These ingredients are manufactured for low cost and convenience and deployed in complex formulations to make 'hyperpalatable' snacks and meals. "This processing completely changes the structure of food," says registered nutritionist Dr Lucy Williamson. "We need food to actually work for us; it drives our biology so it needs to fuel us, rather than just satisfy our appetite." UPFs displace healthier foods from our diet, filling us up (and encouraging us to overeat) without delivering our essential nutrients. Now, a growing body of studies suggest diets high in UPFs are causing significant harm to public health.

What are ultra-processed foods and why should we avoid them?