Some foods are pizza, hot dogs, biscuits or soft drinks Ultra processed causing an increase in life-threatening diseases. Millions of people around the world consume ultra-processed foods, which are the artificial formulas that are sold Ready to eat or heat Made from food-derived or lab-made ingredients that have nothing to do with the original food.
To find out if we’re eating one of these foods, you just have to know where it comes from. They usually have five or more ingredients And they contain artificial substances such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors, according to the NOVA food rating system.
Nova Food Rating
- Group 1: Natural or minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish or meat.
- Group 2: Processed cooking ingredients such as sugar or salt.
- Group 3: Processed cooking ingredients such as canned or preserved vegetables, fruits, and legumes; Canned foods or yogurt and fermented milk.
- Group 4: Ultra-processed foods and drinks such as packaged pastries. Soft drinks, energy drinks, pizza, hot dogs, fish, chicken or cheese.
Healthy diet with group 3 or 4?
Julie Hess“The study is a proof-of-concept that shows a more balanced view of healthy eating patterns,” explains the ARS research dietitian at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks. Ultra-processed foods It might be an option,” she added, adding, “Based on current dietary recommendations, the nutritional content of a food and its place in a food group is more important than how well the food has been processed.”
In the study, scientists used the NOVA scale to determine which foods should be classified as ultra-processed.
the food chain
To test whether ultra-processed foods can be used to build a healthy diet, ARS scientists and collaborators created a Menu with breakfast, lunch and dinner And snacks using the pyramid MyPyramid As a guide to the meal pattern for seven days, 2,000 calories.
The menu consisted of foods rated as ultra-processed by at least two NOVA raters. The menu items also align with the DGA’s 2020 recommendations for serving groups and subgroups of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy products.
Diet foods
Scientists chose food products that contain low levels of saturated fats and added sugars, and at the same time contain enough micro and macronutrients. Some of the ultra-processed foods used in this list are included canned beansAnd Instant oatmealheAdd UltrafilterAnd wholemeal bread And dried fruit.
“The menu we developed scored 86 out of 100 points on the 2015 Healthy Eating Index, meeting most thresholds except for sodium content (exceeding recommendations) and whole grains (below recommendations),” Hess said.
This research shows that there is a role for a variety of foods in building a healthy diet and that more research is needed in this area, especially intervention studies. Scientists will continue to investigate this concept, recognizing that observational research indicates that ultra-processed products may be associated with adverse health outcomes.
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