New research demonstrates that eating primarily minimally processed foods, as defined by the NOVA classification system, does not automatically result in a healthy diet, suggesting that the type of food we eat may be more important than the level of processing used to make it.
When the researchers compared two menus reflecting the typical Western diet (one emphasizing minimally processed foods and the other emphasizing ultra-processed foods, as classified by the NOVA classification system), they found that the less processed menu was more than twice as expensive and expired more than three times faster, with no added nutritional value.
“This study shows that even if you choose mostly less processed foods, you can still have a poor-quality diet,” said Julie Hess, PhD, a research dietitian at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, who led the study. “It also shows that while highly and less processed diets can have the same (or less) nutritional value, more processed diets may have a longer shelf life and cost less.”
Dr. Mark Messina, director of nutritional science research at the Soy Nutrition Institute Global, will present the findings at NUTRITION 2024, the American Academy of Nutrition’s flagship annual meeting, taking place June 29-July 2 in Chicago.
The new study builds on one published by the team last year, which demonstrated that it is possible to create a high-quality menu that follows dietary guidelines and gets most of its calories from foods classified as ultra-processed. In the new study, the researchers asked the opposite question: “Is it possible to create a low-quality menu that gets most of its calories from ‘simple’ foods?”
To find out, the researchers created a low-processed menu, with 20% of calories coming from ultra-processed foods, and a high-processed menu, with 67% of calories coming from ultra-processed foods. The level of processing for each menu was determined according to the NOVA classification system.
The Healthy Eating Index for the two menus was calculated to be 43-44 out of 100, a relatively low score indicating low adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The researchers estimated that the less processed menu would cost $34.87 per person per day compared to $13.53 per person per day for the more processed menu. They also calculated that the median shelf life of the less processed menu was 35 days compared to 120 days for the more processed menu.
The study looked at the disconnect between food processing and nutritional value, and Hess noted that some highly nutritious packaged foods could be classified as ultra-processed, including unsweetened applesauce, ultrafiltered milk, liquid egg whites, and some brands of raisins and canned tomatoes.
The results of this study show that to create a nutritious diet, it is not enough to consider food processing as defined by NOVA. The concepts of ‘ultra-processed’ and ‘lowly processed’ foods need to be more clearly defined by the nutrition research community.”
Julie Hess, PhD, Research Nutritionist, USDA-ARS Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
Messina The research will be presented at a poster session on Food Choices, Markets, and Policy on Sunday, June 30, from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. CDT at McCormick Place.Abstract; Presentation details).
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American Academy of Nutrition
