19/12/2025
It was an honour to hear talk 'Ultra Processed Foods' - a Christmas Lecture from global-opinion-leading Royal College Of Physicians.
Having read his book ‘Ultra Processed People’, we joined budding biologist students to witness his rapid-fire delivery on the Why, How, What and Which foods we eat. Included were the ways UFPs are engineered and tested to be irresistible, leading us to consume excess fat, sugar and calories.
Importantly, Dr T didn't lecture per se. He genuinely urged audience opinions. Why? Because solutions must be found and steered by all ages and nations. But his slides spoke for themselves... Fancy a flavour of what was served to the enthusiastic young audience?
👅 Nutritional wisdom – how nose + tongue have evolved to sense ‘danger’ and avoid bad foods
💩 Gut ‘grossouts’ from the back door (essential viewing for young medics, helping build resilience, smells n all…)
⚡️ Mitochondrial magic (electrons, energy, entries & exits)
🦠 The microbiome, and all who live there
🦴 Our remarkable ability to sense what we need - cod liver oil, if we're an infant with rickets
🚜 'Reductionist' food systems: 50-60% of our calories come from wheat, corn, rice or soya
☠️ May cause death. Spot the difference? Lessons for policymakers and other stakeholders – see the parallels between the to***co and the UFP industry