ZOE Science & Nutrition
ZOE Science & Nutrition
ZOE
Nutrition Scientist: This is why you're confused about ultra processed food | Prof. Sarah Berry
1 hour Posted Aug 7, 2025 at 11:06 am.
Introduction
The scary headlines about your food are wrong
The food classification system scientists call 'useless'
Why not all peanut butters are created equal
What really makes a processed food unhealthy?
The difference between 'safe' and 'healthy' food additives
What food companies remove from your food
The invisible 'food matrix' that processing destroys
Why you don't absorb all the calories you eat
An apple vs apple juice: the shocking results of a 1977 study
The ingredient label lie you're falling for
Why soft food makes you gain more weight
Even a nutrition scientist with 25 years of experience is confused
How we're building a new system to score processed food
The science of 'hyper-palatable' foods
How food is engineered to make you overeat
It's not 65% of food, it's this much you should worry about
The financial reality of eating healthy
Using processing for good: the 'wonder bread' of the future
If I switch to low-risk food, will my health improve?
Is processed food damaging our brains' hunger signals?
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Show notes
Scientists agree that processed foods are contributing to poor health — but when it comes to ultra-processed foods (UPFs), there’s growing confusion. The term is now used so broadly that it includes everything from crisps and sweets to wholemeal bread and plant-based milks.
So what do we really know about the health effects of UPFs? And is the label actually making it harder for us to eat well?
In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist. Sarah is a professor of nutrition at King’s College London who has run some of the world’s largest human nutrition studies. Her work explores how different foods — and how they’re processed — impact metabolism, fat storage, and long-term health.
Sarah shares insights from her recent global conference talks, breaking down the good, the bad, and the misunderstood sides of ultra-processed food. By the end, you’ll have a clearer, more nuanced view of how to eat for your health — without falling for the hype.
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Episode transcripts are available here.