Should you be eating food products with fewer ingredients?

Kerry Clayton, a resident of Kent, faces a daily challenge when it comes to shopping and cooking. Living a life free from gluten, citrus, and tomatoes, along with her 10-year-old son’s dairy and wheat allergies, requires careful planning. They navigate through multiple stores each week to find the best free-from options available, preparing adaptable meals like jacket potatoes and pasta, and baking cakes and cookies from scratch. Despite the time-consuming nature of her dietary restrictions, Kerry finds solace in products like M&S’s Only range, which offers items with six ingredients or fewer, even if it means paying higher prices compared to standard options.

In response to the rising concern around ultra-processed food, more retailers and food brands are following M&S’s lead by offering products with fewer ingredients. Matthew Hopkins, founder of IND!E, has seen a significant increase in retailer interest in low-ingredient foods, with a surge of orders coming from platforms like Ocado, Selfridges, and John Lewis. This shift reflects the growing consumer demand for simpler ingredient lists and more transparent food options.

THIS, a plant-based brand known for its meat-free products, recently launched a Super Superfoods range to address the shift away from heavily processed alternatives. While acknowledging the classification of their products as ultra-processed, THIS emphasizes the nutritional value of their offerings, highlighting the protein, fiber, and low sugar content. Luke Byrne, innovation and sustainability director at THIS, is focused on dispelling consumer confusion surrounding processed foods and artificial additives, emphasizing the importance of nutritional properties over processing methods.

The debate over ultra-processed food has sparked conversations among nutritionists like Dr. Laura Wyness and Dr. Jibin He. While acknowledging the emphasis on simpler ingredients, Dr. Wyness warns against neglecting essential fortified nutrients in pursuit of shorter lists. Dr. He argues that the classification of foods as processed or unprocessed can be misleading, as many processed foods like tofu offer valuable nutritional benefits and play a crucial role in feeding a growing population. As the market shifts towards less processed options, Dr. He advises food brands to streamline their formulas, adopt innovative processing technologies, and focus on creating products with higher nutritional retention and longer shelf life without compromising quality

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