― Matthew Rees, Wall Street Journal
"An unsettling examination of the food we eat [and] a fascinating, but frankly horrifying, investigation into our industrialised food system."
― Ben Spencer, Sunday Times
"Ultra-Processed People [is] a fearless investigation into how we have become hooked on ultra-processed food . . [It] is more than just a great science book: it breaks down a complex issue of cultural, social, economic and political importance with clarity and sensitivity but without moralising; it competently evaluates the scientific literature; and it roams the globe in search of answers."
― Anjana Ahuja, Financial Times
"Deeply researched and persuasive."
― Sophie McBain, New Statesman
"If Super Size Me were an introduction, Chris van Tulleken's book is the Ph.D. course . . . [Ultra-Processed People] is highly readable and van Tulleken writes with the confidence of a doctor who has a reassuring bedside manner."
― Dave Hage, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Eye-opening . . . Ultra-Processed People is a tremendously important book that will help readers choose less processed, better food."
― Vincent Lam, Toronto Star
"The book is ‘scholarly' . . . Yet it's also witty, pacy and (despite a lot of academic stuff) approachable."
― Adam Leyland, The Grocer
"An engrossing, infuriating read! UPF makes most fictional villains look quaint. You've got a diabolical product that scientists and capitalists have literally got into our bodies (even mine?!) profoundly affecting our health and even our thoughts. Chris van Tulleken has written an astonishingly well-researched book on a plague that most of us aren't even thinking about,...
Readers Top Reviews
Honest guy
It's an easy read. Interesting. Filled with science. And you read food labels differently. If you are in your 20s it's huge. If you are in your 70s it's probably too late to make a difference but on the other hand, you can coach the kids about the grandkids and maybe make a huge difference. Importantly, it's a nice book to read. Informative but not nerdy.
bamcooks
*4.5 stars rounded up. Ultra-processed food: So tasty. So convenient. So prevalent on the grocery store shelves world wide. But is it killing us? Driving the obesity epidemic? Contributing to Type-2 diabetes, heart attack, cancer? Dr Chris van Tulleken thinks so and presents some compelling scientific studies and information to advance that theory. Definition of ultra-processed food: 'If it's wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn't usually find in a standard home kitchen, it's UPF.' Much of this information I was already familiar with, having read several books on the subject. But I don't think I had really considered the sociological ramifications associated with UPFs. Dr van Tulleken writes about how the spread of cheap ultra-processed food around the world has displaced much of the world's food culture and explains how it drives inequality, poverty and early death and damages the planet. I believe this is a must-read book for anyone at all concerned about health issues or even the environment. I received an arc of this important book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
BonnieD
This is a very informative and eye-opening look at what chemicals and substances are being put into our food. This is a must-read for everyone.. I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Talvi
Much as Mark Schatzker did with The Dorito Effect, here we have a exploration of the highly processed 'food' so pervasive in the market today. From preservatives to flavorings, emulsifiers to colorings, the author discusses in a genial and friendly manner the various "food like objects" that make up ultra processed food (UPF). It's eye opening, disturbing, and very relevant to the issues currently facing the world with obesity and chronic illnesses. Perhaps the fundamental question asked is if you eat an ultra processed food item and a non processed food item and they have the same nutrition profiles, why do studies show that one causes obesity where the other one doesn't? Is it because one is hyperpalatable so you eat more (e.g., more salt and sugar)? Is it because the intense processing means the food is 'soft' and eaten quickly and easy - causing you to eat more? Is it because it has a high calorie density and is high in fat and sugar so you get more calories per mouthful? Is it because of it is often micronutrient deficient so your body demands more and more to try to get those missing nutrients? Is it because it is addictive, so binges are too often unavoidable? Is it because the convenience, price, and attractiveness from marketing mean people use it snack all the time? Sadly, the answer appears to be all of the above, making it a difficult issue to tackle with so many hydra heads to address and remove. These don't even take into effect the environment destruction, carbon emissions and plastic pollution tolls on society. No to mention, the emulsifiers, preservatives, modified starches and other additive damage your gut flora and allow inflammatory bacteria to grow. This is a very easy read and the author avoids the temptation to simplify, overgeneralize, or sensationalize. That said, there are several tangents that are not really as relevant: such as the author deciding to go on a full UPF diet just to see the effects (a la Super Size Me). His conclusion about being forced to read the labels to determine how processed a food was made him aware of all the crazy additives that can make up the difference between one brand and another of the same item (e.g., granola) - thereby putting him off those foods. But it fell flat and there weren't enough conclusions from his own anecdotal experience to really make them a point in the book. He says that he and his brother both went off UPF for good after doing the experiment and thinks we will too - but never clearly goes over why. There are also some tangential discussions on the evolution of eating that meandered a bit and were not really informative enough to feel like anything other than padding. Other overlong sections included following a Nestle barge shop on the Amazon as it introduced UPF to remote Brazilian villages and thereby created new markets for its Kit Kats et al. The ...
"barbara”
There is a lot of useful info here, but the author opens with the idea of an arms race everywhere, including plants, which has been debunked long ago. A very tired way of framing things, and it undermines the entire argument.
