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These definitions aren’t perfect or 100% accurate for classifying foods, and experts admit that there’s considerable variability when it comes to listing foods as “highly processed” in research studies ( 4).įor example, breakfast cereals are considered highly processed in many studies. Ultra-processed, or highly processed, foods typically contain substances you wouldn’t use in food preparation at home, such as ( 4): These items are meant to be convenient, hyper-palatable, and low cost and are typically high in sugars, refined grains, fats, preservatives, and salt. These contain little, if any, of the foods or ingredients from group 1. Examples include fresh bread, fruits in syrup, and cheese. Processed foods, including items made by adding ingredients like salt, sugar, or other substances from group 2 to group 1 foods. Group 2 foods are mainly used in preparation and cooking of group 1 foods. This can include foods such as olive oil, maple syrup, and salt. Processed culinary ingredients obtained directly from group 1 foods or from nature. These foods may have gone through roasting, boiling, or pasteurization to increase shelf life or make them safe to eat. Vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and nuts fall into this category. Minimally processed and unprocessed foods. To do this, they used NOVA, a food classification system developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil ( 1, 2, 3): To make it easier to understand food processing, researchers have separated foods into four categories based on the extent of processing. So, before we get into what makes a food highly processed, it’s important to understand that foods aren’t “unhealthy” just because they’re processed in some way. For example, manufacturers process dried beans to make them shelf-stable. Nearly all foods are processed, at least to some extent.