NOVA food classification explained

What is the NOVA classification?

NOVA is a food classification system developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. First published in 2009 and refined over the following decade, it categorizes all foods into four groups based on the extent and purpose of industrial processing they undergo.

Unlike traditional nutrition labels that focus on what is in the food (calories, protein, fat, vitamins), NOVA focuses on what has been done to the food. Two products might have identical calorie counts but fall into completely different NOVA groups — and that distinction has significant health implications.

NOVA has been adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Pan American Health Organization, and multiple national dietary guidelines around the world. It is one of the most researched food classification frameworks in modern nutrition science.

The four NOVA groups

Group 1: Unprocessed and minimally processed foods

These are foods in their natural state or altered only by processes that do not add substances — such as removal of inedible parts, drying, crushing, grinding, pasteurization, refrigeration, freezing, or vacuum packaging.

Examples: Fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, fresh meat and fish, milk, plain nuts, dried beans and lentils, rice, grains, fresh herbs, plain yogurt (without added sugar), frozen vegetables, and dried fruits without added sugar.

These foods form the foundation of every healthy dietary pattern. They deliver nutrients in their natural matrix — the combination of fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that evolved together in the food and that your body is designed to process.

Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients

These are substances extracted from Group 1 foods or from nature, used in kitchens to prepare, season, and cook Group 1 foods. They are rarely consumed on their own.

Examples: Olive oil, butter, sugar, salt, flour, honey, vinegar, cream, and lard.

In moderation, Group 2 ingredients are a normal part of cooking. Oil to saute vegetables, salt to season a steak, flour to bake bread — these have been used for centuries. The issue arises when they are consumed in excess or used as primary ingredients in ultra-processed products.

Group 3: Processed foods

These are relatively simple products made by combining Group 1 foods with Group 2 ingredients using preservation methods like canning, bottling, or fermentation. The processing is meant to increase durability or enhance sensory qualities.

Examples: Canned vegetables (with added salt), canned fish (in oil), artisan cheese, freshly baked bread (with just flour, water, salt, and yeast), smoked meats, pickled vegetables, and fruit preserved in syrup.

Group 3 foods can be part of a healthy diet. The key identifier: you can recognize the original food, and the ingredient list is short. Canned tomatoes with salt are processed. A tomato-flavored snack chip with 30 ingredients is ultra-processed.

Group 4: Ultra-processed food and drink products

This is the group that has generated the most research and concern. Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods and additives, with little or no intact Group 1 food.

They typically contain ingredients you would not find in a home kitchen: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, protein isolates, emulsifiers, humectants, flavor enhancers, colorants, and other additives designed to make the product hyper-palatable and shelf-stable.

Examples: Soft drinks, packaged snack chips, mass- produced bread with long ingredient lists, instant noodles, frozen meals with additives, breakfast cereals with added flavors and colors, energy bars, flavored yogurts with artificial sweeteners, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and most fast food.

The defining characteristic: the product exists because of the processing, not despite it. You cannot make a cheese puff at home from whole foods. The processing is not preserving a food — it is creating a new product.

Health implications of ultra-processed foods

The research on ultra-processed foods has grown rapidly since NOVA was introduced. Multiple large-scale studies and meta-analyses have found associations between high ultra-processed food intake and:

• Obesity and weight gain. Ultra-processed foods are engineered to be hyper-palatable, making it easy to overconsume. A landmark 2019 NIH study found that people ate 500 more calories per day when given ultra-processed meals versus unprocessed meals with identical available calories and macronutrients.
• Cardiovascular disease. Higher ultra-processed food consumption is associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke, even after adjusting for sodium, sugar, and fat intake.
• Type 2 diabetes. Each 10 percent increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet has been linked to a significant increase in diabetes risk.
• Cancer. Several large cohort studies have found associations between ultra-processed food intake and increased cancer risk, particularly colorectal and breast cancer.
• Depression and anxiety. Emerging research links high ultra-processed food diets to worse mental health outcomes, potentially through inflammation and gut microbiome disruption.

It is important to note that these are associations, not proven causal relationships. But the consistency across dozens of studies, populations, and health outcomes makes a compelling case for reducing ultra-processed food consumption.

How haul uses NOVA in the nutrition score

haul's nutrition quality score rates your diet from 0 to 100 based on five categories: produce variety, protein diversity, micronutrient coverage, food variety, and processing level. The processing level category is directly informed by the NOVA framework.

When you scan a grocery receipt or log a meal, haul classifies each food item into one of the four NOVA groups. Your processing level score reflects the proportion of your diet that comes from Group 1 and Group 3 foods versus Group 4 ultra-processed foods. A diet dominated by whole and minimally processed foods scores higher. A diet heavy in ultra-processed products scores lower.

This matters because calorie counting alone cannot distinguish between a 400-calorie lunch of grilled chicken, rice, and vegetables versus a 400-calorie lunch of ultra-processed snack bars and diet soda. The calories are the same. The nutritional impact is not. To understand how all five categories work together, read our deep dive into the nutrition score.

For a broader perspective on how haul's scoring compares to simpler calorie-focused trackers, see our breakdown of understanding your nutrition score.

Practical tips for reducing ultra-processed foods

Eliminating all ultra-processed foods is unrealistic for most people — and unnecessary. The goal is to shift the balance, not achieve perfection. Here are practical strategies:

Read ingredient lists, not just nutrition labels

A nutrition label tells you what is in the food quantitatively. An ingredient list tells you what the food actually is. If the ingredient list contains substances you would not use in a home kitchen — or more than about five to seven ingredients — it is likely ultra-processed.

Cook more at home

Home cooking almost automatically reduces ultra-processed food intake because most people cook with Group 1 and Group 2 ingredients. Even simple meals — scrambled eggs, pasta with olive oil and vegetables, a stir-fry — are nutritionally superior to their ultra-processed equivalents.

Replace, do not remove

Instead of declaring war on snacks, swap ultra-processed versions for less processed alternatives:

• Flavored yogurt with added sugars becomes plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit.
• Packaged granola bars become trail mix with nuts and dried fruit.
• Instant flavored oatmeal becomes plain oats with honey and banana.
• Soft drinks become sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon.

Shop the perimeter

In most grocery stores, whole foods (produce, meat, dairy) are around the edges, while ultra-processed foods fill the center aisles. This is not a hard rule, but it is a useful heuristic.

Use your pantry data

When you scan your grocery receipt and see your pantry inventory, you can visually assess the balance of whole foods versus packaged products. Over time, this feedback loop naturally shifts purchasing habits toward less processed options.

NOVA is a lens, not a law

No single classification system captures everything about food quality. NOVA does not account for portion sizes, allergens, sustainability, or personal tolerance. Some ultra-processed foods (like fortified cereals or protein powders) serve legitimate nutritional purposes.

Think of NOVA as one lens among several. Combined with calorie awareness, macronutrient balance, micronutrient coverage, and food variety, it gives you a more complete picture of your diet. That is exactly how haul uses it — as one of five components in a holistic nutrition quality score. For a look at how this fits into the broader landscape of nutrition apps, see our roundup of the best calorie tracking apps in 2026.