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The NOVA classification system is a framework that classifies foods according to the extent and purpose of the processing they undergo, rather than primarily by their nutrient content. It divides foods into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods (Monteiro et al., 2010; Monteiro et al., 2019).
Within nutritional psychology, the NOVA classification is important because it shifts attention from isolated nutrients to the level of food processing itself — a dimension increasingly linked to reward-system activation, compulsive eating, mood, and other diet-mental health outcomes. This makes it a foundational tool for studying and communicating how modern food environments shape psychological functioning.
Author and reviewer
Editorial responsibilityReferences and further reading
- Monteiro, C. A., Levy, R. B., Claro, R. M., de Castro, I. R. R., & Cannon, G. (2010). A new classification of foods based on the extent and purpose of their processing. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 26(11), 2039–2049. View source
- Monteiro, C. A., Cannon, G., Moubarac, J. C., et al. (2018). The UN Decade of Nutrition, the NOVA food classification and the trouble with ultra-processing. Public Health Nutrition, 21(1), 5–17. View source
How to cite this entry
CNP (2026). The NOVA classification system. In CNP Encyclopedia Editorial Board (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
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