Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are everywhere.
Some estimates have found that up to 73% of the American food supply is ultra-processed foods.
However, experts dont agree on what to do about ultra-processed foodsor even how to classify them.
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How Can You Tell If a Food Is Ultra-Processed?
The researchers observed that the health experts did not consistently classify the same foods into the same NOVA groups.
Based on the studys findings, the researchers concluded that the NOVA system needed to be reevaluated.
[And] which to our knowledge, and after having read papers, didnt seem to be validated.
Are Ultra-Processed Foods Unhealthy?
Going by the NOVA definitions, almost everything we eat is processed to some extent.
Refrigerating, boiling, and chopping a whole food item are forms of processing.
Some experts argue that we need to better understand the mechanisms behind ultra-processed foods before making broad recommendations.
However, Astrup pointed out that ultra-processed foods could be a marker of an overall unhealthy diet.
Monteiro stands by his argument and told Verywell that NOVA does not classify foods as healthy or unhealthy.
Babak Ravandi, PhD
It classifies a huge chunk of foods as equally ultra-processed.
Ravandi argues that this makes it hard for people and policymakers to find alternative choices.
Thats where TrueFoods tries to help.
The AI that powers it relies on data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA.
Its everything in between thats still being debated.
However, Ravandi is hopeful that we are moving one step closer toward coming to consensus.
Ravandi B, Mehler P, Barabasi AL, Menichetti G.Grocerydb: prevalence of processed food in grocery stores.medRxiv.
2019;22(5):936-941. doi:10.1017/S1368980018003762
EduChange.The NOVA food classification system.
Monteiro CA, Astrup A.Does the concept of ultra-processed foods help inform dietary guidelines, beyond conventional classification systems?
YES.Am J Clin Nutr.
2019;30(1):67-77.e3.
2018;360:k322.
2021;13(2):682. doi:10.3390/nu13020682
World Health Organization.Healthy diet.
