The Food Briefing (3)

Researchers have mapped the environmental and nutritional values of 57,000 different food products, ranging from whole foods to ultra-processed. Using ingredient data collected from online retailers, the researchers at Oxford University mapped how products performed based on their composition, allowing foods with multiple ingredients to be easily mapped against each other and rated. Read more…
 
Lidl shuns ‘wonky’ veg in support of farmers and normalises produce in different shapes and sizes. While most supermarkets create a separate product line for wonky fruit and veg, Lidl has fought back and announced they will include misshapen items in their regular product lines, to support farmers whose harvest might suffer during the drought period. Wonky veg is often marketed in separate packaging, however, Lidl have called this a ‘false market’ and are taking their own path. Read more…
 
Ultra-processed foods may contribute to food addiction symptoms, based on a small study of low-income households carried out in the USA. The subjects in this research demonstrated higher levels of food addiction behaviours, such as compulsive use, unsuccessful attempts to cut down, tolerance, and withdrawal. This comes as more research is appearing that suggests ultra-processed foods have an impact on our gut health and the overall amount of calories we consume. Read more…