USDA scientists create "healthy menu" with 91% of calories coming from ultra-processed foods

Scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center led a study that demonstrates it is possible to build a healthy diet with 91 percent of the calories coming from ultra-processed foods (as classified using the NOVA scale) while still following the recommendations from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The study highlights the versatility of using DGA recommendations in constructing healthy menus.

The study is a proof-of-concept that shows a more balanced view of healthy eating patterns, where using ultra-processed foods can be an option. According to current dietary recommendations, the nutrient content of a food and its place in a food group are more important than the extent to which a food was processed."

Julie Hess, ARS Research Nutritionist, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

In the study, scientists used the NOVA scale to determine which foods to classify as ultra-processed. The NOVA scale first appeared in literature in 2009 and is the most commonly used scale in nutrition science to classify foods by degree of processing.

According to the NOVA scale, foods can be classified into four groups depending on their degree of processing: (1) Unprocessed or minimally processed foods; (2) Processed culinary ingredients; (2) Processed foods; and (4) Ultra-processed foods.