Ultra-processed Foods Guidelines and Warnings in Hong Kong

[Zelensky2]

Ultra process food is everywhere…. I personally stop following food guidelines from government and educate myself.

sugar and refined carbohydrates are the worst!

Government advice generally follows the science, thought typically 5 years behind the curve.

And if you want the consensus on the latest science, this excellent podcast is very much at the pointy end. I highly recommend watching it.

Hint: It's not sugar/refined carbs per se, thought they're largely on the culprit side of the equation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzUDhstqXbg

[paddylast]

You don’t need to do much investigating. Don’t eat out at cheap restaurants in Hong Kong.

I wonder what cheap restaurants King Charles was frequenting

[Hkemail888]

You don’t need to do much investigating. Don’t eat out at cheap restaurants in Hong Kong.

correct. Just stick to Tsui wah fairwood cafe de C and cha chan tengs

[muzzdang]

I agree with the above, its not rocket science.

Problem with the Hong Kong working culture, limited living space (much less a kitchen), eating out for a quick lunch or dinner (which is often not the healthiest) is the viable choice

Many HKer need the carb (rice, noodles), so spending $80-$100 on a healthy salad seems preposterous (I think so too!)

That is exactly where the issue is - heavy processed carbs, cooked with unhealthy seed oil, less than freshest ingredients

And on weekends, they go out and splurge on more unhealthy food and cakes, heavy sugar again

[aw451]

Yet still HK has the highest life expectancy in the world

[saltywetman]

Yet still HK has the highest life expectancy in the world

Still a big culture to buy fresh produce and cook daily- especially among retirees. Fresh food and home cooking are the very opposite of UPF.

[ByeByeEngland]

Yet still HK has the highest life expectancy in the world

That is certainly the case now but the generation of 30 somethings and below will decline unless eating habits change. I’m no saint but I do balance with plenty of fresh fruit, fish and veg and I’m a stone lighter than I was when I married (even with playing competitive football 2-3 times a week at the time).

[MABinPengChau]

Pretty sure Japan has a higher rate of diabetes which, for Japan, is due to white rice. The Japanese diet is mostly healthy (although too much sodium), but eating a pile of white rice 3x per day really spikes your blood sugar, super high glycemic index.

[ArrynField]

A balanced diet is key.

Most families in HK still prefer fresh foods, hence the popularity of wet markets.

There is nothing wrong with eating UPF’s within a balanced diet. The problem arises when every meal is UPF.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpz163vg2o.amp

[Zelensky2]

A balanced diet is key.

Most families in HK still prefer fresh foods, hence the popularity of wet markets.

There is nothing wrong with eating UPF’s within a balanced diet. The problem arises when every meal is UPF.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpz163vg2o.amp

A balanced diet is key.

Most families in HK still prefer fresh foods, hence the popularity of wet markets.

There is nothing wrong with eating UPF’s within a balanced diet. The problem arises when every meal is UPF.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpz163vg2o.amp

A balanced diet is key. - Correct.

Most families in HK still prefer fresh foods, hence the popularity of wet markets. - Correct

There is nothing wrong with eating UPF’s within a balanced diet. The problem arises when every meal is UPF. - incorrect.

QED There is nothing wrong with smoking cigarettes within a balanced exercise program the problem arises when every day include cigarettes.

Balance in a diet refers to a wide variety of macro and micro nutrients, UPF It’s not a healthy substitute for ANY whole food alternative.

The point that you miss is that eating UPF is always sub optimal from a health perspective. Of course Everybody’s diet involves some UPF, that still doesn’t make it optimal.

The people who make statements such as the one made above often seem to be the ones who have the most guilt about their bad habits that they would like to be able to alleviate but don’t have the motivation to do so.

As for Steve Bartlett, the article you post has nothing to do with the UPF podcast that I posted