"Processed Foods"... What are they, really?!

Let's look at The Nova Food Classification System!

I’m absolutely guilty of advising people to watch the intake of "processed foods."

But, in actuality, most foods we eat are processed—at least to some extent.

So, what do we really mean when we say this? 

To help with this conversation, I want to draw our attention to The Nova Food Classification System.  (If you want to read more for yourself, here's the link to a 4-page PDF.)

This groups foods into 4 categories, depending on what happens between when foods are "separated from nature" and when we consume them.  

Here are the groups (text pulled from the document linked above):

Group 1: UNPROCESSED OR MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS

-Unprocessed or natural foods are obtained directly from plants or animals and do not undergo any alteration following their removal from nature.

-Minimally processed foods are natural foods that have been submitted to cleaning, removal of inedible or unwanted parts, fractioning, grinding, drying, fermentation, pasteurization, cooling, freezing, or other processes that may subtract part of the food, but which do not add oils, fats, sugar, salt or other substances to the original food.

-Examples: Frozen fruits/vegetables, grains, oats, eggs, tea, coffee, and milk.

Group 2: OILS, FATS, SALT, AND SUGAR

-Group 2 is also called Processed Culinary Ingredients. These are products extracted from natural foods or from nature by processes such as pressing, grinding, crushing, pulverizing, and refining. They are used in homes and restaurants to season and cook food and thus create varied and delicious dishes and meals of all types, including broths and soups, salads, pies, breads, cakes, sweets, and preserves. 

-Examples: honey, butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and sea salt.

Group 3: PROCESSED FOODS

-Processed foods are products manufactured by industry with the use of salt, sugar, oil or other substances (from Group 2) added to natural or minimally processed foods (from Group 1) to preserve or to make them more palatable. They are derived directly from foods and are recognized as versions of the original foods. 

-Most processed foods have two or three ingredients.

-Examples: Canned beans, tomato paste, bacon, beef jerky, canned tuna, cured meats, and wine.

Group 4:  ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS

-Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources (flavor enhancers, colors, and several food additives used to make the product hyper-palatable).

-Examples: Cookies, hot dogs, chocolates, breakfast cereals, sweetened juices, chips, and cakes.  

When we look at this list, we can see just how many foods we eat ARE processed.  And, when we look at this list, we can also see that not all of these foods are necessarily "unhealthy."  Many are nutrient-rich and can be wonderful additions to our daily food plans. 

What we really want is to be careful of how many Group 4 ultra-processed foods we're consuming!!!

(Note:  Infant formula falls into the Group 4 category because it is a highly processed food item... However, this is a great example of a food that is necessary and safe and healthy for humans to consume.  So, even within the Group 4 category, we still need to use our judgement about nutrient value and health!) 

Certainly, food from all of the other groups can contribute to overall calories, which is definitely important for body composition and weight, but, it is the Group 4 foods that add calories the quickest, have the fewest nutrients, are "easiest" to eat, and thus easier to eat “too much” of.  

Alternatively, let's aim to get *most* of your foods from Groups 1 and 3 (I'm leaving out 2 because it's mostly spices/cooking materials and not things you eat on their own).  

Overall, let's be careful with using the term "processed foods" as equivalent to unhealthy.  Myself included.  If anything, use "ultra-processed" or "low-nutrient" foods instead.  I imagine this more accurately explains what we mean and the foods that we're aiming to decrease or moderate the intake of.  

Okay, okay okay... now we have more information about our foods and how they're classified, but I didn't share all of this with the intention of overwhelming you... So, hopefully that wasn't the case.  If so, let me simplify and focus, also, on what foods we DO want to include.

What food intake can we aim for??  Here's a good start:
-Drink 1/2 of your body weight (or goal bodyweight) in ounces of water per day
-Eat 3-5 x 1-cup servings of fruits OR veggies per day
-Eat 3-5 x ~25g servings of protein per day 
-Moderate the intake of Group 4 foods and alcohol
-Aside from this, aim for other Group 1 or 3 foods as needed for fullness and that fit your goals!

Need help figuring out what this actually looks like for you??  Please reach out and let's talk!  Share in the comments or send an email to sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com!

As always, thank you for reading,
Sara