HarperCollins signs Hobson's cookbook tackling ultra-processed foods

Award-winning nutritionist Rob Hobson is writing a cookbook to combat the health risks of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), Unprocess Your Life: Break Free from Ultra-processed Foods for Good.

HarperCollins said it is "the first cookbook to tackle the very real health risks that come with eating a diet made up of UPFs".

HarperNonFiction publishing director Katya Shipster struck the deal for UK and Commonwealth rights, with Dorie Simmonds at Dorie Simmonds Agency Ltd. It is slated for publication in hardback and e-book on 4th January 2024.  

The blurb reads: “Research shows that one in seven of us across the globe is addicted to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Often labelled as ‘healthy’, UPFs are everywhere we look – in our shopping baskets, our children’s lunch boxes and our kitchen cupboards. Yet research has shown these foods are synonymous with ill-health and a litany of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

"Breaking free from the hold of these cheap, convenient UPFs is one of the best things we can do for our health, but it can feel impossible to know where to begin. Rob Hobson sets out practical steps and delicious recipes to make your diet cleaner and healthier, yet still bursting with flavour.

"Helping to navigate the modern food landscape, Hobson provides handy tips and effortless wholefood swaps that will create speedy meals, freezer favourites, sauces and snacks without the nasties, allowing the whole family to embrace an unprocessed life that is simple, satisfying and achievable.” 

Hobson said: "It’s a privilege to have authored this awesome cookbook that addresses a pressing concern in our times: the impact of food manufacturing on our health. My aspiration was to create a single, comprehensive resource on my kitchen shelf, filled with recipes for the unprocessed alternatives to ultra-processed foods."

Shipster said: “The ongoing vast media interest in this topic this year has led me to completely overhaul my family’s diet; I thought we were already doing OK. However, it’s still a massive challenge to keep UPFs out of my kids’ school bags, and out of our kitchen in general. Rob’s brilliant, easy-to-follow book is the next logical step for anyone wanting to banish these foods for good but finding it hard to know where to start. And his recipes also happen to be completely knock-out delicious.”  

Hobson is an award-winning registered nutritionist with more than 17 years of experience in the industry. He founded RH Nutrition, a consultancy, and writes for various publications as well as appearing on shows such as Channel 4’s "Food Unwrapped”. Alongside this, he consults for major international brands and has co-authored titles such as Detox Kitchen Bible (Bloomsbury) and The Art of Sleeping (HQ).