More Overstocks and the Dangers of Ultra Processed Food

After a chance conversation with Em, earlier this week, I watched Monday night’s Panorama programme (on BBC iPlayer) entitled “Ultra Processed Food: A Recipe for Ill Health”.

Panorama and Ultra Processed Foods (UPF)
The programme states that in the UK we are seeing rapidly rising levels of ill health. And that these chronic diseases are primarily related to the food we eat. Many of us are, apparently, consuming too much Ultra Processed Food (UPF) and those of us that do, are at higher risk of disease and (early) death.

To give an idea of how we are being affected, compared with Europe, the programme points out the following. In Europe, the proportion of UPF is about a quarter of an average adult’s diet, for us in the UK it’s a surprising half of our diet (in adults), and it’s well over that in our children. And if I understood it correctly, this has increased, very significantly, in the last 10 years and is a continuing trend.

The program goes on to report on some of the reasons, it believes, that are behind this huge difference between us and Europe, including “Food Standards Agency” (FSA) decisions on what chemicals are safe for us to consume (the sweetener aspartame and emulsifiers being but two examples). And, it continues, the “Committee on Toxicity” (that advises the FSA) recommending/allowing levels of BPA* (in food containers and water bottles) a staggering 20,000 times higher than is considered safe in Europe. And the programme, of course, asks why this is.

*The presence of high levels of BPA is associated with a number of diseases including cancer and, in our world, (the Cookshop and Homewares world) BPA has been absent in water bottles (that we sell) for years and years.  It’s not even a selling point any longer, just taken for granted.

This part of the Panorama programme is 29 minutes long, and if this sort of thing concerns you, then I think you could do worse than spend 29 minutes of your day watching it.

It’s here:

One of the experts interviewed on the programme is a chap I’ve talked about before in these emails, Tim Spector (he runs the Zoe Project). He sums up the situation thus.

“We have the most obese children in Europe and this trend means,

1.      more type 2 diabetes,

2.      more heart disease,

3.      more cancers,

4.      more misery,

5.      more mental illness and dementia.

He says that “this is a future time bomb. It’s a complete disaster, that we are sleep walking into”. He sums up, “it’s extremely frightening”.  

I am not a scientist (probably as far as you can get from being one, I suspect, apart from my incurable curiosity!) and, of course, for programs like Panorama, this sort of shocking revelation is their stock in trade. But Tim Spector I’ve followed for a couple of years now, and I’ve a lot of time for him. His message has been consistent, which is, we are what we eat, and that the food we put inside ourselves, not only heavily influences our physical health, but also our mental health as well. If he says we are sleepwalking into a disaster, then at a gut level (sorry) I’m inclined to sit up and take notice.

What do you think?

Ok to product!

Another overstocks email for you this week.

Smeg Bean to Cup Coffee Machine - £679.00

We have an over stock of these very capable Bean to Cup Coffee Machines. A very clean looking, well-designed machine, they are simple to operate and to maintain.

We have overstocks in 4 colours, Black, Red, White and Taupe, of the Stem Wand equipped model. The RRP is £679.00. We are currently price matching at £619.00.

But, whilst the overstocks last, I’m reducing them to £499.00, (which is not a lot more than the one without the steam wand.) £499.00!

Magimix Food Processor 5200XL Satin – £390.00

Magimix 5200XL Food processor…the best food processor on the market today.

We have a small overstock on this size in Satin. The RRP is £390.

£355 for this weekend.

Le Creuset Balti Dish 24cm Satin Black - £145.00

I’ve never used a Balti dish, I’m rather ashamed to say, and when they first arrived I remember saying to our Le Creuset account manager…”they won’t sell” and we didn’t even stock them to begin with.

Another egg on my face moment because they do sell, by the dozen as it happened, but obviously we got a bit too enthused with the black one.

We are currently price matching from its RRP of £145.00 down to £109.90.

But for you I’m taking another £10 off bringing it to £99.90.

Amadeo Decanter Fatto A Mano – £450.00

Probably the most iconic of the Riedel decanter designs, this version of the Amadeo has an optical finish (see photo) and a Black, White, Black stripe running from top to top (narrow spout to the wide filling end). Beautiful.

We have an over stock of 5 of these decanters, So I could say hurry, they are going fast. But the reality is that we are unlikely to sell all five this weekend. The offer will finish though, when the five are sold. 

Price this weekend (or until sold out) is £299.00

Navigate Insulated Picnic Basket & Rug - £39.99

This is a very nice Picnic Basket for two (supplied empty). The interior is foil lined, insulated, zips shut and comes with a Picnic Rug, as well, that sits nicely between the carrying handles.

A very nice forty quid’s worth. We have an overstock of these so for this weekend (or until sold through) they are £10 off, making them £29.99.

Well, that’s it again. I’ll leave the last word to Martin Amis, who died the other day.

“Death gives us something to do. Because it’s a full-time job looking the other way”  
quoted in The Daily Telegraph.

Sharp observation.

I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful weekend.
Kind regards

Andrew

Andrew Bluett-Duncan

Director