The NOVA Food Classification System

The following reference was adapted from the NOVA Food Classification system, which was
designed by Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health,
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. NOVA helps people “group foods according to the extent and
purpose of the processing they undergo. Food processing as identified by NOVA involved
physical, biological and chemical processes that occur after foods are separated from nature, and
before they are consumed or used in the preparation of dishes and meals1.”

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

• Natural, packaged, cut, chilled or frozen vegetables, • nuts, peanuts, and other seeds
fruits, potatoes, and other roots and tubers without salt or sugar

• bulk or packaged grains such as brown, white, • fresh and dried herbs and spices
parboiled and wholegrain rice, corn kernel, or wheat (e.g., oregano, pepper, thyme,
berry cinnamon)

• fresh or pasteurized vegetable or fruit juices with no • fresh and dried mushrooms and other
added sugar or other substances fungi or algae

• grains of wheat, oats and other cereals • fresh and dried herbs and spices

• grits, flakes and flours made from corn, wheat or oats, • fresh, chilled or frozen meat, poultry,
including those fortified with iron, folic acid or other fish and seafood, whole or in the form
nutrients lost during processing of steaks, fillets and other cuts

• dried or fresh pasta, couscous, and polenta made • fresh or pasteurized milk; yoghurt
from water and the grits/flakes/flours described above without sugar

• eggs • tea, herbal infusions

• lentils, chickpeas, beans, and other legumes • coffee

• dried fruits • tap, spring and mineral water

1Quoted from: https://tinyurl.com/NOVA2016WN That article and the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines (from
http://tinyurl.com/BRdietary), which also are informed by NOVA, were used to compile this reference
document for use with your journals.
Food, Nutrition & Fitness I: The Digestion Journey Begins with Food Choices 1 of 4
Compiled in 2018 by EduChange with guidance from NUPENS, Sao Paulo.
 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.

Use oils, fats, salt, and sugar in small amounts for seasoning and cooking foods and to
create culinary preparations. As long as they are used in moderation in culinary
preparations based on natural or minimally processed foods, oils, fats, salt, and sugar
contribute toward diverse and delicious diets without rendering them nutritionally
unbalanced.

EXAMPLES

• oils made from seeds, nuts and fruits, to • butter

include soybeans, corn, oil palm, sunflower or
olives

• white, brown and other types of sugar and • lard

molasses obtained from cane or beet

• honey extracted from honeycombs • coconut fat

• syrup extracted from maple trees • refined or coarse salt, mined or

from seawater

• starches extracted from corn and other plants • also any food combining 2 of
these, such as ‘salted butter’

THE GOLDEN RULE:

“Always prefer natural or minimally

processed foods and freshly made dishes and
meals to ultra-processed foods.”

Food, Nutrition & Fitness I: The Digestion Journey Begins with Food Choices 2 of 4
Compiled in 2018 by EduChange with guidance from NUPENS, Sao Paulo.
 GROUP 3: PROCESSED FOODS
Processed foods are products manufactured by industry with the use of salt, sugar, oil or
other substances (Group 2) added to natural or minimally processed foods (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. They are usually consumed as a part of or as a
side dish in culinary preparations made using natural or minimally processed foods. Most
processed foods have two or three ingredients.

EXAMPLES

• canned or bottled legumes or • canned fish, such as sardine and tuna,

vegetables preserved in salt (brine) with or without added preservatives
or vinegar, or by pickling

• tomato extract, pastes or • salted, dried, smoked or cured meat or

concentrates (with salt and/or sugar) fish

• fruits in sugar syrup (with or without • coconut fat

added antioxidants)

• beef jerky • freshly-made cheeses

• bacon • freshly-made (unpackaged) breads made

of wheat flour, yeast, water and salt

• salted or sugared nuts and seeds • fermented alcoholic beverages such as

beer, alcoholic cider, and wine

Food, Nutrition & Fitness I: The Digestion Journey Begins with Food Choices 3 of 4
Compiled in 2018 by EduChange with guidance from NUPENS, Sao Paulo.
 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). Manufacturing techniques include extrusion, moulding and
preprocessing by frying. Beverages may be ultra-processed. Group 1 foods are a small
proportion of, or are even absent from, ultra-processed products.

EXAMPLES

• fatty, sweet, savory or salty packaged • pre-prepared (packaged) meat, fish and
snacks vegetables

• biscuits (cookies) • pre-prepared pizza and pasta dishes

• ice creams and frozen desserts • pre-prepared burgers, hot dogs,

sausages

• chocolates, candies and • pre-prepared poultry and fish ‘nuggets’

confectionery in general and ‘sticks’

• cola, soda and other carbonated soft • other animal products made from
drinks remnants

• ‘energy’ and sports drinks • packaged breads, hamburger and hot

dog buns

• canned, packaged, dehydrated • baked products made with ingredients

(powdered) and other ‘instant’ soups, such as hydrogenated vegetable fat,
noodles, sauces, desserts, drink sugar, yeast, whey, emulsifiers, and
mixes and seasonings other additives

• sweetened and flavored yogurts, • breakfast cereals and bars

including fruit yogurts

• dairy drinks, including chocolate milk • infant formulas & drinks, and meal
replacement shakes (e.g., ‘slim fast’)

• sweetened juices • pastries, cakes and cake mixes

• margarines and spreads • distilled alcoholic beverages such as

whisky, gin, rum, vodka, etc.

Food, Nutrition & Fitness I: The Digestion Journey Begins with Food Choices 4 of 4
Compiled in 2018 by EduChange with guidance from NUPENS, Sao Paulo.