Nutrition Truth
What Is a NOVA Score? The Food Processing Rating Explained
NOVA rates food on a 1-4 scale based on how much industrial processing went into it. The 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines now reference it. Here is what each level means and which everyday foods fall where.
Short Answer
A NOVA score classifies food by processing level from 1 to 4. NOVA 1 = unprocessed (fresh fruit, plain meat, plain oats). NOVA 2 = cooking ingredients (oil, flour, salt). NOVA 3 = processed foods (cheese, canned fish, artisan bread). NOVA 4 = ultra-processed (chips, soda, instant noodles, packaged cookies). Higher NOVA score means more industrial processing and worse overall diet quality.
Most nutrition systems focus on nutrients: calories, protein, carbs, fat. The NOVA classification system does something different. It focuses on the degree of industrial processing a food has gone through, regardless of its nutrient content.
Developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, NOVA has been adopted by public health organizations worldwide. The 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines, released in January 2026, are the first edition to explicitly name ultra-processed foods (NOVA 4) as a category to limit. easyChef Pro includes a NOVA meter on every scored recipe, showing the processing level of each ingredient and a combined NOVA rating for the full dish.
NOVA 1: Unprocessed and Minimally Processed Foods
NOVA 1 foods are whole foods with no industrial processing, or with minimal processing that does not add substances. Freezing vegetables, pasteurizing milk, and drying herbs all count as NOVA 1 processing. These are the foods the guidelines want you eating more of.
| Food | NOVA | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh or frozen fruit (no sugar) | 1 | Any variety, plain only |
| Fresh or frozen vegetables | 1 | No sauces or added ingredients |
| Plain chicken breast | 1 | Fresh or frozen, no marinade |
| Fresh salmon fillet | 1 | Fresh or plain frozen |
| Plain rolled or steel-cut oats | 1 | Not instant flavored packets |
| Plain whole milk | 1 | Pasteurized, no additives |
| Plain Greek yogurt | 1 | No flavoring, no added sugar |
| Eggs | 1 | Unprocessed |
| Raw unsalted nuts | 1 | No added oil or flavoring |
| Dry lentils, chickpeas, beans | 1 | Plain dried legumes |
| Plain rice (dry) | 1 | No flavoring or seasoning packet |
| Plain dried pasta | 1 | Durum semolina and water only |
NOVA 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients
NOVA 2 includes substances extracted from whole foods and used in cooking. These are not eaten alone. They are used to prepare NOVA 1 foods. Salt, flour, sugar, and oil are NOVA 2. They are not considered ultra-processed and do not raise concerns on their own.
| Food | NOVA | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil, vegetable oil | 2 | Extracted from plants |
| Butter | 2 | Churned from cream |
| All-purpose flour, whole wheat flour | 2 | Milled grain |
| White sugar, brown sugar | 2 | Extracted from cane or beet |
| Salt | 2 | Mined or evaporated |
| Honey, maple syrup | 2 | Minimally processed sweeteners |
| Vinegar (plain) | 2 | Fermented |
| Coconut oil | 2 | Cold pressed |
NOVA 3: Processed Foods
NOVA 3 foods are made by adding NOVA 2 ingredients to NOVA 1 foods to preserve or enhance them. Salt, sugar, oil, alcohol, and vinegar are the main additions. These are recognizable as modified versions of whole foods and are not considered ultra-processed.
| Food | NOVA | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Natural block cheese (cheddar, parmesan) | 3 | Cultured milk + salt + rennet only |
| Canned tuna (in water or oil) | 3 | Tuna + salt, no additives |
| Canned tomatoes (plain) | 3 | Tomatoes + citric acid only |
| Canned chickpeas or black beans | 3 | Beans + salt + water |
| Natural peanut butter (peanuts + salt only) | 3 | No added sugar or hydrogenated oil |
| Artisan sourdough bread | 3 | Flour, water, salt, starter only |
| Smoked salmon (plain cured) | 3 | Salt-cured, no additives |
| Bacon (plain cured pork) | 3 | Pork + salt + nitrates only |
| Salted roasted nuts | 3 | Nuts + salt, no flavoring |
| Pickles (brine only) | 3 | Cucumbers + vinegar + salt |
| Canned sardines (in oil) | 3 | Fish + oil + salt only |
| Plain sauerkraut or kimchi | 3 | Fermented vegetables |
NOVA 4: Ultra-Processed Foods
NOVA 4 is the category the 2025 USDA guidelines tell you to limit. These are industrially formulated products containing substances not used in home kitchens: emulsifiers, artificial flavors, preservatives, texturizers, dough conditioners, and synthetic colorings. The ingredient label is the tell. If you see carrageenan, modified starch, soy lecithin, artificial flavors, polysorbate 80, or TBHQ, you are looking at NOVA 4.
| Food | NOVA | Why it qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Potato chips, tortilla chips | 4 | Flavor agents, emulsifiers, modified starch |
| Commercial breakfast cereal | 4 | Sweetened, fortified, modified starch, artificial flavor |
| Instant noodles (ramen) | 4 | Flavor powder, MSG, modified starch, TBHQ |
| Hot dogs and frankfurters | 4 | Mechanically separated meat, binding agents |
| Packaged chicken nuggets | 4 | Binders, flavoring, modified starch |
| Commercial sandwich bread | 4 | Dough conditioners, emulsifiers, added sugar |
| Soda and energy drinks | 4 | Artificial flavors, colorings, phosphoric acid |
| Flavored yogurt (commercial) | 4 | Added sugar, stabilizers, artificial flavor |
| Most granola bars | 4 | Glucose syrups, emulsifiers, flavor compounds |
| Packaged cookies and crackers | 4 | Partially hydrogenated oils, artificial flavor |
| Frozen pizza (commercial) | 4 | Modified starch, sodium phosphate, dough conditioners |
| Packaged mac and cheese | 4 | Processed cheese powder, emulsifying salts |
| Most protein bars | 4 | Protein isolates, artificial sweeteners, binding agents |
| Commercial peanut butter (Jif, Skippy) | 4 | Added sugar, fully hydrogenated oil |
| Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade) | 4 | Artificial colors and flavors, modified corn starch |
| Instant flavored oatmeal packets | 4 | Added sugar, natural flavor, guar gum |
Look up any food's NOVA score: Free NOVA Score Checker, search 80+ common foods by processing level.
Why NOVA Matters More Than Just Calorie Counting
Research from multiple large cohort studies consistently links high NOVA 4 intake to increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and all-cause mortality. The mechanism is not just calories. Ultra-processed foods displace whole foods in the diet, are engineered to override satiety signals, and deliver lower fiber, lower micronutrient density, and higher glycemic load than their calorie count suggests.
The 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines moved from nutrient-by-nutrient guidance to food-level guidance precisely because of this. The NOVA framework gives a simple, consistent way to classify foods that nutrient panels alone cannot capture. A 200-calorie granola bar and a 200-calorie handful of almonds look similar on a calorie label. Their NOVA scores (4 vs. 1) tell the real story.
See how NOVA connects to overall recipe health: How the easyChef Pro Nutrition Score Works, including the NOVA meter.
How easyChef Pro Uses the NOVA Score
Every recipe scored in easyChef Pro shows a NOVA rating for each ingredient and a combined NOVA score for the full dish. You can see at a glance how processed your meal is, which ingredient is pulling the NOVA rating up, and what swap would lower it.
A pasta dish made with plain dried pasta (NOVA 1), fresh tomatoes (NOVA 1), olive oil (NOVA 2), and garlic (NOVA 1) scores NOVA 1-2. The same dish made with a jarred pasta sauce containing modified starch and artificial flavoring blends up to NOVA 3-4. The app shows you which ingredient is responsible and suggests a lower-NOVA alternative.
Related Reading
- Ultra-Processed Foods: The Complete List and How to Spot Them
- Is Pasta Ultra-Processed? (Plus Bread, Cheese, Peanut Butter, and Yogurt)
- What Changed in the 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines
- How the easyChef Pro Nutrition Score Works
- 6 Health Goals. 6 Different Nutrition Scores. One App.
- Ultra-Processed Foods: The Complete List
- Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipes: 15 Best Meals Scored
- Is Pasta Ultra-Processed?
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a NOVA score?
- A NOVA score classifies food by processing level on a 1-4 scale. NOVA 1 is unprocessed or minimally processed food (fresh fruit, plain meat, plain oats). NOVA 2 is processed culinary ingredients (oil, flour, salt). NOVA 3 is processed food (cheese, canned fish, artisan bread). NOVA 4 is ultra-processed food (chips, soda, instant noodles, packaged cookies). Developed by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, NOVA is now referenced in the 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines.
- What does NOVA stand for in food?
- NOVA is not an acronym. It is the name given to the food classification system by researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The NOVA system classifies foods into four groups based on the extent and purpose of industrial processing, not their nutrient content.
- What is a NOVA 4 food?
- NOVA 4 foods are ultra-processed. They are industrially formulated with minimal whole food content and contain additives, preservatives, artificial flavors, emulsifiers, and stabilizers not used in home cooking. Examples include packaged chips, soda, commercial breakfast cereal, instant noodles, hot dogs, flavored yogurt, packaged cookies, and most fast food. The 2025-2030 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting NOVA 4 foods.
- Is a high NOVA score good or bad?
- A higher NOVA score means more processing, which is generally worse. NOVA 1 is the least processed. NOVA 4 is ultra-processed. A lower NOVA score is better for diet quality. Research links higher NOVA 4 intake to increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression.
- What NOVA score is bread?
- Bread NOVA score depends on how it is made. Artisan sourdough or homemade bread with just flour, water, salt, and yeast is NOVA 3. Commercial packaged bread (like standard sandwich bread) is typically NOVA 4 because it contains emulsifiers, preservatives, dough conditioners, and added sugars not found in home baking.
See the NOVA score of any food or recipe
easyChef Pro shows the NOVA processing level for every ingredient in every recipe. Free NOVA Score Checker below, or get the full breakdown in the app.