I found this book really interesting and helpful as a woman who is trying to improve my diet. I felt that my diet was healthy but I started reading this book and realised that the issue of what constitutes a UPF is way more complex than I knew. I was particularly interested in the chapters around women's hormones and this is definitely a section that I will refer back to. My diet is already low salt and low saturated fat but now I'm working on swapping out as many UPFs as I can. I really appreciated that this book is informative but it's not preachy and I felt I was being supported in my learning about UPF. I love the suggestion in the end of how to work towards swapping out UPFs and what to eat instead. My diet is definitely as low as it has been in years where UPF is concerned but now I've learnt how to make more swaps. I appreciated the handful of recipes at the end too and am definitely going to have a go at making hummus this week. It's shocking how much our diets have changed over the decades because of the ease of convenience food but with some planning it's not that hard to get back to eating whole foods again.

I absolutely loved this! Every woman should read it and have a copy on their tables. It was interesting and inspiring, really hit the nail on the head with everything in our lives.
I love getting into nature to switch off and forage with the kids, and I feel this was an excellent opportunity to showcase this in the book. So encouraging.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this book, the author argues that we, as humans, have lost our connection to food. It’s not something we cherish anymore; it’s something that’s wrapped in plastic, sitting on the supermarket shelf, waiting to be picked up by us. We buy it, heat it up in the microwave, eat it, and the cycle continues.

Before I began reading this book, I was slightly confused about the definitions of processed and ultra-processed food. Processed foods mean foods that have been changed from their natural state by various methods, like chopping or washing. A good example are tinned/frozen fruits and vegetables or cheeses.

Ultra-processed foods (or UPFs) go through more transformations, and they usually contain artificial colourings, flavours, and preservatives. Milli Hill describes ultra-processed foods as something that resembles food, but it isn’t food – it’s factory-made, on a huge scale. She urges everyone to read food labels, and, on the ingredients list, if you see items that aren’t food (words like ‘stabilisers’ or ’emulsifiers’), then that food is ultra-processed.

UPFs are harmful to everyone, but particularly to women’s health. They cause obesity, which then causes further damage like an increased link to certain types of cancer, mental health issues, heart disease, and even a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research has shown that women are emotional eaters, and when they are stressed or anxious, they turn to food. And that food is most likely UPFs: cakes, chocolates, crisps, and biscuits.

I found this book scary but then extremely thought-provoking and very well researched.

I liked how there are various sections detailing how UPFs can be harmful, but I really appreciated the advice towards the end of the book. There is a section informing us of what foods to store in our cupboards and what to avoid, and also how to make some changes to our diet. I really liked the recipes, too, and I will be trying out some of them.

A very informative read! If you’re going to read a non-fiction book, make sure it’s this one.

Many thanks to HQ for my NetGalley widget.

A really interesting book looking at Ultra-Processed food through a woman's lens. Lots of useful information and statistics and surprising insights into the modern diet and the effects it has on a woman's health and hormones. I enjoyed reading it.

Ultra-Processed Women by Milli Hill is an informative introduction to a complicated and occasionally controversial subject. Written in a natural almost conversational style it provides the reader with a lot of information but does so in an easily digestible manner (no pun intended). As someone who has seen the term ultra processed food bandied about with increasing frequency in the media I appreciated it that the author went back to basics and really simplified the topic while making me consider many of the times that I reguarly pick up when grocery shopping. The focus on the specific impacts of these "foods" on women's health and the deliberate targeting of women with many of these products being marketed as helping with weight loss gives the book a unique perspective and I found the chapeter describing the ingredients found in common in some ultra processed foods and some cosmetic products particularly enlightening and disturbing. While infromative the author is never preachy, instead encouraging the reader to think more carefully about the choices they are making and to adapt the information provided in a way that works for them and their lifestyles. I was not expecting to find a recipe section at the end of the book but in fact it really highlighted how simple it can be to replace some of the ultra processed foods day to day .
Overall this was a well researched and highly informative book that will provied plenty of ffod for thought as well as easy to adopt suggestions that can only have a positie impact on health and well being and I will be recommending it to many of the women in my circle.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This was a brilliant, thought provoking and potentially life changing book that everyone, male and female, needs to read. It contains vitally important information that will forever alter the way you think about food and eating.
Superb.

Extremely informative and thought-provoking. It's encouraging a book focused on the impact of women too. There was an impressive amount of studies referenced which I appreciated.

**Listened to the audiobook and read along with the electronic copy**

I have read a few books now about UPF's - and was really intrigued by this book. Coming specifically from the viewpoint of UPF's and women.
I really enjoyed this book! It was super informative, but never overwhelming.

The audiobook was brilliant. The narrator was just perfect with it being Milli Hill, the books author.

There was a real sense of humour with this, as well as it being super informative.
This is the perfect follow up to Dr Chris van Tulleken's 'Ultra Processed People' - perfect companion!

Can see myself re-reading this again when i need a kick up the jacksy nutrition-wise.

This is such an informative read and one that everyone should pick up. It gives great insight into the foods we eat and what are classed as "healthy" and the domino effects they have on our health. I was shocked to read about so many things and will definitely be taking this on board.

An absolute must read for anyone on a “western diet” but particularly interesting and important for women. I now feel compelled to purchase copies of this book for my daughter and daughters in law!

I picked up this book deliberately as I am someone who is not keen on cooking and often picks up something quick to put in the microwave. Despite no weight issues, I needed a wake up call. This book has certainly done its job. It’s easy to read and understand mainly dealing with the needs of women. It should be promoted in all school libraries. It is good that ultra processed food is being taken seriously. It is important to read the ingredients even on the more expensive food. Thank you Netgalley!

The writer has a rich life and professional experience under her belt which exude in this book.
To give some context, if you closely follow credible research news, you probably will not be surprised at the facts presented in this book, however the unique take of this book is its comprehensive coverage from hormones to depression, a feminist look at health and what capitalism is doing to women.
A great book to gift to young women.

An interesting read on improving women’s health. I learnt a lot and found the section about Alzheimer’s particularly interesting. I’ve been vegetarian most of my adult life, eat lots of fruit and veg, go walking every day and go to a keep fit class once a week. Despite this, I was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so I think that’s in the lap of the gods. The ‘cocktail effect’ of factors that may lead to breast cancer was very enlightening as was the section on UPFs.

An interesting read that is well researched and presented in an informative way that definitely makes you think.

Wow, you don’t realise how much crap you eat till you read the ingredients! The Western countries' food supplies are outrageous and the amount of stuff we consume that isn’t right for our bodies, honestly makes me sick.

Hill did an excellent job of explaining the various food categories and what we should be consuming. Much of it is common knowledge; for instance, we know that eating at McDonald's or grabbing a cake from the shop isn’t beneficial for our health. However, we often choose the easy option, and as a result, our bodies suffer for it. From hormone imbalances and autoimmune conditions to mental health and fertility, she explains it all! I’m going to be recommending this to every woman I know.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rachel Quin for my ARC.

A very informative book with a lot of in depth research to back it up. I feel that as someone who has had an allotment for over 25 years I have a lot more control of what I am eating compared with those who eat from supermarkets packets and find and this was highlighted. It would appear that just spending money on Pringles and other expense crisps is not wise. Although a lot of the focus on the book is on women and the issues they have in life we men also have issues and these are touched on. Plenty of 'food for thought'. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for this eCopy to review

Ultra-Processed Women by Milli Hill, is a revelation. Hill takes a hard, unflinching look at the ultra-processed food industry and its specific, often overlooked impact on women’s health. From hormone imbalances and autoimmune conditions to mental health and fertility, she lays out the science in a way that’s both accessible and deeply personal. It’s not just about what we eat, it’s about how the food system has been shaped to exploit women’s bodies and choices.

What struck me most was how empowering it felt. Hill doesn’t just sound the alarm she hands you the tools to break free. Her writing is sharp, grounded, and full of righteous fire, but also incredibly practical. She offers real steps to reclaim your health, your kitchen, and your autonomy, without guilt or shame.

Reading this felt like a wake-up call and a rallying cry all at once. If you’ve ever felt out of sync with your body and wondered if your diet might be part of the story, this book is for you. It’s bold, brilliant, and absolutely essential. I’ll be recommending it to every woman I know.

Ultra-Processed Women is a thorough and comprehensive study on ultra-processed food (UPF) that asks the question ‘what about women?’

I chose to read this as I was particularly interested in learning what constitutes UPF. What I found was so much more. A well-written and researched book that not only defines UPF in simple terms but explores political, environmental and scientific discourse and the impact on everyone but makes specific considerations for issues relating to women. It follows the importance of quality of food from childhood to becoming a mother, right through to menopause and beyond. I can’t recommend this book enough. It is rich in sources and even had recipes and tips for cooking your own food so you can break up with UPF for good.

This is a very informative read full of things I wish I had known sooner. It’s a book you would flick through all the time and read the chapters again to inform yourself better. The world we live in with foods that we didn’t realise are Ultra Processed are everywhere, it’s quite scary. The way fruit and nuts change when they are in smoothies, my smoothie maker is now in the bin. It’s better to eat the whole food rather than changing it. A great book for woman to try to better educate us to eat better. A great 4 star read, thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

This book is written in a similar style to van Tulleken’s “Ultra-processed people” - jovial, but chock-a-block with information. I had feared it would be a pink-haired, Birkenstock-clad wimmin’s war screech, but I needn’t have worried.
This is an information-dense, clear tome on ultraprocessed foods, their pervasiveness and impact on not just women - all backed by research and accompagnied by extensive reference material. It’s quite scary to think how the food industry wheedled its way into every corner of nutrition for all ages, into cosmetics and even pet food:

“Although our supermarkets may seem to be filled with a huge variety of brands, in reality almost all of them come under the umbrella of just ten huge global corporations: Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, Kellogg’s, Ferrero, Mars, KraftHeinz and Mondelēz, International.”
“At the time of writing, the CEO of every major global food company in
the world is a man.”
“75 per cent of the global food supply comes from only twelve plants and five animal species.”

However, there are ways shown here to reduce minimise or indeed eliminate ultra-processed food from our lives and that’s worth pursuing!

Sorry, Mr van Tulleken, you’re good, but I think I prefer Ms Hill.