Are you addicted to ultra-processed food? Nutritionist Rob Hobson warns about the health risks hidden in our kitchen presses

Convenient, often cheap and sometimes seen as the healthy option, ultra-processed foods are eaten by most of us on a daily basis. Here, in an extract from his new book, nutritionist Rob Hobson warns of their hidden health dangers and encourages us to break free from the addiction and cook our own simple alternatives

Author and award-winning nutritionist Rob Hobson wants us to overcome our addiction to additives and eat more wholefoods. Photo: Ola O Smit

Rob HobsonSun 28 Jan 2024 at 02:30

Our relationship with food is ever-evolving, and convenience is one of the main drivers for the most transformative shifts in how we eat. Rapid lifestyles and the need for instant gratification mean we are surrounded by choices that promise quick meals, tantalising flavours, artificially added health benefits and cheap food.

This is about more than what we purchase from the local supermarket, too, as there has been a considerable increase in the amount of food delivered to or eaten out of the home, regardless of income. However, beneath the allure of convenience lies a concern: the pervasive existence of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

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