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Are Ultra Processed Foods Hijacking Your Hunger Hormones?

06th March 2026

We often hear about ‘calories in vs calories out,’ but what if the foods we eat aren’t just fuel, what if they actively disrupt the biology that tells us when we’re full?

Emerging science suggests that ultra‑processed foods (UPFs), industrially formulated products engineered for taste and convenience, may interfere with appetite regulation, blood sugar control and metabolic signalling in ways that go far beyond simple nutrition.

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In his bestselling book Ultra‑Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?, Dr Chris van Tulleken, infectious diseases doctor, Associate Professor at UCL and keynote speaker at the 2023 Goodwood Health Summit, lays out compelling evidence that UPFs are designed to be addictive and metabolically disruptive.

During his 2023 Goodwood Health Summit session with biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, he explored how the modern diet affects insulin, hunger signals and health outcomes and how small, inexpensive changes can have powerful effects on our wellbeing. 

Van Tulleken’s central premise? When most of your calories come from foods that aren’t really 'food' in the traditional sense, your hormonal and neurological systems don’t receive the cues they evolved to use and appetite regulation goes awry.

 

How UPFs Influence Hunger and Metabolism

Here’s what the science, and lived experience, tells us:

UPFs Trick the Body’s Satiety Signals

Ultra‑processed foods are typically:

  • Low in fibre
  • High in refined carbohydrates
  • Hyper‑palatable and easy to overeat

This combination encourages rapid eating, delayed fullness and post‑meal blood sugar spikes, all of which can confuse hormonal signals like ghrelin (hunger hormone) and GLP‑1 (satiety hormone).

In his own self‑experiment documented in Ultra‑Processed People, Dr van Tulleken found that eating a diet consisting of around 80 % UPFs led to measurable changes in hunger, weight and metabolic signalling, despite identical calorie intake.

 

Disrupted Blood Sugar Fuels Cravings

Rapid glucose spikes are a hallmark of diets rich in ultra‑processed foods. These swings prompt sharp insulin responses and sudden energy drops, making it harder to feel satisfied between meals and perpetuating cycles of cravings.

This effect matters because stable blood sugar is a major mechanism for regulating appetite, energy and nervous system resilience, three pillars of metabolic health championed at Goodwood Gut Health Retreats.

 

Low Fibre, Lower Microbial Diversity

Fibre is a key regulator of gut function. It feeds beneficial bacteria that produce metabolic molecules known as short‑chain fatty acids, which support immune health, reduce inflammation and even influence appetite hormones. (University College London)

Ultra‑processed diets, by design, lack this complex fibre profile, which can reduce microbial diversity and weaken the gut signals that help tell the brain that you are full.

 

Nutrition That Works With Your Biology

The good news? You don’t have to overhaul your life to start improving how your appetite behaves. At Goodwood Gut Health Retreats, our approach prioritises food that supports your biology from the inside out, focusing on three key pillars:

 

Protein Prioritisation

Protein from whole foods (lean organic meat, fish, legumes, dairy) supports muscle health, metabolic stability and prolonged fullness, especially when combined with fibre‑rich carbohydrates. As Goodwood Gut Health nutrition lead Stephanie Moore has emphasised:

“Protein supports muscle maintenance, but fibre supports the microbiome that helps regulate inflammation and appetite. You rarely want one without the other.”

This dynamic duo helps keep blood sugar steadier and hunger cues clearer.

 

Fibre‑Maxxing for Appetite Control

A diverse range of plant‑based fibres feeds beneficial gut bacteria, supporting gut barrier function and metabolic signalling. These fibres help blunt blood glucose spikes, widen satiety signals and promote resilience in appetite hormones.

 

Balanced Blood Sugar for Lasting Satisfaction

Meals that combine quality protein, healthy fats and fibre moderate glucose absorption, meaning steadier energy and fewer cravings. This is especially important for anyone striving to feel in control of hunger rather than at its mercy.

 

A Broader Perspective on Public Health

Beyond individual habits, Dr van Tulleken’s research also highlights a broader reality: ultra‑processed foods now constitute a large proportion of Western diets, making it easy to consume calories without nutrients and hard to achieve metabolic calm.

These learnings do not centre on guilt, but on understanding the biology behind our food choices and recognising that environmental, economic and industrial forces shape the food landscape we all navigate.

 

Takeaway: Don’t Fight Your Biology, Support It

Ultra‑processed foods may make appetite harder to regulate, but choices rooted in whole foods, balanced nutrition and metabolic awareness empower the body to function better and feel better while it does.

Instead of a diet that hijacks your hunger hormones, you can choose one that works with them, supporting your metabolic rhythm and nervous system resilience.

This is the philosophy practised at Goodwood's Wellness Retreats: real food that nourishes, restores and balances from the soil up.

Find out more about when the next Goodwood Gut Health Retreat or Active Longevity Retreats are taking place on the beautiful Goodwood Estate.

  • latest news

  • gut health

  • Health & Wellbeing

  • Health Summit

  • Wellness Retreats

  • fitness tips