‘This is an emergency’ - Chris van Tulleken on how our diet is killing us

What is ultra-processed food? And do we really know what it’s doing to our bodies, our health, and the planet?
(Subscribe: bit.ly/C4_News_Subscribe)
Chris van Tulleken is a doctor and TV presenter who says most of the food that we eat isn’t really food. “Whether you're eating a burger, or a piece of fried chicken, or a breakfast cereal, there are illusions of texture. There will be little crunches and pops and snaps and greasy bits and dry bits and chewy bits. But it's all inhalably fast-to-eat and the hormones that tell you to stop just can't keep up.”
His latest book, ‘Ultra-Processed People’, explores how ultra-processed food is designed to fuel addiction and is creating an epidemic of diet-related disease.
Today, Chris joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Ways to Change the World to discuss the dangers of a UPF diet, and why urgent government regulation is needed.
-------
Watch more of our explainer series here - • Coronavirus Explained
Get more news at our site - www.channel4.com/news/
Follow us:
Facebook - / channel4news
Twitter - / channel4news
TikTok - / c4news
Instagram - / channel4news

[@garylifo]

People who can articulate a message this clearly and simply are worth their weight in gold. This guy needs to be heard by a very wide audience. The interviewer was also excellent

[@joshua.910]

He's also super lovely, I've had a few conversations with him on twitter, guys a top bloke :)

[@Cee1003]

Dr Robert Lustig is another great person who has a book Metabolical covers same topic found him on youtube when I was looking for help with diabetes a few years ago. Without these people, I'd probably be on insulin by now. Pre diabetic now and going the right direction.

[@connkrmclean3969]

​@@Cee1003,, az z Az z z, z,

[@connkrmclean3969]

​@@Cee1003w6w8e😅 -😅😅

[@ArifAli-hg1eq]

Very true.

[@koilpoju]

I grew up in Lithuania in the 90s. Our family was poor, and we only ate home cooked meals. My grandmother had a garden, a cow and a few pigs, and we always made our own food (butter, cream, sausages). I continue cooking, and sometimes it’s something super simple: boiled eggs, tomato :) but when I moved to UK I was shocked at the amount of fake foods. Never liked it, and I am very happy about it.

[@ajersongargar1157]

I grew up in Malaysia, my family was poor too. But my mum cooks meal everyday, just fish, soup, vegetables, chicken. Sometimes pancakes for treats. All cooked and eaten the same day. When I moved to the UK, nearly six years ago, I was surprised to see the massive amount of ready meals sold. The entire aisle is dedicated for these processed food. Just mind-blowing!

[@eloiskapole7751]

the UK has the worse diet in Europe, it's cultural, the attitude to food is different to the rest of Europe.

[@muttersmenu2422]

Try Aussie junk food it is in a class of it’s own and the country is getting more obese.

[@juha9703]

Dairy, meat and eggs don't become any healthier is they are homemade or not. You have to eat whole food plant based to be healthy.

[@s12_22g]

​@@juha9703Not 100% true for all, bodies are different and reacts differently.

[@Rita-je6ix]

Physical health and Mental health are BOTH destroyed by addiction to ultra-processed foods. Great interview!

[@tofu-munchingCoalition.ofChaos]

From what I've seen in the scientific literature and from what I've seen obese people eat you're by using your own words "addiction" closer to the problem than with what you're point to: "ulta-processed food". It's inequate nutrients per kcal and what's called hyper-palatable ("addiction") food that seem to be the issue. A lot of ulta-processed food is just hyper-palatable and low in nutrients per kcal. But there are exceptions (food that's ulta-processed but not associated to societally level health problems).

[@jamisona.5639]

Facts plus tax!!!

[@mihaeladog7187]

I grew up in Eastern Europe ( long time ago 😂)and gone through my whole childhood without cereals or processed foods .I never gained weight as an adult and never been sick except a couple of flues).I think being poor early in life saved my life , we were forced to eat organic and make our own “ processed “ food by canning and smoking . Thanks mom ❤

[@elyjane8316]

I grew up in a Jewish house. The food was not ultra processed at all. I have always scratch ccoked, and I can honestly say I have never had a take out. I have seen them and they really don't look or smell nice. PS: I never eat the crusts

[@LafemmebearMusic]

@@elyjane8316you’ve been out to eat before and you’ve definitely had a take out. Now are you a person who rarely does that like truly rarely? Yes maybe you are but let’s not speak in hyperbole simply for effect as it has the opposite 😅

[@AndyTriesToCook]

Same here. Grew up without all the cereal we have nowadays and I don't have it in the house for our kids. Oatmeal, homemade pancakes or eggs is what they have as breakfast options.

[@rupertcaney]

"The purpose of food, historically, has been about love and nourishment, and feeding friends, family, and community. And that has determined our physiology". And now we have companies making ultra-processed food purely for mass profit. We're in real trouble here. This video is fantastic, and much needed 🙌

[@dambrooks7578]

UPF lead to the rise of the isolation, do you think?

[@christopherellis2663]

Many people eat at home before dark. The "community aspect " is pure fantasy. 😅

[@dambrooks7578]

@@christopherellis2663 I've experienced many groups that use eating as a focal point of their daily social workout, or have you never experienced Mediterranean culture?

[@tonyclack5901]

Why is this video so fantastic when the Dr explains all the poisons in our food and then goes on to admit he feeds the same poison to his children but does not even try to feed them organic which is the only way.

[@davidgriffin79]

@@tonyclack5901 Because his children don't see the alternatives as food and he's not an authoritarian. He's trying to inspire his children to eat healthily rather than force them, which they'll just rebel against.

[@oreoandoz7723]

Here in Canada we recently had what our media dubbed "Buttergate." So many Canadians began baking again over the pandemic, and wondered why the butter, left to soften on the counter, didn't soften any more. It stayed hard. It emerged that our butter companies had been quietly cutting the dairy in our butter with palm oil. Canadians saw red! we got super upset! We didn't even know they'd been doing it... and with butter at a ridiculous 7 or 8.99$ cdn a brick, and its half palm oil!? Seriously, that's actual fraud. :/

[@DrummerDucky]

Palm oil or butter, they're both nasty for your arteries as the both contain similarly high amount of saturated fat.

[@dieweltistbunt]

​@@DrummerDucky thats actually wrong. There is no proof, that saturatwd fat is causing artheroscleolis. Dont believe this outdated information spread. The real cause for this is inflamation, which is caused by sugar consumption. There have been old studies from the 60/70ies, where Scientist tried to proove this sat. Fat bullshit and they failed. studies were then Hidden/dropped. I have been eating Low Fat my while life an dended Up with CHD with the age of 43. (i've been doing Sports all my life). Now i know ITS the processed good full of sugar and carbohydrates. why..its th

[@earthli-world]

It's pretty ridiculous what goes on.. We need to move forwards!

[@Noor-kp1yb]

I’d love to eat more fish but it’s so expensive

[@HiddenHandMedia]

​@@DrummerDucky butter is good for you

[@Geonopedi]

Minor point but i really appreciate Dr Chris crediting "mainly female domestic scientists" - giving women the recognition they deserve in ancient science

[@HelenEk7]

I also like the way he talks about the poor, and the obese - with much respect and understanding. He is a great communicator.

[@liannehanson594]

What he was actually saying is that females have been changing food for centuries for preservation, not that female scientists have been fighting the cause. My ears pricked up at the mention. However, he was actually saying women took on the role of domestic scientists in the way they cooked and preserved food.

[@liannehanson594]

Domestic science means 'home cooking.' I was taught domestic science at school...hes not bigging up female scientists here. Hes saying 'home' cooks

[@Paythepipertoplay]

Teaching kids how to grow food is possibly the best lesson to be taught. It teaches attention, how to nurture and the benefits of those things.

[@orthodoxblue7252]

So,teach every kid how to farm their own food? LOL Absolute drivvle.

[@Paythepipertoplay]

@orthodoxblue7252 what an excellent contribution you must be so happy.

[@imarip9781]

Exactly, Also patience, perseverance, self sufficiency

[@EuanWhitehead]

Its only recently been something most peole dont do now funny enough ​@@orthodoxblue7252

[@peggyunderhill601]

I’m 82. 5 years ago I stopped eating most processed foods. Olive oil instead of seed oils. I use lard or bacon fat if and when I fry anything. I mostly shop the outside aisles of the store where meats and veggies live. My blood pressure is normal, my sore knees and hips no longer hurt, my brain is sharp and I’ve lost weight. Rarely eat out. Food prep can be a pain sometimes, but I keep it simple. It’s really not difficult.

[@kathrynsteadman397]

Surely lard and bacon fat are not healthy?

[@toppinzr3743]

@@kathrynsteadman397 I eat lowfat whole foods plant-based, the unhealthy things that person mentioned eating would not be included. No vegetable oils either, some nuts and seeds. It gets its deliciousness from the flavors of the whole foods, and from various herbs, which I use a lot of. I also enjoy some artificial flavorings, including MSG.

[@helenpixels]

@@kathrynsteadman397 We've been eating animal fats for millions of years, our bodies know what to do with it. We haven't been eating UPFs for more than a few decades. Nautral fats aren't unhealthy, ultra processed fats (usually trans fats) are not.

[@motomoto2296]

​@@kathrynsteadman397those are healthy fats, because they are stable. Trans fats and many seed oils are the unstable fats which oxidise easily and cause blocked arteries by creating small LDL cholesterol molecules which embed in the artery which itself has been corrupted because of sugar. Large LDL and any HDL cholesterol are good. You need to watch your Triglycerides and keep them low. Research the keto diet. I lost 18kg by eating high fat, low carb. I banished all sugar and all ultra processed food. I won't go back. Fructose is as bad on the liver as alcohol. Insulin in the key factor. It blocks fat burning and promotes fat storage. High fat and high protein don't cause insulin spikes. So you can eat fat and your body learns to burn fat. Eskimo populations only eat blubber and meat and they have the lowest incidence of heart disease in the world.

[@Tardyrover]

who told you this? the margarine makers.....@@kathrynsteadman397

[@conormahon3380]

This is the most significant interview I have seen in years, the breadth of demographics and social groups it affects and the impact that it has on them is vast

[@debb6393]

It works too, you stop craving and you lose weight.

[@emmanuelmendonca3922]

For a mainstream news show it's quite big. However, alternative information and views is widely available from medical professionals on KZbin and Twitter.

[@roopney]

no it isnt and in any of these cases ask yourself "are they selling something" will be true 99% of the time. in this case a book. coco pops are great.

[@Sophiesmakeupbag]

This was my favourite thing about the book, actually, and is something I'd like to see discussed more. The intersection between socio-economic standing and (forced) reliance on UPFs is pretty horrifying.

[@werewolfcountry]

@@roopney you don’t make much on books… you do make a lot if you’re a food company that doesn’t want regulations and taxes that reduce your profit margins.

[@pbandjedi5006]

When I started becoming sensitive to foods I had to start label reading to avoid certain items that would make me ill. Doing this really opened my eyes to the knowledge that at least 80% of what is in a grocery store is not food. It may be edible but it's not food, it has little to no nutritional value. The next thing I noticed it people seem to think it's cheaper, it's not. Healthy real unprocessed food is actually cheaper than the processed alternatives. The 3rd thing I noticed is so few people know how to cook meals, it's a skill that has been lost in our very busy world. It's not a perfect world and I don't shame people if they have no alternatives or no access to healthy food but there is a lot of education that is missing.

[@TrueMinnesotan]

But it hasn’t always been like that it used to be cheaper. But you get people hooked at a lower price and then the consumer is already hooked and locked in so the prices go up and ignore the real food

[@michaeltruman3218]

Great interview. I have a 25 year old son who never ate junk food. I introduced him to great dinners at a young age and we use to cook together and I taught him to read product ingredients from a young age. I do have a brother whose son is a nightmare to eat anything approaching real food. I see this as a real issue facing society today and I welcome you shinning a light it.

[@willawonky535]

That's good parenting. Nowadays I see toddlers drinking very sweet juices and Fanta, very young children who don't even have all their theet yet, getting fries and burgers from their parents. Those children will seriously struggle making heatlhy choices growing up imo.

[@user-zi1kr4kd1v]

I don't know if it's all about parenting some people are genetically more inclined to enjoy certain tastes and foods so at least part of it has a genetic component. My parents were very pro healthy foods and make their own breads and yogurts and every meal had fruit or vegetables. My ( now adult brother) would live on junk food and sometimes does and as a kid used pocket money to buy processed white bread because he loved it so much 😂 and we weren't allowed to eat it and I'm addicted to desserts but still eat a relatively healthy diet because for me it's easier to cook and eat the same way I was taught too and I'd rather spend money money on clothes and a mortgage than KFC. I just believe it's often more complex than eating well as a child.

[@Cee1003]

My son has ASD and textures of veg make it difficult for him to eat. He's tired of me going on at him but at 26, his weight is going on now. Not easy.

[@johnrodgers2018]

Not quite parenting, I have four kids with massively different tastes, some took to healthy non processed, others were a fight at every meal.

[@jovoorheescollinsmphbsnbch6245]

I have twin 15 yr old kids, and they tell their friends I'm a health nut because I make them read labels and when they want something ultra processed I tell them "well we're gonna make it ourselves!" And they say "but why?!?" And I say "because then we know EXACTLY what is actually in it!" 😁😁😁😁😁

[@TheSpanishGuitarHub]

Two years ago I switched to a non-processed diet. I cook a lot, but my health improved so much. I lost 15kg, and I lost all my allergy symptoms and stomach problems that I had from food. I look younger and feel amazing. The best thing that I have done for my health. No dairy, no wheat products, just natural food. Meat, vegetables, fruits, rice and potatoes.

[@hmq9052]

What an immensely dull existence

[@TheSpanishGuitarHub]

@@hmq9052 I disagree. My diet is varied and I live a full life. The only difference is that I cook more and do not poison my body. The dull existence was before when I had a non-stop allergy, and headaches similar to a hungover sometimes for 3 days. From food.

[@FabianMacGintyONeill]

@@hmq9052 Honestly, not dull at all, there's nothing better than setting up a podcast, pouring a glass of wine and getting stuck into taking 2-3 hours to cook a really nice meal, for yourself or for others. It's one of life's great pleasures.

[@Depresseddonut17]

@@hmq9052 I’d rather have this ‘dull’ existence than my life being cut short. The time that is saved from eating fast food shaves off years of life.

[@RankinMsP]

Rice is processed, it's grown yes but it's not natural

[@sandriagutierrez2605]

I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s. We only ate out on rare occasions. McDonald’s, KFC, were treats, not daily or weekly indulgences. It’s so hard to watch our youth fat, sick, and unmotivated. They’re being robbed, and they don’t even know it!

[@jessieb7290]

Very true. It’s a bit like the theory that say a person won the lottery, what would they do after they’ve done everything on earth? They’d get bored. I think a lot of the time it comes down to not being educated on nutrition, what we know about nutrition mainly comes from past info, not science. I feel like some people eat from boredom or addictions to food or eating disorders, bingeing is now a recognised eating disorder.

[@simonh6371]

It's not just the youth now, it's every age group.

[@sandriagutierrez2605]

@@simonh6371 true

[@simonh6371]

@@jessieb7290 Theres' no excuse for not being educated on food. People have more access to more information than ever before in human history and spend god knows how many hours online each day. Yet it doesn't cross their minds to find out about probably the most aspect of life after breathing? How stupid is that?

[@vismis101]

@@simonh6371 and the guy said not to talk down to or demonize those who eat upfs - especially as for many it is all they can afford. They can afford it due to it being cheaper not only from cheap ingredients but also from funding he talks about AND subsidies that we pay for too...

[@rolandstockham1905]

Excellent presentation. As a nurse I have been trying to promote these ideas for 20yrs and feeling like a very small voice so it is great to see this becoming more mainstream

[@sharonpalmer2523]

We have been eating a plant based diet for a month now and my food shopping bill is actually £25 less each week, so it’s not more expensive to eat healthy, because meat and meat product and dairy are expensive

[@Eli-vf7io]

Many years ago, Jamie `Oliver tried to change school meals. They pushed him out. I hope Chris is more successful.

[@beybey384]

it was inevitably going to fail, you can't just introduce that kind of change to a demographic who could care less about the substances of their food as long as it tastes good. If he actually explained the implications and impacts of such a diet and why a change is imperative, along with the menu change, it would of went differently.

[@Ariella-mx3xq4cw6n]

The mothers were feeding the children through the school rails. The parents did nothing to help their children. It was them encouraging the bad eating.

[@HelenEk7]

I watched the Jamie Oliver series on school meals. It gave me hope. But as you said, he didn't succeed in his mission. But perhaps people are more ready to receive the message now. I hope so.

[@MrMatt135791113]

What do you mean they "pushed him out"? School dinners completely changed and he became a household name.

[@Ariella-mx3xq4cw6n]

@@MrMatt135791113 Jamie Oliver was already a household name before the school dinner programmes. At the time they did not succeed in changing the school dinners to healthier versions. Today? We have overweight, and obese children, with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes reaching epidemic proportions in these children and young people. In the 1960s Type 2 diabetes was know as an illness of old age. Over 70 years. There was no pre diabetes. It was known as Insulin Resistance. Basically the blood sugar reached a certain level in the blood and you were diabetic. By the late 1980s - 1990s this was 'forgotten' or ignored when gradually it became known as pre-diabetes. Today people are suffering from Metabolic Syndrome of which Insulin Resistance (pre-diabetes) is a part. So was there an improvement in diet overall?????

[@johntovey8289]

A brilliant and very clear interview. I’ve read the book and have learnt so much from it. My shopping habits have altered as a result. I am fortunate to have the time and skill to cook my meals from scratch so I know what my husband and I are consuming It’s time home economics came back into the national curriculum We all need to know how to cook our own food from basic ingredients Surely this is a fundamental life skill our children need to learn as basic as reading and writing

[@brianwalker1933]

Why want schools to teach your children how to cook, surely this can be taught at home by the parent.

[@johntovey8289]

@@brianwalker1933 I agree that’s the best place to learn if parents are home cooks but sadly many adults are not confident cooks as evidenced by the many tv shows about helping people eat better

[@wetwank]

@@brianwalker1933as if all parents have time and resources to do this

[@karolinakocemba6291]

Agree! ❤

[@karolinakocemba6291]

@@brianwalker1933re you kidding me?! Both me and my partner work full time. I actually make time to cook as healthy as possible, but life is so hectic and stressful. We do not live in utopia

[@AndrewPawley11]

We all owe Chris van Tulleken a great deal for this work.

[@GFunkTube]

I was way over morbidly obese and Chis' book was the only thing that switched the habits. Thanks. Lost 45lbs so far.

[@emilygilbeyful]

That's amazing! Hope you are doing well still! Congratulations!

[@GFunkTube]

@@emilygilbeyful Hi Emily, thanks! Yes all good. 50lbs now. Just cooking real food and avoiding UPF really. Warm wishes, G.

[@alistairdarby]

It bugs me that we have “health food” shops which literally just sell “food”. They aren’t selling health food. They’re selling actual food. We wouldn’t eat as much if we ate food that actually filled us up. We’ve all been conned.

[@tonyclack5901]

Correct. It has all been designed to make people ill, then the pharmaceutical companies are on hand to treat not cure those illnesses.

[@jessieb7290]

True!

[@ZsuzsaKarolySmith]

I don’t know what you mean by health food shops? H&B? Hardly! Supermarkets sell whole foods too - it’s just that we have to spend a lot of time preparing meals from scratch - and most people are plain lazy or just don’t have the time.

[@simonh6371]

It's not about food being ''filling'', I think the UK is the only country in the world where food being ''filling'' is classed as good. If you eat very nutritious food like for example mackerel, herring, avocado you don't need to fill up as your body tells you that you're getting loads of nutrients, so you don't need to eat vast quantities. Whereas with food low in nutrients you need to eat a lot and fill up because your body is registering the tiny amount of nutrients in it and telling you to eat much more. The other weird UK take on food is ''food is fuel''. Try just putting fuel in your car and not bothering with oil, brake fluid, antifreeze etc and it will break down in months. Human bodies are far far more complex than cars.

[@simonh6371]

@@ZsuzsaKarolySmith People have got even lazier in the last couple of years, before it was bad enough that most just bought a package which they shove in the microwave, now they just do some stuff on their phone and someone brings the hot food to them. It's obviously very big here because the delivery riders are all over the place and the irritating stupid ads constantly pop up here on yt.

[@leightoncooke]

I’ve been eating a Mediterranean diet for many years, with olive oil, butter, fish and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Combined with exercise, it keeps me fit in my retirement.

[@bethanp3453]

I stopped eating processed food a while ago and actually i don't find it more expensive eating what I call 'ingredients from the earth'. I bought a big stew pot, I cook big batches of curry, chilli, Bolognese etc, I dont worry about calories just use natural ingredients, portion it up, put it in the freezer and I have dozens of meals ready to go. I've also found that with natural ingredients I eat less often so that saves money. I dont keep chocolate, sweets, crisps or ready meals in the house. Its right that you have to rethink what food is. Ignore that people on TV eat a lot, ignore the adverts, ignore the tricks in the shops trying to draw you in. Stick to your own path and its quite affordable. The cost of living crisis doesnt help but I feel like I'd be spending so much more if I still ate pre-made junk items.

[@maalikserebryakov]

Do you study the chains of transmission of your food? I recently decided for the heck of it to “follow” the chain of basmati rice i was buying. The source thrned out to be a field near a chinese river contaminated with “low” amounts of arsenic and industrial waste 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Neophema]

That's terrible! I need to do this too... @@maalikserebryakov

[@mintygrey]

There's nuance in "more expensive". You own a hob to cook pots of food, and a freezer for batching food. But real below the breadline poor families may not have a hob, or a freezer, or even a fridge. Dr Chris talks in other interviews about families who only own a microwave to do all of their cooking. So it's great that it's been financially viable for you, but it's relative. It's only since listening to Dr Chris that I've really started appreciating the privilege with which I can look at my family's food choices.

[@bethanhamer.8669]

😂is anything safe anymore

[@bethanhamer.8669]

@@mintygreyfair comment , and they can’t afford cooking bill sure fuel . It’s a messed up world

[@user-js9go5jw6j]

"The purpose of food, historically, has been about love and nourishment, and feeding friends, family, and community. And that has determined our physiology". And now we have companies making ultra-processed food purely for mass profit. We're in real trouble here. This video is fantastic, and much needed

[@dreambig326]

I'm 28 and have been eating home-made meals for lunch my whole life(I'm from eastern Europe). Yes it's time-consuming but it tastes and feels better, I can't eat highly processed food bcs it simply tastes fake and I'd get stomach problems. I recently moved to Germany and now have to pay a lot more for normal food but it's worth it.

[@healthytrout]

Same here, it's the EE person moving west shock that real food is not easy to find.

[@dreamcat4]

@@healthytrout and from the reverse perspective being here - i love finding the good quality (healthier) but affordably priced real food coming from other countries. - my gratitudes :)

[@clozza4033]

A lot of my 🇵🇱 colleagues have never had a McDonalds and have never had a KFC since they moved here 🇬🇧 if we have conversations about food, they always talk about home cooking, going to the butchers to get the right meat etc. Makes you realise how the UK depends on restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets filled with mostly junk food.

[@derekarnold3665]

Agree with you. I live in the south of France and never eat processed foods, and enjoy cooking. It's amazing what you can do with fresh seasonal vegetables, herbs and olive oil. People need to rediscover the art of cooking instead of eating convenience (processed foods).

[@hmq9052]

Just for lunch?

[@danielparsons2859]

It's great to hear people talking about this more. I grew up with cigarettes everywhere and society is far better now. The same thing needs to happen with the food industry. Health warnings, packaging restrictions, a nutrition tax that makes unhealthy foods expensive.

[@Hevva67]

My Das smoked 20 a day, he ate non processed food, food cooked from scratch, but high in saturates, but it was the cigarettes that hardened his arteries and caused him to develop an Aneurysm.,

[@TheUntypicals]

But now vaping is everywhere, nothing changes...

[@stevenhull5025]

Nutrition tax?? According to the "health experts" fatty red meat, butter and eggs are bad for you but low fat yoghurt, skinless chicken breast, grains, vegetables and fruit are good for you. Actually the opposite is true. I would hate for my braising steak, butter and eggs to be taxed. My typical weekly shop: 3 tins sardines in water/brine, lambs liver, chicken thighs (with skin), braising steak, ground beef (20% fat), 18 large chicken eggs, smoked bacon, cheese, pork belly strips, 2 tins organic tomatoes, 4 onions, garlic. RESULT: Lost 22 lbs of weight in 5 weeks. Man's "boobs" disappearing, belly size decreasing. Better sleep, more energy and more money as I am no longer buying expensive "dead" so called "food".

[@jekku4688]

Unlike Europe and many other countries, the US is strictly PROFIT-BASED (rather than "health of the consumer" based), and because of that, things will NEVER change unless they are either A) FORCED to change by the government, or B) Big Agra companies decide to change their ways. I don't even think a "buycot" would work or matter at this point, there are just too many people who are inGRAINed with Big Agra products to try and stop.

[@Mallchad]

Why do you want to make food more expensive with a nutrition tax. Cmon. Health warnings are just needless fearmongering. Very few foods are inherently bad in the short-term, its how you consume it and how much that makes the problems. it's not that really that unhealthy to just chug raw glucose syrup if you're burning 10,000 kcal a day

[@nicuta2254]

Incredible! I've been waiting for years to hear somebody address this. Chris you are such an inspiration. It is also lovely to hear somebody not blaming those suffering with obesity. I feel for anyone suffering with addiction, but food addiction feels like the worse. You don't ever have to put a cigarette to your lips, that is a choice, but with food! Gosh you have to eat food everyday. This makes food addiction so cruel. Thank you for your work 🙏🏼

[@lallalucas4145]

Many people have been addressing this for decades, you just weren't aware, maybe because you didn't stray far from mainstream media. Some have suggested that food addiction is deliberately created to pacify the population and create a steady stream of patients for prescription drugs for depression and diabetes etc. In other words, it's a business model

[@LarsTragel-zh7ei]

Chris van Tulleken, the next babbling clown.

[@stavrosk.2868]

Food addiction? Nonsense. People are addicted to lazyness.

[@hamidar2041]

Sugar is very addictive - scientifically proven 👍

[@Mcsqw]

​@@stavrosk.2868I would recommend you look at the published research from Giles Yeo, professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at Cambridge.

[@DewottEva]

Read this book then watched this interview. Genuinely think everyone needs to read his book. I agreed with him before reading but still learnt a lot and had my beliefs challenged. Go Dr Chris!!

[@knackfarm]

Chris van Tulleken deserves a King's Honour for his work in educating the UK (and the world) population around the Ultra Processed Food situation. OBE, OBE, OBE, OBE!!!

[@MrTimg12]

Professor Tim Spector in his latest book, Food For Life also explains about upfs with specific reference to our microbiome.

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

We, the people, should rate and reward. Not some unelected king from Germany. Analyse, assess, understand, improve. Remove the corrupt super rich, give it back to the people, we need a share of our own lands. Better than we decide what to do with our local farms, local wind turbines, local park, local quarry, and using them locally than it being exploited away by the rich.

[@zadebasil3033]

Nice sentiment but we don't need unelected, hereditary "leaders" to validate scientific research. The honours should come from his peers, policy makers and we the people.

[@fiddley]

‘Fat’ chance of an OBE when the government are so cosied up with and terrified of upsetting the mega rich who run these food corporations.

[@elftax]

Has he given any money to politicians? If not then he clearly doesn’t deserve any award.

[@boddy2k]

We should lobby for a new Processed food label. 1.Un-processed = Fresh products, no processing 2.Processed = Fresh products, processed but no additives 3.Ultra-processed = Any additives at all. Problem solved

[@xdrowssap4456]

the problem is fresh is vague. maybe real and man made might be a better label.

[@andrewroberts8959]

​@@xdrowssap4456the key here isn't his/her exact definition, the key is that all products should be labelled via the scientific definitions the doctor is using - there are actually 4 categories I believe

[@vatsmith8759]

There is already the international 'Nova' food classification that does much the same. 1: Unprocessed and minimally processed foods; 2: Processed culinary ingredients; 3: Processed foods; 4: Ultra-processed foods. If you read the ingredients label on the pack it should (usually) be clear which category it is.

[@boddy2k]

@@vatsmith8759 I’ve never heard of or noticed it before, thank you for making me aware.

[@whuang7994]

I would also love to see a big number on the front of each product indicating how many ingredients it contains. I think that could be attention catching enough for some people to take notice and maybe check the small print ingredient list.

[@SyriusStarMultimedia]

I had a coworker that graduated from the University of Maryland that was taught that HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP was a nutrient. The problem is that the coworker believed it.

[@sergeantbigmac]

Dieting, low-carbs, high proteins, balance macros, sugar intake, healthy vs bad oils, intermittent fasting, Cardio VS HIIT VS Muscle building exercise regimen, meal timing, processed foods ...People get overwhelmed. I honestly and truly believe the single greatest change the average person in the 21st century can make to drastically improve their health is cook their own meals from scratch. Even if people give up on all the other health tracking steps like counting calories and exercise and simply commit (to intuitive eating homemade meals) I think most people in the general public will see a positive change.

[@kayew5492]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's on home-cooked, traditional food. I brought my family up on a wider variety of cuisines but using much the same approach of fresh ingredients. It was actually cheaper to make a big pot of stew or whatever than the number of ready meals it would have taken to satisfy everyone. Of course they had pizza. cheerios, chicken dippers, and ketchup to dip them in, but not every day. I always read the labels on food and taught them to do the same, and to be suspicious of ingredients we don't use at home. I just always thought of food as nutrients rather than just something to assuage hunger, and weighed the cost/benefit on that basis.

[@danecrude]

I did the same thing exactly

[@jessieb7290]

If you look at the history of foods the 70’s was when they started adding easy cheap fatty foods that were cheap and easy. Fondue as well came out then. I loved watching an old show once they did food through the centuries. I miss watching it because the presenters weighted themselves before and after. It was very interesting. Then when I was born in the 80’s things like fast food became main stream. McDonalds came to the uk and the first burger I think was 85p or something back then.

[@MeiinUK]

Bring back school chefs. Imho. Processing wheat or bread is understandable. But other items.. no....

[@jameskhan1320]

Yeah sure you did

[@juliebutler8241]

If you are looking on a label, it's not real food.

[@annettestephens5337]

Great interview with someone who talks practical sense rather than dogma. It took me many years to discover the underlying cause of my painful guts after eating, but feel blessed that I now know. I’m 62 and have had painful guts for years as well as anxiety, dry eye and osteoporosis (due to malabsorption). It has taken over 3years of eating only whole foods for my symptoms to change and now off all meds. Even managed to give up coffee and alcohol with no problems (after the initial withdrawal symptoms had abated).

[@helenaquin1797]

AWESOME! So good for YOU!👏⚘🌻

[@smled9256]

Such an important message. I also struggle to convince my kids to eat more healthily. The only effective way I’ve found is to not have UPF in the house and make the effort to make good food available, including leftovers of good food (including frozen) that’s easy to reheat. I feel so much better for avoiding UPF and my blood tests show the benefits

[@sundayafternoontea]

Good for you and your family!

[@shirleylangton7967]

You are so right! If you don't have UPF food in the house, you won't eat it. Also, if you are making your food from scratch, you can contol the amount of sugars, kind of fats, reduction of fat and salt from foods. After a while, we detect that the processed foods have way too much of sugars and salts etc. and are obnoxious, they even make me sick!

[@saraenright]

This is such a fantastic interview and I'm so glad things like this are being discussed. Food has such a hefty psychological sway with us and companies know exactly how to play that to their advantage - the sugar and fat combination that replicates mothers milk and subconsciously takes us right back to being loved and safe is why things like chocolate are so addictive, and boy don't food companies know it!

[@LarsTragel-zh7ei]

Chris van Tulleken, the next babbling clown.

[@toppinzr3743]

Artificial chocolate flavor is pretty good, and it has no sugar or fat.

[@helenpixels]

Chocolate is the least of our worries, at least it isn't artificial chemicals.

[@lewinpark7924]

„Are you REALLY comforted by the comfort food?“ That is a good question! I think a lot of people (including me) have internalized that chocolate and crisps and cake and alcohol is comfort and therefore at least good for the mind and soul. But a lot of times it makes you feel worse afterwards. It‘s great in the moment but feels shallow and sickening hours later. Great interview!!

[@ACC_org_uk]

Exactly how drugs affect the addict.

[@YourPalHDee]

Yep. Same as drug use.

[@IntelligentArtefact]

Wine and beer are natural foods. Tesco Ready-Made Meals are not. My advice to anyone wanting fast food is to have brown rice, a tin of fish, a scotch bonnet pepper and a can of beer.

[@LafemmebearMusic]

@@IntelligentArtefactok 😅

[@giantorres3352]

I am from Spain and the diet I see some British have is absolutely terrible, sugar and butter daily, and almost no fresh fish.

[@eldritchmonsterofnorfolk7253]

Just wanted to say any programme with this interviewer is guaranteed to be a delight. He sometimes does let personal bias colour his attitude towards his guests, but he always 100% is present, actively listens and asks insightful questions.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

The game-changer for me was working next door to Cranks Vegetarian Wholefood Restaurant (long gone, alas), where I got a real taste for wholefoods, and have never looked back. Wholefoods last long in the mouth, taste better and fill you up faster. The Cranks servers regularly had to warn customers not to over-order, because the food was so filling.

[@markharris1223]

One either sees the writing on the wall or one doesn't. My type 2 diabetes diagnosis saved my life, but only because I acted upon it. Like Dr Tulleken, I find moderation much more difficult than abstinence. I think that coming to terms with where one stands as regards moderation is extremely important.

[@diatonicdelirium1743]

Abstinence can be practiced in the shop, while moderation has that packet of crisps staring at you ;) We always eat very healthy meals and also try to eat foods like whole oats that force the body to work for its calories; usually we don't get that hungry feeling that leads to the hunt for snacks. Also important: whole fruit, never juice!

[@taffyboy7931]

@markharris1223 dr Neal Barnard is very enlightening on type 2 diabetes dietary treatment

[@MsFanpireProductions]

Very true what you’ve said about moderation

[@ole1111]

Have you tried reversing it with a ketogenic diet?

[@ole1111]

And fasting

[@ajsctech8249]

Processed food companies are clever though as they insert B vitamins and D vitamins into their unhealthy foods and then take the moral high ground and can easily defend their products on that basis.

[@jmk1962]

So true

[@jackspring7709]

Pleasantly surprised to see Ch 4 doing real journalism. Credit where its due.

[@choosim6858]

dr.tulleken is a saint. he did not sell his soul to WEF. bless you dr and your loved ones. you have connected all the dots for us and now it is up to us to make the change for better health. thank you🙏🙏🙏

[@zainabghani2574]

I would urge everyone to share this video as much as you can to spread the word of truth thank you so much doctor

[@DrummerDucky]

The only issue with his position is that even avoiding Ultra-processed food, one can still easily end up consuming a ridiculous amount of saturated fats and clogging their arteries by their early 40s. Meat is "natural", but eat some often enough and you will inevitably build up robust atherosclerotic plaques.

[@earthli-world]

absolutely!

[@JuancoPRoFlow]

​@@DrummerDuckynope. Not if you fast and exercise regularly.

[@ZsuzsaKarolySmith]

I switched to a whole food diet about a year ago, but it’s extremely time consuming. I try to food prep a couple of times a week, so I have things ready when I need them, but it still takes hours to cook everything from scratch ( not to mention the washing up!) It’s not so much about the money as vegetables and many whole food ingredients are still some of the cheapest things you can buy in supermarkets - it’s about the time - most people just don’t have that sort of time to spend in the kitchen. I’m lucky that I am at a stage in my life when I do have a bit more time but it requires a lot of planning and commitment as well.

[@sylwiadinapolisiwiak7547]

Nothing but excuses.. it's not that difficult to eat fresh. Simple pan fried chicken breast or fish and some veggies will take less than 30 minutes.

[@robertmorgan000]

I agree that there can be a time consideration involved. When I started changing my diet to whole foods ... It also took considerably more time to prepare. It is not "just excuses". With practice however I got better and better (quicker and quicker) at the prep-work. I batch-cooked and used the freezer more creatively (for regular work-day meals). I "re-framed" the prep-time during weekends from "chore" to an activity I would enjoy sharing with others in my household. It takes time to adapt to anything new

[@blutamis7697]

Give up all your social media accounts and u will find u have plenty of time to be healthy

[@alipainting]

I've got it down to about half an hour to whip up something healthy. I used to do what you do, and it took HOURS. But with more experience,- something different in a jiffy every day. Plus cooking is good exercise for both mind and body.

[@tdgdbs1]

Pressure cooker, instant pot, automatic bread machine, microwave...do you have those?? I grew up cooking rice over a fire, many places in SE Asia are still doing that.

[@ezzo222]

"It's not food, it's an industrially produced, edible substance"🤯🤯 Changed the way I see all of this!!

[@fastmaker9091]

I love this quote ”it is not food. It is an industrially produced edible substance. And it’s purpose is financialized growth”

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

My mother taught me in the 1960s to shop “the perimeter of the grocery store”, meaning only the meat, dairy, and produce isles, she was an early advocate of a healthy diet, including completely avoiding processed foods. The only exceptions were simple canned foods like beans, and frozen vegetables and hard-to-get-fresh fruit like blueberries. They didn’t have all those highly processed choices like frozen veggies with plastic sauces. She cooked us daily meals with the emphasis on lean proteins and lots of fresh vegetables. Even then, she mostly used dried beans and other, less processed choices. If she made pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, she bought a pumpkin, cooked a mashed it and froze it the week before. Breadcrumbs for stuffing were homemade from scratch from her own bread. (She baked our own healthy whole wheat bread). We were all very healthy and slim. I still eat dairy products, compared to those sugary, high-processed, flavored milk alternatives, it’s the healthy choice. We humans have been doing that for ten thousand years, those who were lactose-tolerant received distinct advantages from eating dairy products.

[@brothernorb8586]

But one hundred plus years ago, who was lactose intolerant?

[@anneobrien8367]

I became vegetarian over 40 years ago. Then it necessitated cooking nearly everything from scratch. So few of us were these weirdos in those days. I had to learn a whole new set of cooking skills as my mother certainly wasn’t going to do it for me. Suddenly veganism has has caught on and the food industry has been in like a shot with their ultra processed burgers and other rubbish that definitely isn’t food. Now they have deprived this new generation of the chance to eat close to nature to learn really good cooking skills and the chance of actually eating cheaper by knowing how to deal with the kind of large bags of pulses and lentils you can buy in the Asian stores. It is truly infuriating.

[@earthli-world]

Such truth!!

[@amirasabry1339]

@@brothernorb8586 lots of people really; people whose traditional diets included dairy became lactose-tolerance while many populations (most of sub-Saharan Africa and a lot of Asia for example) remained lactose intolerant. It depends on ethnic group.

[@Caperhere]

I’ve had a feeling for a long time that freezing food does something to it to render it as nutritious as cardboard. Same with microwaving.

[@elpix]

In Mexico we have a prohibition for cartoon mascots in products directed at children, also big black hexagons on the paquet if an item is high on sugars , fats or sodium.

[@jirislavicek9954]

Excellent job 👍 Mexico is one of the countries most affected by over consumption of sugars, particularly Coca-Cola.

[@elpix]

@@jirislavicek9954 Yes we are, doing something about it at last. I ven't yet seen studies with results from these laws. Hopefully making a dent. Cheers!

[@jirislavicek9954]

@@elpixYes, don't let junk food contaminate your country. Traditional Mexican cuisine has some of the healthiest foods on the planet, there is no need for industrial junk.

[@Muta123]

​@@jirislavicek9954 And it is delicious without being ultra processed

[@sarahRA86]

He’s so articulate and genuine

[@colleenwilliams1452]

I worked for a margarine company which were full of University educated chemists who had cooks baking bread, biscuits etc with altered ingredients. It is only now, after listening to this, that I can understand what they were doing. I remember the margarine felt sort of like edible plastic, while they were altering the colouring and texture. The baked goods were using the margarine for taste and texture. This was in the late 1970s, so it has been going on for quite some time. If you look at a group of people in the 1970s they were all slim. It is shocking seeing the difference.

[@axelnils]

@@mandellorian790Where do you get 6% from? The official statistics are 26% obese and about as many “only” overweight.

[@patrickstarrfish4526]

That’s absurd. Please watch a video presentation from dr Chris Knobbe. He presents a strong argument that the rise of modern dieseases is correlated with the use of PUFA vegetable oils. The rise of obesity is directly correlated with the implementation of the food pyramid, with the focus being on carbs and bread products. Lowering or elimination of carbs is the key to reducing bodily inflammation and diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

My mother (born in 1911) told me that when margarine, then called "oleomargarine", was first introduced in the UK, no colouring matter was allowed to be used in it and it was shunned by most buyers. In the 30s (I think), the law was changed to allow it to be coloured yellow. What with that, the Great Depression, and a name change, sales of margarine soared and the manufacturers have never looked back.

[@monikawiedmann8594]

I have long referred to marge as edible plastic. I'm sure there are differences, but basically i think it's apt.

[@phoenixrisn9697]

The greatest impediment I see to eating healthy is the cost of healthy foods and the time it takes to prepare it. As someone with a spinal cord injury on a fixed income it's very difficult to afford good whole food. Vegetables and lean meats have gone up dramatically.

[@zuzanazuscinova5209]

Yes. Healthy wholesome food is a luxury (in terms of time and money). That's why the ultra processed cheap alternative has been invented.

[@gilessteve]

You can buy the cheaper cuts of meat and mince to save money. Liver costs about $1.50/kg where I live. Vegetables aren't all that expensive. Avoid the processed 'healthy' foods that are sold at a premium price.

[@Kay-rp1fz]

Canned organic salt free chickpeas and beans take no time

[@MrTimg12]

Definitely pulses are the way to go. Dried are cheaper. Invest in a pressure cooker if you can and a slow cooker's great as well. But you don't need to .

[@cumwotmayinat]

My diet is mostly minced meat, eggs, rice, bone broth, fruit and some root vegetables. Super nutritious, easy to digest and doesn't cost the earth. If you have good health then you are rich! Definitely worth spending the money

[@littlevoice_11]

Ultra processed food is what they feed patients, staff and visitors in hospitals. It's awful 😢

[@ratman9802]

In the last month, I have dropped all sugary foods, drinks, all processed foods and meals. I've also dramatically reduced the amount of strachy foods that spike insulin etc. The result is I have dropped 10 pounds, stiff joints have become much less inflamed and I have recovered energy that I thought I'd lost. All this just by NOT eating the wrong stuff. I've saved money too. What this is costing the country in terms of lost productivity and long term healthcare must be in the tens of billions annually. This video is essential viewing, thank you Channel 4.

[@Blossom69_]

What starchy foods did you cut out?

[@ratman9802]

Potatoes and Bread were the main ones. If you are looking to lose weight it's not the fat, it's the carbs.

[@mikebaker2010]

I used to eat junk food (especially chocolate and biscuits) like it was going out of fashion. The last few years I’ve switched to a majority whole food diet and look and feel so much better for it. My skin is much clearer and my stomach is much more settled. I find abstinence much easier than moderation. Plus it gives me a great deal of satisfaction no longer giving money to crisp and chocolate companies who fill their packaging full of air and charge you more money for less product - product that’s harmful to health anyway!

[@EuanWhitehead]

Same as me 👍👍

[@hempmaiden]

It’s also profit that is made from the massive exploitation of farmed animals. Eg milk chocolate - dairy milk cows.

[@bluegoose7832]

Real food has been priced so high that for a lot of low-income households, the only affordable option is the literal poison alternatives. It's like something you'd read in a dystopian novel

[@yesimarikut9731]

This is partially true but not totally. Pulses and grains like lentils and beans (especially in cans) are still quite cheap and very quick to cook. Frozen vegetables like spinach and peas are also both nutritious and cheap. I think what has been lost in the UK is the cooking culture.

[@zuzanazuscinova5209]

​@@yesimarikut9731 Exactly. Cooking is time consuming.

[@globalist1990]

Not to mention brexiteers downplaying the importance of fresh produce at a lower price from as close as possible if we don't grow them.

[@globalist1990]

@@yesimarikut9731 you'll find they're, on average, the same price roughly, per amount of protein, as the cheapest mince. I'm vegan btw. I was surprised by it. Buying dry legumes it's also the best alternative.

[@brekerr]

Interesting that fruit and veg gets very little in agricultural subsidies. What would the world look like if the situation was reversed.

[@HappyCodingZX]

I've been aware of a lot of this for many years and have avoided processed food, but this interview crystallised it very well indeed, and made me see something more clearly - it's not just the food that is being processed - it's all of us as well - the consumer and the consumed, both part of, and serving, the same cold, relentless, amoral machine.

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Eat ehat you like in moderation

[@hazeldavis3176]

Chillingly accurate

[@BioProjectA]

Totally brilliant and life changing. And what a clear, decent and eloquent person he is. Thank you!

[@12manyforyou]

Thank you so much, the world needs to hear this so badly.

[@Butternose]

I have watched many videos recently about this issue. This is the first one that explained in a way that made me share it with my loved ones. Having watched the standards of the media drop just shy of the gutter in a rising tide of hyper-palatable sensationalism, this interview is a rare diamond and gives me hope. Thank you! X

[@anneevans4108]

I think the way both this and the book is presented is brilliant. I’ve read similar books in the past and watched videos but there are not so accessible for non scientists.

[@leonieaugustine7746]

I'm so thrilled that a news channel with so many subscribers is creating awareness around what real food is. For far too long most of the so-called "food" industries have been abusing the health consumers with their overly processed, sugar, salt and other chemical-lafen "foods." This is now a real emergency globally.

[@leonieaugustine7746]

Sorry...chemical-laden...

[@valerierooney1299]

Thank you Dr, I've listened/seen you talk about this sort of thing before, I so appreciate you talking about this 'food' problem etc. I cook a lot, and hate eating processed foods, it feels like eating chemicals, I tell my granddaughter hoping she'll eventually get it🤷 Please keep telling us 🙏

[@shanghaiffgg]

Around 5 years ago I made a few change to my diet: I decided to consume only whole unprocessed foods, just the uncooked natural ingredients. Veg, fruit, grains, meat, fish. I cut out ALL added sugar and seed oils and switched to cooking with olive oil and butter. I have found it easy to stick to and it's delicious. To assume it is more expensive than the way I ate previously is false. The savings on junk get fed back into purchasing quality ingredients. Some weeks I can afford a nice steak and other weeks it's ground beef, both do the job nicely. Some weeks I can afford wild caught salmon and other weeks I need to stick to more eggs. You can do it if you want to.

[@LarisaC.]

You eat uncooked meat and fish? Brave.

[@phili-8898]

It’s not until you really start to get into diet/nutrition/exercise that you really notice a LOT of people in the UK are seriously out of shape. I particularly notice it in the older generations as well as if they’ve just given up long ago

[@simonh6371]

Just live abroad a couple of decades like I did. Came back after living 10 years in the Netherlands. Just amazing how unhealthy 80-90% of people look here.

[@trulyso734]

U missed the pandemic life shedding event or something?

[@paulawhittaker3538]

7 months too late but health doesnt have a look. You cant tell someones health by looking at them. I assume you are fatphobic and you deem a fat/larger person is unhealthy when in fact they could be eating healthier and exercising more than a smaller person. Not all large/fat people over eat. We all come in different shape and sizes. And by the way, about 70% of genetics is due to having a set weight, this can be messed up with years of dieting and other issues.

[@phili-8898]

By out of shape Paula I mean really overweight, struggling to walk type deal. I agree with you absolutely that you don't have to look like an athlete to be healthy! I myself have some puppy fat at the moment but I can still run a sub 2 hour half marathon and bench 1.5x my body weight for example. However, there is of course a positive correlation with looks and health. @@paulawhittaker3538

[@phili-8898]

If someone is "fat" they are indeed unhealthy. The only exceptions are in young people up to maybe 30 years old when most medical tests would come back normal. This however goes downhill VERY fast. Again, someone can be fat (and unhealthy) but trying to get their fitness on track we all have to start somewhere.

[@fionamclean5706]

It’s really quite easy! Eat-Eggs, butter, meat , seafood, a few veg,fruit in season, small amount of dairy. Good quality salt, Drink filtered water that’s it.

[@lynzannabel6990]

@fionamclean5706 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾💚

[@tomsheldon4950]

Sounds like a right laugh 😐

[@OdinsSage]

I could feel my cholesterol going up just reading this comment.

[@xspongeyx]

​@@OdinsSage Cholesterol is not the enemy. We make cholesterol naturally

[@codyhenrichs9699]

In the 80's I was called a "New Age Freak" because of my belief butter was natural and better for you than margarine, I advocated for a natural diet and reading labels and know what you are putting in your body. I am delighted that this is being addressed in a serious manner.

[@user-zn2lq9hd5d]

I used to suffer from debilitating migraines and awful stomach problems when I was eating heavily processed foods. I was also extremely depressed. As soon as I started clearing my diet and limiting my processed foods, my migraines disappeared, I haven’t had one in a few years now. My stomach problems have also gone (unless I eat dairy which I avoid most of the time), and I overall feel so much better mentally and physically. You are what you eat, so put good stuff in your body!!

[@anthonys9058]

Just finished the audiobook. Bought the physical book so I can highlight bits. Life changing stuff. Thank you.

[@PrymusWebHosting]

This is an amazing conversation. I will be buying this book. Thank you so much. I’m a recovering processed foods addict and just cutting back on it, has improved by brain and physical power incredibly over the past week. I will no longer be a slave to a corporate grift.

[@gilliand8951]

Excellent interview. Been heading this way with our home cooking for years but still have some upf. Our 18 yr old also doing a levels said exactly same thing - nothing to eat. We had just shopped and lots of i ingredients but few instant snacks… reading the book is next ❤

[@ldavies3280]

I have been eating as he recommends for a year or so now, and it has been brilliant. I previously had a reasonably healthy diet, with plenty of fruit and veg and some whole grains, but I did eat a fair amount of UPFs. I’ve not become obsessive, and still have treats, but cutting almost all of this stuff out has made a huge difference. I’m more cheerful, sleeping better, have lost some weight, and feel younger. My diet is not boring, and I’m loving it. I wish so much that everyone would or could do this. The difference if you start from a classic “unhealthy” diet must be amazing.

[@matkagrogan5251]

How come plenty of fruit and veg and some whole grains is healthy? LOL

[@larisam6755]

Thank you so much, this interview is a treasure! Buying the book for sure!

[@asahdo]

I saw his video for the bbc two years ago when my daughter was a few months old. I decided I would avoid all ultra processed foods in her diet. It’s been very expensive but so worth it. She eats very well and is smart and healthy with very good teeth. I’ve tried multiple times to shake my own addiction and eat the same diet I feed my daughter but so far I struggle to last more than a few weeks because I miss chocolate. Just finished the Ultra Processed People book last week, solidified by belief in the avoiding UPFs for my daughter but still struggling myself.

[@greenknitter]

Chocolate is my weakness too. What I do is buy one bar of good Swiss or German chocolate once a week - I only put it in my shopping basket on my treat day, and the rest of the week I satisfy my sweet tooth my eating a few soft figs after a meal. Works for me. I make home made popcorn too which is so quick and easy to make. I add Herbamare and yeast flakes for flavour.

[@debb6393]

@greenknitter You can have high cocoa content chocolate. My daughter was diagnosed insulin resistant and we’ve cut out upf and mainly stick to low GI foods now and weight now dropping off but it’s counter intuitive to what we’ve be told. An example is that I was piously eating cream crackers for lunch as low calorie but if you look at the GI load it’s way up there as they’re sugar. By cutting these out and eating decent sourdough bread you stop craving and lose weight. It was heart breaking watching my daughter exercise and diet but with no results but once you realise about the insulin you can by altering diet get that to work properly.

[@whuang7994]

I mix 100% cocoa powder into Greek yogurt or double cream or chia pudding and add a little bit of chopped up dates to sweeten and/or some nuts for crunch. Way healthier and tastier and cheaper than ultra processed chocolate bars or desserts.

[@greenknitter]

@@debb6393 Well done on finding out this information and helping your child, you're a good Mamma.❤ I think even some medical experts don't understand the role UPFs play in undermining our health and causing all types of disease and early mortality. This message needs to be put out there in our schools and in public health campaigns. I love my real sourdough and consider myself fortunate to have a proper sourdough bakery in my town where I can buy good bread devoid of any of these harmful chemical substances. Best of luck to your daughter and she's on the right path. Type 2 Insulin resistance CAN indeed be reversed with proper dietary modifications. 👍

[@brandon2912t]

This is the first time I have realised that this type of food is truly "addictive". I have a feeling that they have put other ingredients into this type of food. We all know that these so called watch dog associations turn a blind eye when there is an incentive so the multi-billion corporations that own the majority of the brands that most of our kids and young adults are addicted too (even the so called healthy foods). Like you Amelia, watching this the penny finally dropped and I will have to go cold turkey, just like a drug/cigarette/alcohol addiction it is that serious and that deadly! This was a brilliant and much needed interview!

[@Sdween]

I remember being diagnosed with underactive thyroid in my teens after being extremely exhausted for years. Following this I began looking into different thyroid, autoimmune and keto diets, and in the space of more than a decade of suffering with IBS, pain, migraines no GP ever spoke to me about diet. To the point that they sent me for a Coeliacs test, without listening to me when I said I have not eaten gluten for 8+ years. The doctor should have said the test will not show a result then. Anyway, 12 years later - i have autoimmune thyroid, endometriosis and 2 ovarian cysts, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Pots and likely Mcas. Food ties into all of it. Never has my doctor addressed diet. Apart from asking if I eat meat, which I do, as I have had low anaemia my whole life. That’s shocking to me.

[@sheribuckham3362]

Dr. Dan your positive outlook on life and approach to dealing with your cancer diagnosis while still caring for others is amazing, inspiring and humbling. God bless you and I pray you may have a long and rewarding life ahead of you.

[@roslewis9923]

Excellent interview, thank you. I cook from scratch, gluten free diet, a little hard cheese from raw milk, no milk, no sugar. So my system cannot stand processed food any more!

[@felix-bk7ne]

Cooking is a process

[@aurarahman8207]

What an engaging and clear interview. Loved it and could not stop watching.

[@Lionheart198]

Since April I have stop eating processed food and I have went from 140kg to 111kg 😊

[@LarisaC.]

You mean ultra processed food. Any food that is ground, cooked, boiled is processed. We need processed food because of our short intestinal tract.

[@joredfearn1]

Absolutely superb evidence based information. Such an important watch / listen. Thank you Chris and Krish. X

[@parrotperson1973]

He's wonderful. I knew most of these pieces of information, but to hear someone put them all together in such an organized and articulate way was really helpful. I also appreciate that he doesn't blame the individual consumer who is being manipulated by evil multinational corps. We need to tackle this problem as a society.

[@kdpunshon3073]

Super interview. This doctor is so genuine.

[@spadhnik]

This video is exactly what I need at this point in my life

[@abigailcharlton3504]

I completely understand the link between sugar, unprocessed food and addiction. Previously having alcohol addiction, unable to moderate, food is exactly the same... i have an addictive personality. I have been on keto, i try to eat as naturally as possible. My skin has cleared up, i feel less tired, perimenopause symptoms have improved. Its a personal choice to change. Once you have the knowledge and start to understand whats going on, you cant unsee this stuff. Great work on the book. Abi

[@jdu2613]

Just mind blowing! Many thanks for brining this discussion to the viewers.

[@erinamerling1017]

That was so refreshing to watch. To actually explain these problems without claiming everything is toxic and pushing an agenda to sell the cure to said toxic... And not judge people of ill health.. I can't put it into words as well as you did but I just think this was such good information.

[@hh7788ify]

i am so happy my mum taught me all these things since I was young kid. We are turkish and we mostly cooked at home, eating seperate meals was absolutely taboo and once a year my mum would let us have mcdonalds and coca cola. To this day I don't touch soft drinks she manifested it so into our heads. At school I was the kid with the best lunches and everybody wanted to exchange food with me.

[@paulwatkinson7055]

Fantastic 100% right , i am with you all the way been a chef 25,years always watch what i eat ,still go off the rails once in a while but keep my eyes on the ball.I have been very aware about this for long time.👏👏

[@karolinakocemba6291]

Brilliant. Thank you. I thought I knew already quite a lot, but this was enlightening and condensed into a proper food for thought ❤️

[@colinfarrell6444]

Brilliant interview - thank you. The Alan Carr example really resonated with me - I'm currently re-training my palate to enjoy steamed vegetables and cutting ultra processed foods and artificial sweeteners out. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@iMacEagle1]

Thats why I turned to carnivore diet. Slowly adding steaks and other beef and little bit if pork and fish. I do fasting 16/8 up to 20/4. I feel 30 or less at 43 and Im working heavy labour work. The sugar was killing me slowly.

[@handmadedorset]

absolutely loved that. bought the book. long may this powerful healing work continue

[@louise2209]

I agree about the addiction. I seek out sweet stuff after lunch. I have also cut out the majority of cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate and go through horrible withdrawal over a several day period. Unfortunately, go on holiday, start the bad habit again and your back to square zero.

[@happycook6737]

Ultra processed food is so tasty and available. I have to remind myself it is fake food- like substance. Very difficult to "swim upstream" in our culture.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

Grapes, in any form (fresh, raisins, sultanas), give a fast sugar hit, satiate quickly, and are delicious. Moreover, you can buy 500g sultanas (59p in Aldi) for less than a bar of Cadbury's.

[@johnaistrup9250]

Great interview with Doc Van Tullekan! I changed my diet a couple of years ago due to being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, requiring a minimum of 4 injections a day! This diagnosis came after finding out I had a degenerative heart condition a couple of years prior! I was overweight, significantly so, desdpite eating only two meals per day and using the NHS food guidelines. Yet I still became overweight to the tune of 23 stone by the time I was diagnosed diabetes. So it was time for a change, I started a ketogenic diet after I was diagnosed with diabetes, in an effort to stabilise my blood sugar levels. It worked and I not only got my blood sugar highs under control but I went from 23st down to 16st in six months! I then decided to try an incorporate some carbs into my diet and not only did my blood sugars skyrocket but I also piled on 2st in two months making me 18st! This year I decided to try the carnivore diet, in conjuction with my cardiologist, dietician, endocrinologist and GP. The plan was to eat only meat based products, beef, chicken, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, cream and butter (real butter). All vegetables were removed along with all sugar based foods. The plan was to check my blood sugar levels several times a day, have a fortnightly blood test at my GP and have a monthly A1C blood test at the hospital to check for cholesterol levels for the duration of the diet which we had set at 3 months. I had a transition week moving across from a keto diet to the carnivore diet and then 12 weeks of full carnivore. Not only were my blood sugars perfect but so were my cholesterol levels, good ones up, bad ones down. In fact from the end of the transition week, I have to this day not had a single insulin jab! At the end of the diet I discussed next steps with my medical consultants and they have agreed I should carry on doing the diet a month at a time until I reach my goal of 11 ad half stone. The difference this diet has had on me is like night and day. I sleep better, I wake up focused, my clothes fit better (in fact I am having to get new ones), I haven't had a single palpitation in my heart for three months now! My blood sugars have been so good that my endocrinologist is now weighing me up as diabetes free! I do take B12 vitamins and very occasionally I will indulge in a little sugar based food, such as when I completed the full three months, I was taken out for coffee and cake at a garden centre and I had a small slice of gluten free chocolate mirror cake! I checked my blood sugars several times in the hours after and not once did they spike or give me any serious tummy issues!! Though I went back to carnivore the next day as I like the weight falling off me. I didn't do the Carnivore to lose weight, I did it to improve my heart condition, which clearly wasn't getting any better under the usual dietary guidelines. Oh and my A1C's? Absolutely perfect! My only issue with Doc Van Tullekans advice is that I don't agree with calories in vs calories out business. I eat way more calories than I ever did before as its a 50% protein & 50% saturated fat diet, so even a small amount is large in caloric intake. As for beverages, I drink coffee and tea (no sweetener) and water! I am currently 12st 6lbs and I am halfway through my next additional month on the Carnivore. Its not for everyone thats for sure, it doesn't make for a great experience when eating out but I will say this, I am fuller for longer, I rarely think about the addictive foods I once had, and I love the weight loss of course! Oh and finally I haven't exercised once! The weight loss has nothing to do with fitness or exercise! Perhaps Doc you should look at this diet and have a listen to its proponents!

[@johnaistrup9250]

@@hithere981 please be careful! I did the Carnivore with the assistance of medical practioners. I would strongly advise that you seek medical advice first. I researched the Carnivore diet for about a year first before I approached my cardiologist and endocrinologist. If you do decide to do something like the Keto or Carnivore diets, my other piece of advice is to warn you about how your body is likely to react, the first two to three weeks for some can be very uncomfortable, particularly in the bathroom! I would suggest making sure you have easy access to a bathroom! But once your body has become fat adapted, then things start to get much easier. I wish you every success in changing your lifestyle! Good luck!

[@OdinsSage]

So part of what people don't understand about diabetes is cause vs symptom. High blood sugar is a symptom of diabetes, not the cause. Fat is the cause of diabetes. Sure, by removing carbs you've removed the symptom trigger, but the reason you have immediate spikes is because doing a keto/carnivore diet you are consuming HIGH amounts of fat. So on a high fat, low/no carb diet your diabetes is still there, you're just not giving it the symptom trigger. This doesn't mean you're cured, and it doesn't mean you're healthy. A healthy person does not have immediate diabetes symptoms when they consume complex carbs. Also, fibre is an important part of a diet and helps prevent a variety of future health conditions and cancers. By eating high fat, low/no carb, you are consuming little to no fibre. This is not a healthy diet. Please consult a dietician about your lifestyle choice. Doctors, at most, recieve 7 hrs of dietetics training through the entirety of their education. But most are receiving less than that. Standard doctors DO NOT understand the complexities of how food plays a part with different pieces of our health. All they know are numbers and the general bits of information.

[@alicerabbit8]

@@OdinsSage- yes, you are so right. Not eating vegetables and low GI fruit is crazy, you are missing out on so many vitamins and minerals. In addition, a diet high in red meat has been linked to an increased risk of cancer

[@xspongeyx]

​@@alicerabbit8red meat does not cause cancer, this has never been proven . Processed food causes cancer

[@xspongeyx]

​@@OdinsSage so much misinformation in one comment. Outdated information. Fat is not the cause of chronic illness, fat is needed by the body to be healthy. We also don't need fiber, the body can't even digest it properly

[@fantastica9186]

My goodness this is an eye opener. I do try to eat unprocessed food and cook from scratch. However, I need to have a good long look at my sweet tooth especially when under stress. This is so informative; it's really helpful regarding food companies and their drive for profit. Thanks for posting this; Im going to get his book.

[@Goodnews99457]

2 most important reasons we're having such difficult time buying, preparing, consuming healthy food. 1. Lack of knowledge on how to cook 2. Lack of time for cooking

[@CityOfTinyLines]

Lack of time due to watching too many cooking shows.

[@anonperson3972]

I love seeing a mainstream conversation telling people to eat real food and butter. Finally the conversation is being updated.

[@wobblybobengland]

Dairy products are really good for you, the cow is there to serve you. But your dairy industry products may help you not get ill, fk the cows, look at what dairy does for complexion, that's why the Japanese eat cheezestrings. I don't know why you think butter is not real food.

[@user-er3yu9bb1v]

It’s nice to actually hear someone so level headed and calm, who has done the research. Great interview and abit of an eye opener

[@elletisch]

He speaks so well. I hope his aims come to fruition

[@creativereindeer]

Fascinating interview. Thank you all involved. Helpful to see where we may have 'slidden' to with culture and why regulation will help even those in the food industry who want to do the right thing but it's a competitive market. Since watching another video with Chris van Tulleken I've started baking my own bread having always been 'not a baker'... I asked a friend for an idiot-proof recipe and I've taken a book out from the library. This kind of information is driving change in households - what I make to eat impacts others. I currently have a husband who is the 'bread-winner' which is freeing me to be the 'bread-maker'... I am intrigued that were I to go back to full-time work I would struggle to have the time to make bread... which is giving me much pause for thought as to where we go from here. I am not advocating the 1950s, there was a lot wrong(!) but I am interested in how our life-style is not fuelling a healthy-life... again, it's tricky when it comes to situation, income and family etc but worth thinking through what we CAN do, not just what we can't. Thanks again.

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

who's idea was Brexit anyways? the word Brexit?

[@ArthurEmbleton]

Get yourself a bread machine. They can run overnight so you have fresh bread in the morning and you know what went into it. No extra time for you to spend on it.