Guardian: What is Britain eating? The ultra-processed truth about 10 of our bestselling foods.

[Biggles2]

Interesting article in today's Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...elling-foods-cherry-bakewell-fray-bentos-pies
I have to say I look at food so differently now that I am eating low carb. In the past, I would have eaten many of these foods without a second thought. Now, I can look at these with nostalgia without craving any of them (well, maybe the digestives with a nice cup of tea).

 

[Robinredbreast]

I am not surprised one bit by what I have read.

 

[Mr_Pot]

Well I didn't eat any of those "favourites" even before I was diagnosed, not for health reasons, they are just not very nice. Do they really still make those Fray Bentos pies?

 

[JohnEGreen]

Do they really still make those Fray Bentos pies?

Yup.

 

[britishpub]

Made me feel sick just reading it

 

[Engineer88]

fray bentos pies are amazing but only for the pastry! (I haven't eaten in years due to coeliac)

 

[Oldvatr]

Yup.

Yup We had one the other night, and it spooked me the highest I have seen in 12 months. Never again!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Do they really still make those Fray Bentos pies?

When we go on our self catering cottage holidays my husband always takes one of these. On our last holiday he actually commented that it was horrible so he wouldn't be buying them again. He complained that previously they were full of delicious tasting meat. The meat has now almost disappeared and been replaced with more pastry.

Personally, I could just eat one of those chocolate digestives right now. They used to be my favourites prior to diagnosis.

 

[bamba]

Well I didn't eat any of those "favourites" even before I was diagnosed, not for health reasons, they are just not very nice. Do they really still make those Fray Bentos pies?

Poundland no less

 

[EllsKBells]

Yup We had one the other night, and it spooked me the highest I have seen in 12 months. Never again!

They sound disgusting, but I didn't realise that they could actually frighten people

 

[Guzzler]

Palm oil in just about everything! I was unaware that Xantham gum was fermented sugar or that glucose-fructose syrup was so widely used. Is it any wonder that people are getting sicker and heavier with each passing decade?

 

[AdamJames]

I've only had 7 of those 10 things in the past so it could be worse.

Of that lot, I only really miss the Fray Bentos pies, white bread, chocolate digestives, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Cherry Bakewells and milk chocolate.

Fray Bentos pies were amazing. If you wanted to be really scummy / studenty, you could take the pastry lid off and do it in a George Foreman grill, and scoop out the "filling" and microwave it while the lid was cooking. The whole lot was ready in 5 minutes. The "filling" definitely changed over the years from something quite meaty to basically gravy with a bit of texture though.

 

[Biggles2]

Palm oil in just about everything! I was unaware that Xantham gum was fermented sugar or that glucose-fructose syrup was so widely used. Is it any wonder that people are getting sicker and heavier with each passing decade?

Too true @Guzzler! One of the reasons I like the LC approach is that I get to eat a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods including plenty of eggs, fish and meat. This is what keeps my meter happy! An added bonus is the elimination of sources of Palm Oil, Xantham gum and glucose-fructose syrup from my diet.

 

[JohnEGreen]

I used to like the Fray Bentos pies before they changed them no longer would I eat one now. I still have the odd digestive but not the chocolate ones used to be very fond of the dark chocolate ones the rest of the items on that list where never favorites of mine.

 

[Guzzler]

Too true @Guzzler! One of the reasons I like the LC approach is that I get to eat a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods including plenty of eggs, fish and meat. This is what keeps my meter happy! An added bonus is the elimination of sources of Palm Oil, Xantham gum and glucose-fructose syrup from my diet.

I agree. The added benefits are a family that is loving the LC approach and are eating far fewer of the snack foods that they used to. It's a win win.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Interesting article in today's Guardian:

I've hardly touched any of that for nearly 30 years. Maybe the odd biscuit. Any food item that has been processed and packaged is verboten in the house but might creep into the larder for when we have guests. Biscuits for cheese, a good example.

 

[PenguinMum]

The trouble is there are many time poor families where these convenient and cheap foods are a way of life. Breakfast cereals are not cheap and they should be able to come up with a healthier recipe. Ditto Commercial bread. I used to love choc digestives and when I was a child we got one as a treat, the one pack was for the week. Funny you never see BOGOF on eggs, cheese, vegetables etc.

 

[DJC3]

Funny you never see BOGOF on eggs, cheese, vegetables etc.

I hadn’t ever thought of that, but very true - you don’t.