Ultra-processed foods are having a moment – and not in a good way. The “UPFs are undeniably bad for you” drumbeat just got louder, thanks to a new study from UCL, which suggested eating a less processed diet could be a game-changer for weight loss.

The study was the first to compare ultra-processed and minimally processed food diets in ‘real world’ conditions, with conclusive results adding to the growing evidence that we should all be cutting down on our consumption of more processed foods.

But anyone whose idea of healthy eating includes a plant-based burger might have needed a rethink – until now. 

Meat-free substitutes have long faced criticism, particularly from advocates of “clean eating,” who dismiss them due to the typically long and complex ingredient lists. You can’t have a healthy, mass-market, meat-free sausage, they cry. To that, Quorn has said simply: hold my plant-based beer.

Meat-free gets clean

The meat-free category has long been criticised as a major contributor in the UPF discussion. So it’s more than a happy coincidence that in the same week the study was published, category leader Quorn announced plans to remove all artificial ingredients from some of its core frozen lines, with the promise of more to come.

The move saw its Pieces and Mince drop to three and four ingredients respectively, with a much cleaner spec.

Quorn is not the first, but it is by far the largest meat-free brand to decrease its ingredient list and cut out artificial additives. Meat-mimic brand This rolled out a new brand in April called This Isn’t with its Super Superfood whole ingredient range made from mushrooms and pulses.

Meanwhile in the same month, new brand Veg’chop launched into Tesco, with products made from pulses, seeds and veg. And fish mimic brand Happiee launched an easy-cook range made from lion’s mane mushrooms. This all comes as data shows that the brands experiencing the biggest growth are those with a more natural proposition, such as The Tofoo Co and Better Nature Tempeh.

But these are significantly smaller businesses than Quorn, which currently makes up around a third of plant-based sales in the UK. The move by such a major brand to make a healthier choice for consumers without making sacrifices on taste and range is not to be underestimated.

The meat-free category has historically been one of the biggest targets in the UPF debate. As this latest study sheds more light on the impact of UPFs in our diet, is the tide turning on the category?

Trial and error

The trial itself split 55 adults into two groups, with a total of 50 participants completing at least one diet.

One group started with an eight-week diet of minimally processed foods (MPFs), such as overnight oats or homemade spaghetti bolognese. After a four-week ‘washout’ period, during which participants went back to their normal diet, they switched to a diet of UPFs, such as breakfast oat bars or a lasagne ready meal.

Both groups lost weight, but those on the MPF diet shed more, suggesting that food processing – not just nutritional content – plays a key role in weight management. It’s yet another strike against UPFs in the growing case for cleaner, simpler eating.

This has particular impact on the meat alternative space. Much of the category is made up of mock meat products that boast health claims such as more fibre or less saturated fat than their meat counterparts, with the same amount of protein and all while giving a similar eating experience to meat.

But to achieve this from soy, wheat or pea protein (or a combination of all three) obviously requires some heavy processing and ingredients that cannot be found in domestic kitchens. As the data continues to stack up against UPFs, plant-based and meat-free brands would do well to take a lead out of Quorn’s playbook.

If you can’t beat the clean eating movement, you should join it. It may well be what’s needed to keep the category alive.

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