- 2 days ago
What Not to Eat - Season 1 Episode 1
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Salty chips. We all know this is bad for us. And we all know that this is good for us.
00:07Fresh fruit and veg, whole foods, packed with vitamins, fiber, and all the good stuff.
00:14Delicious. But what about all of this? The supermarket where we buy pretty much all of
00:20our food. Here is where we find ourselves in murky waters, bombarded by endless choice,
00:26irresistible deals, and confusing health clips. This is ultra-processed food. If you're trying
00:33to be healthy, this is the new battleground. In the UK, we're starting to realise that
00:39ultra-processed foods could be having a major impact on our health. Definitely tired, like,
00:45all the time. I have acid reflux. My blood pressure. Constipation. I'm Professor Tim Spector,
00:51a leading world expert in gut health and nutrition, and along with GP and dietary advisor,
00:57Dr. Candy Ejafor, we're going to show you how to transform your health as we meet four families
01:03whose ultra-processed diets may be making them ill. My main problem is my weight. Because of diabetes,
01:11I had to remove one of my toes. By showing them... Oh my God! ...how much ultra-processed food
01:17is bad. ...they're really eating... Oh, that's crazy. ...and it's making me feel really sick,
01:22actually. ...we'll reveal what these foods are doing to you. You are at increased risk of
01:27cardiovascular disease. That's really quite scary, actually. Your heart health is 78 years old.
01:34It's kind of make or break. We'll show you how to spot an ultra-processed food. It's really like
01:42a sort of glue. We'll find out how they're made. Oh, that looks really horrible. And give you simple
01:49swaps to make healthier choices. That is delicious. Without costing you any more money. We are still
01:56within our budget. But can our families ditch ultra-processed food? Ah, your brown sauce! And transform
02:04their lives. It's a fantastic result. For good. What have I signed myself up for?
02:14We don't yet have a universal definition of ultra-processed food. But for me, it means food that
02:20has been industrially processed that has a negative impact on health. And when it comes to eating,
02:27most ultra-processed foods are hyper-palatable, meaning you can't stop eating them. Calorie-dense.
02:35They have large amounts of additives and chemicals you really don't want in your body. They're soft and
02:41easy to eat. And crucially, they're lacking in any real nutrients and fibre. UPFs make up over half of our
02:50diet in the UK. And eating these foods in large quantities is associated with rising levels of
02:56obesity, increased heart disease, dementia, and even some cancers. So, what ultra-processed foods are
03:04you eating? Less than 40% of us feel confident identifying ultra-processed foods, so it's no wonder
03:10we feel confused. Well, let me help. Take rice as an example. Raw, uncooked rice is unprocessed,
03:17in its natural state, with no additives or alterations beyond cleaning and packaging.
03:23Next, we have plain microwave rice. This is classed as processed. It's been pre-cooked and
03:28packaged for convenience, but it still contains minimal added ingredients. And then we have
03:34flavoured rice. This is ultra-processed. These can contain additives like preservatives and stabilisers,
03:40and are significantly altered from the original natural form. My aim is to get you looking at the
03:46back of packets every time you go shopping, and to understand exactly what you're eating.
03:54Let's meet a couple in Scarborough whose diet is dominated by ultra-processed foods.
03:59I'm Rob. You're a Vicky. I am. And together we are... The Graeme.
04:05The Graeme.
04:14Reva, what do you want for breakfast?
04:16The Graeme household is a busy one, with four little ones to look after.
04:20We've got Hugo, who's eight. Rayna, who's five. And then twin girls, who are three.
04:28The kids drain us. Yeah. Too many kids.
04:36Between childcare, Rob's shift work in a supermarket, and Vicky's job at a local primary school,
04:42thinking about healthy eating is way down the list.
04:46What are you going to have from McDonald's tonight?
04:48Burger. Some chips.
04:51Do try to plan a couple of meals a week, but sometimes that goes out the window, doesn't it?
04:58They exist almost entirely on fatty, sugary, ultra-processed foods.
05:04My vice is chocolate, big time.
05:07I like my milkshakes. The ones that I get from the supermarket are really thick.
05:12I like strawberry.
05:15Rob's biggest vice is his almost daily instant noodle habit,
05:19and now the kids are picking up on it too.
05:21Whatever we're eating, they want to eat as well.
05:24Hugo watches, and if I've bought some noodles, he will want one. It's not great, is it?
05:30No. Not at all.
05:31And that's on top of the kids' never-ending stash of sugary treats.
05:36Each child has a snack box.
05:38As soon as they get in from school, the twins are in there reading the snack boxes.
05:43I did put a lock on at one point.
05:45We did put a lock on.
05:47Just give up.
05:49They're stuck in a rut of bad choices, and things are reaching crisis point.
05:55We've got to do something.
05:56If we want to see our kids live a long, happy life,
05:59we need to be able to be there for them as well, sort of thing, so...
06:02Definitely. We need help.
06:03Help. Please.
06:05I might have a problem.
06:09Help is on hand. Candy has been a doctor for over a decade,
06:13and is passionate about helping her patients understand how the food they eat affects their bodies.
06:20She's ready to get the lowdown on the Graeme's extraordinary diet.
06:23And to find out what havoc it's been wreaking on their health.
06:30Vicki, Rob, tell me, how can we help?
06:34I just want to be healthier, I suppose.
06:38Just feeling tired all the time.
06:40I think a lot of parents can relate.
06:42For little kids at home, so that's a huge part of why you're tired, but do you feel it's a bit more than that?
06:49I do, yeah.
06:50It doesn't seem to make any difference how much sleep we actually get.
06:53But then going on to, like, depression and anxiety...
06:55I was going to say mental health, if, like, we could feel mentally better as well.
07:02Yeah.
07:03It's really interesting because there is a lot of research which is coming out which shows that your
07:07gut and your brain are really closely connected, so let's talk about breakfast.
07:12We don't eat breakfast or we don't have time.
07:14You've got to get your shoes on, please.
07:17I will have a hot chocolate, though, usually for a sugar boost.
07:20And then lunchtime comes and what kind of meals are you eating there?
07:23Have a chocolate brownie.
07:27One of the problems with UPFs is that they're often extremely calorie dense.
07:32A shop-bought brownie typically has lots of extra fat and sugar added to make it delicious,
07:37but it won't make you feel full.
07:39If I'm on a night shift, my lunch will be at, like, four o'clock in the morning.
07:45So a noodle pot of some description, some crisps, a sandwich with lots of cheese on it.
07:51And then as you drink, a chocolate brownie.
07:54I'll sometimes, or most of the time, get a pack of cookies as well from the shop.
07:59That little collection of ultra-processed goodies
08:01astoundingly adds up to more than a day's worth of calories
08:05and almost twice the recommended daily sugar limit.
08:09I'd have the noodle pot and then dip my sandwich in it.
08:12I have to say, I've never heard of dipping a sandwich into pot noodles.
08:18It's top tip.
08:19We're going to coin it the wrong way.
08:23And then, so coming on to dinner, do you eat dinner with the kids?
08:27Yeah. We'll always sit down at the table and eat a proper meal together, whether it is a takeaway or whether we've cooked it.
08:35After dinner, snacking resumes.
08:38I will secret eat chocolate on a night time.
08:43So we don't have to share with the children.
08:47Vicky!
08:47No!
08:48No!
08:48Two big bars of chocolate.
08:51And that's every night?
08:51Yeah.
08:52That's topping off a day full of huge sugar spikes and crashes.
08:57No wonder the Grahams feel tired.
08:59It's something for us, isn't it?
09:02Yeah.
09:02I think I'm addicted to chocolate.
09:05Poor Vicky and Rob. I mean, they're really struggling.
09:09They've got busy lives, little children, and their house is full of ultra-processed food.
09:15Being packed full of empty calories is only one of the problems with UPFs, and they're everywhere.
09:21In the UK, they make up over half our diet, and they're not all quite so easy to spot.
09:28Do you think that you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods?
09:31I don't think we do, but possibly, yeah.
09:33Yeah.
09:34So, gravy.
09:36Your cupboards are probably full of products that seem perfectly innocent.
09:40Until you read the back of the packet.
09:43Maltodextrin, potato starch, salt, flavour enhancers, colour, flavouring, sugar, emulsifiers,
09:51potassium chloride, onion oil and rosemary extract.
09:55Any ingredients there that you don't recognise?
09:57Probably all of them.
10:00Food becomes ultra-processed when the original ingredients have been heavily modified.
10:05Using industrial processes that go beyond simple cooking or baking.
10:09And these mysterious-sounding ingredients are additives like preservatives, flavourings and emulsifiers.
10:17Acid, preservatives, acidity regulators, firming agents, palm fat, yeast extract and sweeteners as well.
10:26Does that surprise you?
10:28Definitely, yeah. That's scary.
10:30It's not good, is it?
10:32There's increasing evidence that eating food packed with additives may badly irritate our gut
10:37and potentially even cause IBS. And not even our kids' snacks are safe from these ingredients.
10:43Wheat flour, then the second ingredient is glucose fructose syrup, eggs, sugar, fourth ingredient, chocolate,
10:52of which there's only 5.5% chocolate. Oh my god.
10:56And then there's emulsifiers, stabilisers, raising agents, glucose syrup again.
11:04So it's not very nutritious.
11:06Mmm, no. Definitely not.
11:08It's quite shocking really, isn't it?
11:12Coming up, what are the ultra-processed foods you're eating actually made of?
11:16You can see that it starts forming these clumps. You need to think about what it's doing inside your gut.
11:23And Vicky and Rob face up to just how big their UPF problem really is.
11:28Oh my goodness, what is that? Oh my god, Rob!
11:32You need to think about how big their health is and how big their health is and how big their health is.
11:41Ultra-processed foods are everywhere and they're threatening our health.
11:46If you're trying to be healthy, this is the new battleground.
11:50Dr Candy and I want to help you to learn to spot them. And to help Vicky and Rob in Scarborough to change their diet.
11:59UPFs may be quick and convenient, but many contain virtually nothing in the way of nutrients.
12:04So what is in them? Why do we crave them? And what exactly are we putting in our bodies?
12:10Rob loves an instant noodle snack and he's not alone. Over 410 million servings are consumed every year in the UK alone.
12:20But have you ever wondered what's actually inside them?
12:24Well, if you look at the back of the packet, you'll see between 20 and 40 ingredients in most of them.
12:31Things that you really wouldn't find in a normal kitchen and that's a big red flag.
12:36You also see that they're chicken flavoured and when you look, you cannot find any real chicken in most of these products at all.
12:44In fact, some of them are even labelled as vegetarian.
12:50Well, we've got our noodles, a lot of powder and a little sachet.
12:55What are these ingredients? What are they doing to the food? And importantly, what are they doing to our bodies?
13:01First up is maltodextrin. You may have heard of that. It's very common in many of these ultra-processed foods.
13:07It's to replace natural fats. It provides the same mouthfeel as those fats, but allows it to have a much longer shelf life.
13:16What does it taste like?
13:17It's sticking to my tongue, giving a sort of fake creamy feel to it that wouldn't otherwise be there.
13:26The downside of maltodextrin is it causes inflammation and irritation of the lining of the gut and may increase your risk of a number of chronic diseases.
13:36Another ingredient is potassium chloride and it's there to replace some of the sodium chloride, which you know of as salt.
13:45It's used, so the manufacturers can say it's low in salt, while actually it still tastes salty.
13:51Then we've got xanthan gum, which sounds really exotic. It's there to bind all these powders together into something that looks like a creamy concoction or a rich, thick soup.
14:04Now, I'm going to show you how it works. Simply put a spoon of this into some water, stir it round, and you can see that it starts forming these clumps sticking together in this very gooey way.
14:18It's really like a sort of glue. Importantly, you need to think about what it's doing inside your gut.
14:25Last but not least, MSG, monosodium glutamate. It's there because it has a specific savoury taste that signals that this is something really hearty and meat-like.
14:38The problem with MSG is not so much the chemical itself, it's the fact that when you're adding it to these tasteless, bland products,
14:45you're encouraging people to overeat them because of that taste, that savoury flavour,
14:50even though what you're eating has pretty much no nutritional value.
14:54My guess is if you took out these flavour enhancers, even Rob would be hard pushed to enjoy his instant noodles.
15:04Strange to think these white powders are what make UPFs so moorish.
15:08In fact, you might not even realise just how much of them you're eating.
15:14One, two, three.
15:18Oh my goodness, what is that? Oh my God, Rob!
15:26Oh my God.
15:28There's no wake-up call quite like a GP perched on the edge of a bath full of instant noodles.
15:33This is the amount that you eat in a year.
15:36Oh my God, that's appalling, Robert.
15:40It is, isn't it?
15:41Rob eats five pots of instant noodles a week, or 260 a year.
15:47That makes over 100 kilograms of yummy maltodextrin and potassium chloride soup.
15:53It makes me feel really sick, actually.
15:58This is meant to contain vegetables, isn't it?
16:01Oh, yeah.
16:02I can't actually feel it.
16:04Can you see any vegetables?
16:05No.
16:06No, not even a rogue pea.
16:10This is a lot of processed ingredients in here.
16:13So there's not much fibre, not much essential nutrients.
16:18They are made in factories, so they're highly processed and chemicalised and industrialised.
16:22That's over 130,000 empty calories, five kilos of fat and pretty much nothing in the way of nutrition.
16:29Not looking so appetising now.
16:32It's like someone's just thrown up in my bath.
16:35I'm quite mortified, actually, that we've allowed you to go to have that.
16:40The next time you look at instant noodle?
16:42I don't think there'll be a next time.
16:46No.
16:46Put you up for life.
16:48Yeah.
16:48It's convenience and it's quick.
16:51And it's not thinking on my part.
16:53Don't think about it.
16:54It's sad and upsetting.
16:57Like many people, they're in the situation where they just eat something out of convenience or
17:03because it's easy and you don't know how it builds up over time.
17:07And I think to be able to see a year's worth of instant noodles in your bath is unique.
17:15It's wild, but I think it's going to really pack the punch.
17:20Rob's not alone.
17:21The UK loves a quick fix treat and snacks make up almost a quarter of our daily calories.
17:27And while it's fine to have the occasional treat,
17:29for regular snacking it's best to make healthy choices.
17:32But what exactly are they?
17:35We have a whole range of them here, from the good to the bad.
17:38Let's start on the bad, really ultra-processed ones.
17:42And I used to love this stuff, but now I'm less keen.
17:46All of these have virtually no fibre, no substance,
17:49and all these artificial chemicals and flavourings that just melt in your mouth
17:53and you just keep eating them.
17:54Then you come to these type of cheese biscuit ones.
17:57They're starting to get better, although they've got other ingredients you probably don't want,
18:01but at least you're getting some fibre and 90% of us are deficient in fibre.
18:06Then we're getting healthier as we move down this level.
18:09These are pretty healthy now because you can start to see there's solid nuts and seeds in here,
18:15and they might be fried in a bit of oil, which isn't perfect,
18:17but at least they've got some real whole food inside them, which is going to give you that fibre.
18:22Popcorn is surprisingly healthy compared to other savoury snacks,
18:26as long as it hasn't got too much sugar or too much salt on it.
18:30But for me, my go-to snack is mixed nuts.
18:34They give you this variety of nutrients, really healthy fats, protein and fibre,
18:40and they will fill you up, unlike these guys.
18:42So there you have it, this full range of savoury snacks.
18:46They're all tasty to eat, but actually there's a huge difference
18:51in terms of what you can do for your health.
18:53The choice is yours.
18:54To find out the full extent of the harm all those ultra-processed foods have been doing to Vicky
19:05and Rob's bodies, Dr Candy did a series of health tests, including blood work.
19:10And the results are in.
19:12So I'll start with you, Rob.
19:14Rob, your waist circumference that we had was about 108 centimetres,
19:19and that means that you're in increased risk of things like cardiovascular disease
19:23and heart disease.
19:25There are also some worrying test results around diabetes,
19:28something Rob has a family history of.
19:30When we look at a hormone called insulin, the fasting insulin was high.
19:37Insulin resistance can then lead to diabetes.
19:40And given that you have the family history of diabetes,
19:43I think that that's quite a significant result.
19:46Yeah, yeah.
19:46Because I think I've been in denial that anything's wrong,
19:50just sort of cruise along, don't you, and think I'll be OK, and then, yeah.
19:56This might be the wake-up call Rob needs to drop his ultra-processed food habit.
20:01What about Vicky?
20:03So your waist circumference was 111 centimetres.
20:07And for a woman, we would say anything above 88 centimetres is really high.
20:13Add to that high blood pressure and cholesterol,
20:15and Vicky's system is under a lot of strain.
20:19Vicky, your age is...
20:2145.
20:2145.
20:23But you have the heart health of someone a lot older.
20:25Oh, God.
20:29Even more worryingly, her inflammation was more than twice the upper healthy limit.
20:34CRP is an inflammatory marker, and your markers were really high.
20:38OK.
20:39That's really quite scary, actually.
20:41I didn't realise it was as bad as it was, so...
20:44But there are still significant things that you can do to reduce your overall risk.
20:49So they can help reduce it, so I think, yeah.
20:52Definitely.
20:53Yeah.
20:54OK.
20:55It's hard initially, I'm not going to lie.
20:57Yeah, yeah.
20:57Yeah, you have to kind of dig in, but it's definitely worth it in the long term.
21:02I think that there are so many changes that are going to come of this, which will be positive,
21:06not just for you, but your whole family, which I'm really excited to see.
21:10Yeah.
21:11It's got to be done.
21:12It's got to be.
21:13The whole results just makes you realise the direction that we're heading, and if we can do something now, then we can do something before it gets worse, or something bad happens.
21:26Yeah.
21:29We've caught Vicky and Rob on the edge of what could be a very serious slide into ill health.
21:34It's clear that ultra-processed foods aren't doing us any favours, so what should we be eating?
21:39Whole foods are filling, nutritious and delicious, and I've got a sneaky tip to make them even better for you.
21:47To peel or not to peel, that is the question, and for me, it's generally to avoid peeling.
21:53There are two reasons.
21:54The first is polyphenols, because most of these defence chemicals that plants produce are really good for us, and they're in the skin.
22:03What they do is they help our microbes to proliferate, and that boosts our immunity and helps us in all kinds of ways.
22:11Now, an apple is something that most people bite into it.
22:15Some people actually peel it, but they'll be losing out on large amounts of the nutrients,
22:20up to almost 30 times more of these defence chemicals in the skin than there are in the flesh.
22:25Another example, kiwi fruit, most people will peel it.
22:2950% extra fibre is what you get when you eat that with the skin.
22:36Just as good as eating it with the flesh, and less messy.
22:39Now, for your potatoes, again, try and keep the skin on, because it's got five times more fibre in it,
22:44so you're missing out if you don't do that, but don't overstress about it if you can't,
22:48because use the peelings, you don't throw them away, you just put them in a roasting tin,
22:54you add a bit of olive oil, a bit of salt, and hey presto, you've got some fantastic crisps
23:00that are absolutely delicious.
23:06Coming up, Vicky and Rob face up to their biggest addiction.
23:10Oh my God, that's shocking.
23:15And how many strawberries are actually in an ultra-processed milkshake?
23:20They don't look like strawberries, do they?
23:22They absolutely do not.
23:23Ultra-processed foods are all around us.
23:36We have a whole range of them here, from the good to the bad.
23:40And I've been showing you how to spot them and to understand what they're doing to your body.
23:44You need to think about what it's doing inside your gut.
23:48And up in Scarborough, we've been helping Vicky and Rob face up to some uncomfortable truths about their ultra-processed diet.
23:55Oh my goodness, what is that? Oh my God!
23:59That's appalling rubbish.
24:01And it's time to face another, chocolate.
24:05Every night, Vicky and Rob eat two giant bars of milk chocolate each.
24:11It's ultra-processed. Only around 25% of it is cocoa solids.
24:17And it has a staggering amount of sugar.
24:19When you're eating two of those a night, you're having at least 100 grams of just sugar.
24:26Oh my God.
24:29That explains a lot, doesn't it?
24:30Like many UPFs, milk chocolate has been specially formulated to be hyper-palatable.
24:38The perfect combination of fats and sugars trigger the reward center in your brain, tempting you to eat more and more.
24:45But not all chocolate is created equal. The more cocoa, the less sugar.
24:5090% chocolate. You'll need 31 bars of it just to get the same amount of sugar.
25:00Oh, that's shocking.
25:06Pure cocoa actually has a lot of health benefits.
25:10So things like anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants and lots of minerals as well,
25:16that will really be beneficial.
25:18OK. So chocolate is good for you?
25:22Real chocolate.
25:25Our plan is to swap them off the sugary ultra-processed stuff and onto the good stuff.
25:30Let's see how high we can get them. First, 70.
25:34Definitely the strongest taste of the chocolate.
25:38How's 80?
25:40I could get used to it.
25:42Yeah. I could get used to it.
25:44That's fine.
25:45Can we push them to 90?
25:47Mmm. That's very bitter.
25:50If you want to make a lasting change, it's still got to feel like a treat.
25:55And for Vicky and Rob, 80's the sweet spot.
25:59What I think you'll find is that you won't eat as much chocolate.
26:03So we'll definitely still have that protected time and that moment that you guys have every evening,
26:09which I think is really precious.
26:10But we can just work with a couple of squares.
26:12OK.
26:13As opposed to full bars.
26:15OK.
26:18As long as I don't have to give up chocolate completely.
26:22Let me just say that Vicky and Rob are not alone in their chocolate habit.
26:27But even for me, two big bars of chocolate every night is a lot.
26:31Hopefully, seeing it laid out on a table will do the job.
26:34And the dark chocolate serves as a compromise.
26:40But swapping out some chocolate isn't nearly enough.
26:43This diet is damaging their bodies and could take years off their lives.
26:48Are you ready?
26:50Yes.
26:50So the ultra-processed foods have got to go.
26:53It's time for candy to clear out the cupboards.
26:56You need the bigger box.
26:57Yeah.
27:00The biscuits are going.
27:01The sweets.
27:04But not all UPFs are bad for you.
27:07And if you have some baked beans, I'm going to keep it.
27:09It is processed food.
27:11They do have some nutritional value and they can be great for kids with convenience.
27:15Baked beans are classed as an ultra-processed food due to the sauce.
27:20But they have one major redeeming feature.
27:22The beans themselves.
27:24They're still in their natural form with their fibre, protein and essential nutrients intact.
27:29All great for digestion, stable blood sugar and long-lasting energy.
27:34It's not always straightforward with UPFs, which is why it's important to check the back of packets
27:38and be really mindful about the food you're putting in your body.
27:42I forgot one thing, didn't I?
27:44Shall I let you do the honours?
27:45I'll put it in.
27:49It can definitely go in there.
27:51Okay.
27:51That can definitely go.
27:53I am crying on the inside by the way.
27:58It's out with the old and in with the new.
28:00The ultra-processed food ban starts here.
28:02Instead, Candy's filling Vicky and Rob's home with tempting, healthy, natural foods.
28:07It looks really nice and colourful, doesn't it?
28:10It does look colourful, yeah.
28:13We're giving the Grahams a brand new diet.
28:17Based on whole foods, fresh veggies and fruit, healthy snacks for the kids and dark chocolate.
28:24My aim is to give you big meals that really fill you up.
28:28I want you to have three clean meals throughout the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
28:32So you get lots of energy and really avoid those crashes and those sugar falls
28:37that happen quite often in your diet.
28:41A typical meal plan for the Grahams will be eggs on sourdough for breakfast,
28:45chicken salad for lunch and a fish pie with plenty of veggies for dinner.
28:50This is exactly the kind of healthy and balanced meal that your body needs.
28:55The only fish is an excellent source of omega-3 for a healthy heart.
28:58The vegetables are packed full of fibre to help you feel fuller for longer.
29:03And the small layer of potato topping has vitamin C as well as potassium,
29:08which is great for your heart health.
29:10The thing I'm worrying about the most is not liking the meals.
29:15But I'm trying not to think about that because I want to try everything.
29:19The kids are going to get quite a surprise when they go to their snack boxes and find this instead.
29:25So I want this fruit stand to appear front and centre in your home.
29:29Keep it on this table. The kids can go to this whenever they want.
29:33I think there'll be a little bit of resistance, but
29:36they're resilient, aren't they, the kids? They'll get used to the idea eventually.
29:40Yeah. Cool to be kind.
29:42I am really excited to see the progress that you're going to make.
29:45So I will see you in a few weeks. Hopefully you'll find that your energy comes back.
29:50Good luck. And as I said, I'm here if you need.
29:52Thank you. Thank you very much. I do believe we can make these changes.
29:56And I don't think it's a case of if anymore. It's we've got to. We will do.
30:02Yeah. It's a matter of we have to.
30:04The strawberry, rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, manganese folate and even fibre.
30:21These are the quintessential British superfood.
30:26Strawberries are the nation's favourite fruit and Rob's favourite version is in a milkshake.
30:31But how much strawberry is actually in a strawberry flavoured milkshake?
30:37To find the answer and perhaps learn a thing or two, I've come to Mission Kitchen in London.
30:44Hello, Emil. Nice to meet you. How are you?
30:46So tell me, how much strawberry is in the average strawberry flavoured milkshake?
30:52Well, sometimes none at all. Right. You can forget about your antioxidants and vitamin C.
30:59Strawberries in the ultra processed world come as a clear, colourless liquid known as strawberry essence.
31:05They don't look like strawberries, do they? They absolutely do not.
31:07So tell me, how do we get that strawberry flavoured clear liquid?
31:11In a facility, what would happen is there would be hundreds of thousands of strawberries.
31:16They'll be put into a container with a liquid. It's going to be turned, it's going to be boiled.
31:20When that condenses, gets dropped into another container and then this is what comes out the other side,
31:25the essence of strawberry.
31:27And to increase the shelf life of the product, any remnant of actual strawberry has to go.
31:32It's kind of getting rid of all of the natural organic material and you're just left with the pure essence.
31:37And that's the bit that gives you the strawberry smell.
31:40Absolutely. Give it a little smell. It's quite intense. It's not going to be like a fresh strawberry.
31:44It's going to be like the kind of strawberry you get in a...
31:45It's like a strawberry schnapps or something like that.
31:49Unfortunately, it now has about the same nutritional value as schnapps.
31:52And that's after just one stage of processing.
31:56OK, so we're just going to make a sugar syrup. So just add our water,
32:00then just some sugar and then get that started.
32:05potassium sorbit. So this is quite often used as a preservative.
32:09Next, we have our ascorbic acid.
32:12OK, this is the equivalent of the lemon juice.
32:14Then we can add our colour and that comes from beetroot and purple carrots.
32:19And then call that natural even though it's not from a strawberry.
32:22No. And last but not least, natural sweetener. So this one's just stevia.
32:26It's really good. All these so-called natural chemicals combine to make a syrup base
32:32to which the strawberry essence is added.
32:35We're going to add this towards the end so we don't want to cook out the flavour as much.
32:38As soon as we see bubbles, we know we're definitely over the temperature and which we are.
32:41The final stage is combining with milk. One ingredient that actually might do you some good.
32:47OK, it's starting to look more like the milkshake you see in the shops.
32:52And finally, you have a strawberry-free strawberry milkshake.
32:56So it's changed from that really bright red colour we saw there to a very light pink,
33:01slightly anemic-looking product, I'd say. It's not particularly appetising.
33:06Maybe it tastes OK. Well, you can give it a try and let us know yourself.
33:16It's definitely strawberry, but to me it's revoltingly artificial.
33:22But a credit to you, you've done an amazing job without actually using any real strawberries.
33:28Cheers.
33:28Let's see how Vicky and Rob are getting on with ditching the ultra-processed foods.
33:42To help keep them away from their usual UPF snacks,
33:45we want to fill them up on three square meals a day.
33:48And we've given them lots of recipes to choose from.
33:50Right, go on then.
33:52What we've got.
33:54But finding meals that all the family will eat isn't easy.
33:57Chilli con carne.
33:58The kids aren't going to eat that, are they?
34:02Roasted tomatoes, I don't know.
34:04Why is it so difficult?
34:05I don't know.
34:06It's so complicated.
34:09The planning is one thing.
34:10I've got a horrible feeling that there's going to be like
34:14tomato paste all over the place.
34:17But it's another to cook 21 meals a week from scratch
34:21when you're used to the ease of convenient ultra-processed foods.
34:24It's all about tidying up all the time.
34:26This is the downside.
34:28I feel like all I'm doing is washing up, putting away,
34:32and it's a lot of work.
34:34Just constant washing up.
34:39You know, we will carry on with it and see how we get on.
34:42What have I signed myself up for?
34:45This is your fault.
34:49There is one change that seems to be working out, though.
34:52Ditching the UPFs from their late night snack.
34:55What do you have?
34:56I had some dark chocolate and then I've got some sweet and salty popcorn.
35:02What have you meant for?
35:03Raisins and dark chocolate.
35:05From having two bars of chocolate each on a night,
35:09we've had like two squares of chocolate and been satisfied.
35:15It almost tastes like I'm cheating.
35:23Coming up, comfort food can be nutritious, too.
35:26Cherry tomatoes, walnuts, bouillon, a chunky mix.
35:33Yeah, that's pretty good.
35:34And Vicky and Rob find out how ditching ultra-processed foods has changed their bodies.
35:38Great. Oh, my God.
35:50A shocking amount of our food is ultra-processed.
35:52To me, it's revoltingly artificial.
35:56And we've been helping the Graham family change up their diet to avoid it,
36:00which means cooking three meals a day from scratch.
36:04Just constant washing.
36:09But it doesn't have to be difficult.
36:11One of their regular dinners was pasta and a ready-made sauce,
36:15often ultra-processed with lots of additives.
36:17But I've got a recipe they can swap in that's nutritious, delicious and fuss-free.
36:24It's called broccoli and walnut or a chiette, and it's dead simple.
36:28It's really quick. Everyone can do it.
36:35The first thing we're going to do is to get our pasta on the boil.
36:38Or a chiette means ears in Italian.
36:41If you can't find this one, anything like a shell or even penne will work,
36:46because that's going to hold the sauce really nicely.
36:49Don't be frightened of using white pasta.
36:51It's actually healthier for you than white rice and has more protein and more fibre.
36:56Plain pasta is just processed wheat, not ultra-processed,
37:01and a great vehicle for your veggies with all their nutrients.
37:05We're going to chop up the broccoli next.
37:07As you can tell from its bright green colour,
37:09means that's packed with these defence chemicals of plants, these polyphenols.
37:14It's got sulforaphanes, which are really good for your heart,
37:17and act as antioxidants, a really good source of fibre.
37:21And of course, the more fibre you add to this dish,
37:23the more you're going to reduce those sugar spikes that you might be getting from the pasta.
37:28Right, now the stem is actually where a lot of the good stuff is.
37:32So what I'm going to do is chop this up into like little matchstick-type slices,
37:37and we're going to add them to the mix as well.
37:40Let's talk about our sauce.
37:43We're going to use natural ingredients.
37:44We've got our cherry tomatoes.
37:48Then, of course, walnuts.
37:49As well as fibre, they've got these really healthy fats in them.
37:52Then we've got bouillon powder, which is homemade stock cube.
37:56Essentially a mix of nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, bit of chilli, bit of salt.
38:02Then we're putting a bit of pepper, and all you do is blend it into a chunky mix.
38:11Until it's nice and smooth, and there you have your paste.
38:14Let's have a taste.
38:18Yeah, that's pretty good.
38:21Add your broccoli to the pan for the last three minutes, and then drain.
38:25But remember to keep some of the broccoli water, which is full of vitamin C.
38:29Okay, so we've got our paste.
38:32We're going to put this into the pan here.
38:36It's quite thick at the moment, so we're going to just add a bit of the liquid here.
38:41So now add the pasta and broccoli, and give it a good stir around.
38:47Let's get it in a bowl.
38:51Lovely.
38:52I'm going to finish it off with something extra, a nut crumb,
38:56which is a mixture of seeds and nuts.
38:59And we're just going to sprinkle that over, adds flavour, and it's also very healthy.
39:06And voila, it's ready.
39:15That is fantastic.
39:16So there you have it, a comfort food made with standard pasta,
39:21but with all the additions we've added, it's not only delicious, it's also really good for you.
39:31Up in Scarborough, it's been six weeks since the Grahams started tackling their ultra-processed addiction.
39:38Vicky's been struggling with all the extra cooking, but she's finally had a breakthrough.
39:42I've realised the key to the process is meal prep.
39:48I think that's been the light bulb moment.
39:49We are batch cooking for the full week ahead's meals, to have them all in the freezer,
39:55so that we know we're prepared.
39:58That's the chicken curry.
40:00That's the chilli con carne.
40:02It's not been easy, but it has now become part of routine.
40:06And I can say honestly, I'm getting into it. I'm quite enjoying it now, actually.
40:13So what have we got to do? Fish.
40:14Hi.
40:16This is for tea tomorrow night, isn't it?
40:18Here it is.
40:20And then the rest can go in the freezer for the rest of the week.
40:24Rob's lunches are looking very different too.
40:27Just decided to make my lunch for my night shift, and I'm pretty chuffed.
40:34Dried fruit and 90% chocolate, my berries, and the main course.
40:42The difference from an instant noodle.
40:47Look at that beast.
40:50A chicken salad, actual greens in there.
40:54I can't believe how, I know this is blowing my own trumpet, but how well I'm doing.
41:00It's not like you.
41:01No, no.
41:02And even the once sugar-addicted kids are enjoying their new snacks.
41:06Do you want to talk like that, or do you want me to cut it up?
41:09Okay.
41:10It's been a massive transformation for the whole family.
41:14Right, who's is this one?
41:15Here we go.
41:16Yeah.
41:17Two bits of broccoli.
41:18I haven't got any broccoli yet.
41:20I haven't done yours yet, obviously.
41:22It comes to something when we're fighting over bloody broccoli, doesn't it?
41:25It's hard to believe this lot once lived off chocolates, sweets, and UPFs.
41:34And now they're eating healthy, nutritious, filling meals.
41:37I want mum's warm with, like, this test water.
41:41I want mum's done.
41:42I want mum's done.
41:43I want mum's done.
41:44I want mum's done.
41:44Mum, yummy, yummy, yummy.
41:46But there's only one way to know exactly how much has changed.
41:58Vicky and Rob are heading to London to repeat their initial health tests.
42:02I think we've done really well.
42:03I think we've put 110% into everything we've done.
42:06Yeah.
42:06I just hope the results show that.
42:09I'll be devastated if not.
42:11Yeah.
42:12I'm quite nervous, actually.
42:15Back when Candy first met these two six weeks ago,
42:18their diet was almost exclusively ultra-processed.
42:21Vicky's lunch was a brownie and Rob's was an instant noodle feast.
42:26And the kids were free-range sugar monsters.
42:29It was making them feel tired, depressed, and overwhelmed.
42:32But the couple I'm seeing now are entirely transformed.
42:38Vicky, Rob, you look great, both of you.
42:40Just a lot more colour in your faces.
42:43You know, you're smiling, you're happier.
42:46And I can just see the difference.
42:47Yeah, it's been life-changing.
42:50It really has actually been life-changing.
42:52Yeah.
42:52In just a few weeks.
42:53Yeah.
42:53Yeah.
42:54I am so excited to tell you guys how well you have done.
42:59Both of you have significant weight loss.
43:01So, you, Rob, have lost nearly a stone.
43:05And you, Vicky, have lost nearly three-quarters of a stone.
43:09Oh, my God.
43:10Oh, very much.
43:11Need some new belts.
43:12Yeah, I need some new holes in them.
43:15When we look at the heart health,
43:17both of your heart health have come down to your ages.
43:19Oh, wow.
43:20I know. That's really good.
43:21That is really good.
43:22It's such a short space of time as well, six weeks.
43:25That's just amazing.
43:26Vicky's previous results showed worrying levels of inflammation,
43:31which affects about one in five of us
43:33and increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
43:37Your CRP, that inflammatory marker, has gone from 11 down to five.
43:42Oh, wow.
43:42I mean, I was very worried when I saw your inflammation level of 11.
43:47Right.
43:47That is really high.
43:48Right.
43:49It's a fantastic result because it's not easy to reduce that, is it?
43:53It's not easy, no.
43:53We don't see that very often.
43:54Wow. Welcome.
43:56I'm flabbergasted, really.
43:58She'll be proud.
43:59I am proud, actually.
44:00Yeah.
44:01But it just shows that changing eating habits have a massive impact on your body.
44:09Rob's previous insulin results had shown that a diabetes diagnosis might be round the corner,
44:14something that's up to six times more likely if you have a family history.
44:18But now...
44:19Your markers have gone from 18.6 to 10.5.
44:23To see such a big drop in that is really impressive in just a few weeks.
44:28That was one of the most exciting things I saw in the results.
44:31Wow.
44:31It's crazy.
44:32It's crazy what's actually happened, how much difference, how much change.
44:36I know.
44:37So, despite these really big changes, you've not been hungry at all?
44:41No.
44:41Not at all.
44:42I've been...
44:43I've felt more full.
44:45Are you not missing the noodles?
44:48Definitely not.
44:49I don't think we can look at noodles now in the supermarket, can we?
44:52No.
44:54Tell me about the chocolate.
44:56Yes, you're eating a lot of milky, sort of sweet, sugary chocolate.
45:00Yes.
45:00Since day one, on the dot, we've not had a single piece of chocolate like that
45:04in the house at all.
45:06I went straight to 90, you went...
45:07Ooh, hardcore.
45:08Yeah.
45:10And actually, we had some 80% chocolate in the other week,
45:13and it tasted really sweet.
45:15And I just want to say as well, like, I was worried about how much more
45:19it would cost eating healthier, but we are still within our budget.
45:24And now you're buying healthy food with that money rather than unhealthy food.
45:27Yes, yeah.
45:28And the kids?
45:29The kids have completely embraced it.
45:31Even checking packets, asking what's in stuff,
45:34wanting to help make meals and things out.
45:37Yeah.
45:37I think you're amazing because, you know, you've got difficult lives,
45:40you've got four young kids, you've got tough jobs, you've got shift work,
45:44you've got everything against you, and you've managed to beat it all.
45:49And you should be both immensely proud.
45:51Fantastic job, guys.
45:52Thank you very much.
45:53Really great.
45:54Thank you for helping.
45:55It does.
45:59I can't quite believe how dramatic the weight loss was.
46:03Yeah.
46:04Definitely.
46:04Yeah.
46:04I'm really proud of the kids as well, how much they've adapted.
46:08The future for me feels really exciting.
46:11We'll just continue like what we're doing.
46:13What we're doing.
46:14We've got such positive results in such a short amount of time.
46:18There's no way I'm going back.
46:21No.
46:21I've enjoyed every single minute of it.
46:23Next time, I find out the grim realities of ultra-processed meat.
46:34Transglutaminase or also known as meat glue.
46:37Oh, yummy.
46:38And Dr Candy shocks another family with the scale of their UPF habit.
46:43Oh, my God.
46:45We're looking at about 91,000 calories.
46:52More next Tuesday at eight.
46:54On Thursday, Dr Rangan Chatterjee promises radically simple solutions to help us live happier, healthier, and longer.
47:00Live well with the drug-free doctor at eight.
47:03And brand new at eight tomorrow, some serial movers get some Kirstie and Phil home truths in the return of Love It or List It.
47:10Like today, our final update, that may be helpful for our sake and not alone, there has failed here.
47:19ã…‹ã…‹
47:21With Mitarbeiter, Du 놀 Actaint Mag가지 from other folks, only needs to come to this movie,
47:24we're looking at watching the event before we be gone.
47:25We're looking at the creativity of radio客 and basic drug causes to contribute a lot.
47:29And it comes at gain results.
47:30We'll actually be at a boastful country with regard to the defeat,
47:34and we'll视 ersee.
47:35And we'll see you soon.
Be the first to comment