Unrefined Vs Refined

Unrefined foods have been minimally processed from their natural state, as opposed to refined foods which have been heavily processed.

Examples of unrefined foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oats. These foods are nutritionally rich and provide the vital vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function effectively.

Examples of refined foods include high fructose corn syrup, white flour and margarine. These foods have been processed such that that the fibre, vitamins and minerals within the natural food have been removed, leaving little substance the body can use productively – these foods are empty calories.

Refined foods are added to other refined foods along with additives and preservatives to make ultra-processed products, which are a far cry from the natural foods they started off as. At the worst end of this scale, think cakes made with bleached flours, emulsifiers, chemical flavouring agents and artificial sugars, white bread “dyed” brown to give the perception it’s healthier. 

In recent years, ultra-processed foods have boomed. Turning over the packet of many packaged foods will reveal an extensive ingredient list (sometimes 30+ ingredients in one product) full of things you’ve never heard of. 

If ultra-processed foods are so bad for us, why are they everywhere?

Because these types of food are many manufacturers' dream – they are cheap to make and addictive.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to keep us coming back for more, at the expense of our health.

A recent study¹ linked ultra-processed foods with addictive-like eating behaviours, which explains why we can rarely stop at just a couple of Jaffa Cakes.

We are also more likely to need more of a refined food in order to feel satisfied because they lack the fibre (the "feel fuller for longer" nutrient) of unrefined foods. Think how much easier it would be to eat 3 slices of white bread with margarine spread, versus 3 slices of wholemeal toast with peanut butter, despite them containing similar calories.

What do refined ingredients do to our bodies?

Refined foods contain little to none of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are vital to maintaining healthy hearts, strong bones, good cognitive function, healthy skin and hair (the list goes on...).

As a result, refined ingredients are absorbed by the body much more quickly (as there is little to process) leading to spikes in blood sugar levels which give you lots of energy initially, but then lead to crashes and fatigue later.  Frequent increases and decreases in blood sugar like this have been linked with an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes².

Several studies have also shown that overconsumption of ultra-processed foods is a leading cause of heart disease, cardiovascular problems, strokes, obesity and various other chronic illnesses.

Of course, eating ultra-processed food every now and again is not going to kill you, but with brands like Unrefined Bars challenging the toxic culture of ultra-processed food manufacturing with products that taste just as good, it is easier than ever to make healthier choices. 

For further information, please head over to our website:

http://www.unrefinedbars.co.uk

 

Sources

¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334652/

² https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/145/1/159S/4585783

³ Mortality (5) https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1949