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Food

Confused about UPF

(28 Posts)
Mollygo Sun 23-Feb-25 15:40:08

I’m reading articles about keeping healthy by what we eat. GN has already discussed how UPF are bad for you.
Today I came across this, about whether to eat butter or spreads.
^Not so long ago, spreads were made by hardening vegetable oils into a butter-like consistency using a process called partial hydrogenation. This created trans fats, now known to be bad for heart health, so these days manufacturers of spreads sold in the UK use a different technique called interesterification to harden the oils.

If the manufacturer has used interesterificationto harden the oils, the product is a UPF. “The problem is, manufacturers don’t disclose whether the vegetable fats used are fluid or hard (interesterified).”
There was a long list of all the spreads Les which were identified as UPF including
Anchor, Clover , Yeo Valley, pure, proactive, Bena ok, Bertolli

So now, UPF are good for you?
It’s no wonder I’m confused.

Incidentally, the tastiest healthy diet food I’ve recently been recommended to eat, as a portion of vegetables with my meal, is cauliflower mash. This involves steaming the cauliflower then putting it in a blender with butter and cream and cheese.
It tastes delicious, but I normally eat cauliflower just steamed without any addition, so is it any healthier?

Mollygo Mon 24-Feb-25 21:29:28

Aveline

President butter is our special treat.

Well done! You’re supporting Europe not China or the US (though I don’t see anywhere that’s identifies the packaging is not from outside the EU.)
Interestingly, my President says, not for EU

Aveline Mon 24-Feb-25 21:01:24

President butter is our special treat.

Mollygo Mon 24-Feb-25 19:28:47

I’m doing what we were advised-support GB or Europe, so I buy President butter and Lurpak- yet once again it seems that’s wrong.
Sainsbury’s often has Nectar offers on those two items, but I’ve never seen them on Welsh or English butter.

Allira Mon 24-Feb-25 18:58:11

Witzend

Aveline

One word - Lurpak 😋

What’s wrong with British butter? Assuming you’re in the U.K. of course. I can never understand why so many people are so keen to support Danish farmers, rather than our own.

Taste. I do buy British butter but Lurpak just has a different taste.

Norah Mon 24-Feb-25 14:34:10

Ours daughters like butter.

Whip half butter & half Italian olive oil together. Spreads easily.

Witzend Mon 24-Feb-25 14:25:49

Aveline

One word - Lurpak 😋

What’s wrong with British butter? Assuming you’re in the U.K. of course. I can never understand why so many people are so keen to support Danish farmers, rather than our own.

Allira Mon 24-Feb-25 10:40:42

vegansrock

Anyone who thinks butter is unprocessed forget that it has been processed through an unnaturally bred cow who has been fed on goodness knows what, kept indoors, given hormones/ antibiotics etc and slaughtered in a kill line .

You are wrong about feeding cows hormones as they are not used in the UK.

However, you are right - milk is really just UHP grass.

We could just liquidate the lawn mowings and spread those on our toast instead and reduce the processing.

Mollygo Mon 24-Feb-25 10:33:45

Aveline

One word - Lurpak 😋

I like Lurpak but they didn’t make big announcements about reducing the amount of butter in it, which annoyed me!

M0nica Mon 24-Feb-25 10:07:35

vegansrock

Anyone who thinks butter is unprocessed forget that it has been processed through an unnaturally bred cow who has been fed on goodness knows what, kept indoors, given hormones/ antibiotics etc and slaughtered in a kill line .

That does not apply to organic or Pasture for Life daiy products.

Aveline Mon 24-Feb-25 07:05:29

One word - Lurpak 😋

vegansrock Mon 24-Feb-25 06:39:28

Anyone who thinks butter is unprocessed forget that it has been processed through an unnaturally bred cow who has been fed on goodness knows what, kept indoors, given hormones/ antibiotics etc and slaughtered in a kill line .

M0nica Sun 23-Feb-25 19:21:16

I buy organic dairy products.

watermeadow Sun 23-Feb-25 19:12:10

I don’t want to support the cruel dairy industry so I use Flora, but that’s a UPF. It’s impossible to avoid UPFs, the best I can do is to read the ingredients and not buy stuff with long lists or things I’ve never heard of.

JamesandJon33 Sun 23-Feb-25 19:03:15

Another one for butter here. Welsh if possible

pascal30 Sun 23-Feb-25 18:47:04

I always use butter or olive oil.. natural and pure

M0nica Sun 23-Feb-25 18:39:33

I an another who uses butter - and always has. Mainly because I haven't found a butter substitute that I liked.

Mollygo Sun 23-Feb-25 17:44:29

RosieandherMaw

Could I make that with cauliflower rice?
I bought a huge bag and haven’t the faintest what to do with it!

As for spreads, I find it all too complicated, and just use butter at room temperature.

I’d think so. It would cut out using the food processor element.
The recipe says
One whole large cauliflower, 2 tablespoons of double cream, 2 tablespoons of butter and 60 g of grated hard cheese.
I don’t use the cheese because my husband doesn’t like it.
Dice the stem, cut the cauliflower into chunks, put it in a large bowl and add the cream and butter.
Microwave on high for four minutes, stir, then cook for further 3 to 4 minutes until there is no resistance.
Put into a blender with the grated cheese and add salt and pepper and blend until a smooth.
A large cauliflower does much more than I need for one meal so I pack in boxes either in the fridge or the freezer.
Thaw out and reheat.

Norah Sun 23-Feb-25 17:06:16

RosieandherMaw

Could I make that with cauliflower rice?
I bought a huge bag and haven’t the faintest what to do with it!

As for spreads, I find it all too complicated, and just use butter at room temperature.

I grate cauliflower into "rice'' saute in a dab of olive oil, add salt& pepper.

Use as rice - for those in our family on diets or worried to carbs.

RosieandherMaw Sun 23-Feb-25 16:55:26

Could I make that with cauliflower rice?
I bought a huge bag and haven’t the faintest what to do with it!

As for spreads, I find it all too complicated, and just use butter at room temperature.

keepingquiet Sun 23-Feb-25 16:50:40

I use both. I don't worry about either.

Aveline Sun 23-Feb-25 16:17:09

Just use butter

M0nica Sun 23-Feb-25 16:09:38

Experiments on mice show that this new process is probably no better than its predecessor, as it may cause different harm www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-63488-9

The other worry is what is done to the oil sources before the vegetable oil is used to make the spread.The oleaginous plant source s is crushed, pressed, more oil is then chemically treated before being bleached and having any flavour removed prepcookingclasses.com/how-is-cooking-oil-made

Mollygo Sun 23-Feb-25 16:01:19

How is something with additional fats, healthier than the same food, enjoyable without additional fats?

JamesandJon33 Sun 23-Feb-25 15:52:55

Split hairs

ViceVersa Sun 23-Feb-25 15:51:45

JamesandJon33

Yes it is healthier as it contains no carbohydrates

Cauliflower is low in carbohydrates, but it does contain some.