Overcoming MS suggests minimising the amount of ultra-processed food you eat as much as possible.
If you’re following a multiple sclerosis diet, then avoiding Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) will be an important step to staying healthy. These food types can be particularly harmful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) for several reasons:
Instead of UPFs, people with MS may benefit from a whole-foods-based diet rich in:
✅ Leafy greens & colorful vegetables (anti-inflammatory, rich in antioxidants)
✅ Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts)
✅ Lean proteins (wild fish, pasture-raised poultry)
✅ Fermented foods (to support gut health)
✅ Whole grains & legumes (instead of refined carbs)
‘Ultra-processed’ food is “the processing of industrial ingredients derived from foods, for example by extruding, moulding, re-shaping, hydrogenation, and hydrolysis. Ultra-processed foods generally also include additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, sensory enhancers, colourants, flavours, and little or no whole food. They may be fortified with micronutrients. The aim is to create durable, convenient ready-to-eat food products.”
It’s one of four terms used in the NOVA system to describe food preparation, the other three being:
Unprocessed foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, pulses and natural animal products such as fish.
Minimally processed foods may have been dried, crushed, roasted, frozen, boiled or pasteurised, but contain no added ingredients. They include frozen fruits and vegetables, frozen fish, 100 per cent fruit juice, spices and dried herbs.
Processed culinary ingredients include oils, fats such as butter, vinegars, sugars and salt. These foods are not meant to be eaten alone, but usually with foods in group one.
Processed foods are products that are usually made using a mix of group one and two ingredients. They include fresh bread, salted or sugared nuts, tinned fruit in syrup, beer and wine. The main purpose of the processing is to prolong the food’s life or enhance its taste.
First stage of “processing” involves making sure the food is edible. Harvesting grain or shelling nuts are considered primary processing. Foods that have only gone through this stage of processing are often still considered “whole” foods.
Secondary steps make a more complex, finished, “processed” product. This includes cooking, freezing, and canning.
Ultra-processed foods go through a third stage, when manufacturers inject flavours, added sugars, fats, and chemical preservatives.
Ultra-processed foods usually contain ingredients that you wouldn’t add when preparing homemade food. You may not recognise the names of these ingredients as many will be chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives.
56% of calories an average person in the UK consumes comes from ultra-processed food. This is for several reasons including – convenience, cost and availability. A diet that contains too many of these kinds of foods means there is less of the more nutritious wholefoods present, so it is strongly encouraged to reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods you may consume.
Buying processed foods can lead to people eating more than the recommended amounts of sugar, salt and fat, as they may not be aware of how much has been added to the food they are buying and eating. There are links between this, weight gain and even chronic disease.
The most common ultra-processed foods include:
Confectionery
Biscuits
Pasties, buns and cakes
Industrial chips
Soft drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juices
Salty snacks
Sauces or dressings
“Other ultra-processed foods”: include baked beans, tinned soups, meat alternatives, soy and drinks used as dairy milk substitutes.
Reading nutrition labels can help you choose between processed products and keep a check on fat, salt and sugar content. These ‘hidden’ ingredients can promote inflammation and reduce the beneficial nutritional content of the foods we are eating. When living with a long-term health condition like MS, it’s important to consume foods that provide an abundance of nutrients to support overall health as much and as often as we can.
Most pre-packed foods have the nutrition information on the front, back or side of the packaging.
If the processed food you want to buy has a nutrition label that uses colour-coding, you will often find a mixture of red, amber and green, to help you recognise those products with the greatest health benefits.
Places where it gets tricky can include:
Cereal: plain oats, corn flakes and shredded wheat are minimally processed, but when the manufacturer adds sugar, flavourings or colourings, they become ultra-processed cereals. Try sticking to cereals such as porridge, corn flakes, bran flakes, weetabix etc rather than the more processed versions
Bread made from wheat flour, water, salt and yeast is processed, but add emulsifiers or colourings and it becomes ultra-processed. Try choosing a wholemeal loaf from the fresh bakery counter in the supermarket
When we take meat & dairy products out of the diet, it is very easy to replace these with vegan alternatives and many of these fit into the ‘ultra-processed’ category. Interestingly, nutritional studies have found that a higher avoidance of animal-based foods is associated with a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods. These include foods with some additives (texturizers, dyes, emulsifiers, etc) made from textured soy protein foods, quinoa, corn, and other cereals, legumes or pulses. Some will also have a high oil content.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t eat them at all, but we do need to be mindful not to rely on them. Instead, look for the less heavily processed veggie alternatives – those with fewer ingredients, such as tofu, and try using fresh or canned beans and lentils more often.
Eat whole foods wherever possible and try to reduce the amount of packaged and processed foods you buy. You will probably save money too!
Try looking at food labels and avoid or limit those products that list more than 5 or 6 ingredients.
Choose unflavoured tofu and create marinades with your own herbs and spices.
Try making your own meat-free alternatives, for example, burgers made from beans or lentils; or meatless ‘meat’ balls made from grated veggies, beans and ground almonds.
What healthy, Overcoming MS-friendly meat substitutes can I have?
If you’re keen to make that first step in changing your diet – then make it by avoiding ultra-processed foods, for all-round better health and boosting your nutritional intake.
