NOVA rankings

Ranking system

The score weighs protein, fiber, micronutrients, fat quality, food structure, added sugar, sodium, and satiety.

Score	Meaning	Example
80–100	Prioritize	Oily fish, leafy greens
60–79	Choose often	Eggs, berries
40–59	Fine in context	White rice, fruit
20–39	Use sparingly	Bacon, butter
0–19	Limit	Sugar, honey

How NOVA classifies foods

NOVA sorts food by the degree and purpose of processing, not by nutrient content.

NOVA 1 — the food itself, unprocessed or changed only by minimal processes.

NOVA 2 — ingredients extracted from foods or from nature, used to cook, season, sweeten, preserve, or combine foods.

NOVA 3 — a NOVA 1 food combined with NOVA 2 ingredients.

NOVA 4 — an industrial formulation with more extensive processing and often cosmetic or functional additives.

NOVA 1

Score	Food	Rationale
90	Sardines	Protein, omega-3s, calcium, vitamin D, B12
87	Leafy greens	Fiber, vitamins K and C, folate, carotenoids
86	Salmon, mackerel, and herring	Protein, omega-3s, vitamin D, B12
85	Cruciferous vegetables	Fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium
82	Lentils and beans	Fiber, protein, folate, iron, potassium
82	Plain Greek yogurt and kefir	Protein, calcium, live cultures
81	Shellfish	Protein, iron, zinc, B12, selenium
80	Seeds	Fiber, unsaturated fats, minerals
80	Sweet potatoes	Fiber, potassium, carotenoids
79	Avocado	Fiber, monounsaturated fat, potassium
78	Potatoes	Potassium and satiety; preparation matters
77	Berries	Fiber, vitamin C, polyphenols
77	Plain milk	Protein, calcium, iodine, B12; fat level barely moves the score
76	Nuts and natural nut butter	Unsaturated fats, fiber, protein, minerals
76	Eggs	Complete protein, choline, B vitamins, selenium
72	Quinoa and oats	Fiber, minerals, useful carbohydrate
70	Whole fruit	Fiber and micronutrients; whole fruit is preferable to juice
70	Chicken and turkey	High-quality protein; relatively low fiber and omega-3s
69	Lean beef and pork	Protein, iron, zinc, B12; more saturated fat
69	Mushrooms	Fiber, B vitamins, potassium, selenium; very low calorie density
69	Seaweed	Iodine, minerals, fiber; iodine content varies widely by type
67	Whole grains	Fiber and minerals; still predominantly starch
66	Brown rice	More intact and fiber-rich than white rice
61	Whole-grain flours	Retain bran and germ; milling still raises glycemic response
58	Dried fruit	Retains nutrients but concentrates sugar and calories
56	White rice and refined pasta	Useful carbohydrate; lower fiber and micronutrient density
55	Refined flours	Useful carbohydrate; bran and germ removed
53	100% fruit juice	Some vitamins; less fiber and satiety than whole fruit
52	Fresh herbs and spices	Polyphenols and flavor; eaten in amounts too small to contribute much
48	Coffee and tea	Useful beverages, but not nutritional foundations
—	Water	Not scored: contributes no nutrients, but is the correct default beverage

NOVA 2

Score	Food	Rationale
60	Extra-virgin olive oil	Monounsaturated fat, polyphenols, useful cooking fat
57	Avocado oil	Mostly monounsaturated fat; practical for cooking
52	Canola oil	Mostly unsaturated fat; practical everyday oil
33	Butter and coconut oil	Mostly saturated fat; limited micronutrient contribution
28	Tallow and lard	Mostly saturated fat; limited micronutrient contribution
24	Vinegar	Flavor and acidity; negligible nutrition
20	Extracted starches	Pure starch for thickening; no fiber, protein, or micronutrients
10	Honey	Added sugar with minor trace compounds
5	Iodized salt	Seasoning; small advantage for iodine
5	Maple syrup	Added sugar with minor micronutrients
0	Sugar and non-iodized salt	Added sugar or seasoning without meaningful nutritional value

NOVA 3

Score	Food	Rationale
84	Canned oily fish	Retains protein, omega-3s, and often calcium; sodium deduction
80	Tempeh	Protein, fiber, fermented soybeans
77	Canned tuna	Lean protein; lower omega-3 density than oily fish
75	Canned beans and lentils	Retain fiber and protein; sodium deduction
74	Tofu	Protein-rich soy food; simple formulation
72	Canned tomatoes and simple tomato sauce	Tomato nutrients remain; score depends on salt and sugar
72	Salted nuts	Core nut nutrition remains; sodium deduction
71	Cottage cheese	Protein and calcium; sodium constraint
70	Hummus	Chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon, garlic; calorie density moderates score
66	Fermented vegetables	Fermentation and vegetable base; sodium constraint
64	Traditional cheese	Protein and calcium; sodium and saturated fat limit frequency
64	Simple whole-grain bread	More fiber than white bread; sodium and formulation matter
60	Simple sourdough or white bread	Short ingredient list; primarily starch
60	Plain popcorn	Whole grain and fiber; preparation matters
60	Olives	Monounsaturated fats and polyphenols; sodium deduction
56	Fruit canned in juice	Some fruit nutrition; lower satiety than fresh fruit
50	Dark chocolate	Cocoa polyphenols; calorie- and sugar-dense
45	Jerky and cured ham	Protein; high sodium and often saturated fat
36	Bacon	Protein; high sodium and saturated fat
20	Jam and preserves	Primarily added sugar
15	Wine, beer, and cider	Ethanol calories with negligible nutrients; polyphenols do not offset

NOVA 4

NOVA 4 varies too much by product to assign meaningful scores.

Use the ingredient list instead:

Limit by default: soda, candy, packaged desserts, chips, sweetened cereal, and heavily fried fast food.

Read the label: protein bars, packaged bread, plant-based meat, frozen meals, sauces, dressings, and packaged snacks.

A long ingredient list, emulsifiers, modified starches, protein isolates, artificial flavors, colors, or multiple added sweeteners are practical signs that a food is more likely NOVA 4.