Drinks
- Compare first
- Sweetened soft drinks and flavoured drink mixes
- Simpler option
- Water, milk or unsweetened tea
- What to check
- Read added sugars on a US Nutrition Facts label; check sweeteners and flavours in ingredients.
Label check
Processed foods to avoid? Start with the label
Compare sweetened drinks, packaged snacks, ready meals and reconstituted meats first. Plain canned and frozen foods are not automatically a problem.
Jump to the aisle listCheck a food label with BerryPure
Free to download on iPhone. Subscription required for Premium.
A list to use, not a blacklist
A food can be processed without being ultra-processed. Freezing and canning preserve food; they do not by themselves make it a poor choice. Canada’s food guide recommends comparing labels and limiting foods that add excess sodium, sugars or saturated fat.
For the processing question, the NOVA researchers’ label method looks for ingredients rarely used in home kitchens, such as modified starch or hydrolysed protein, and cosmetic additives such as flavours, colours, sweeteners and emulsifiers. That is a clue to a Group 4 formulation, not proof that an ingredient is unsafe. NOVA is a research classification, not a legal label on the pack. The FDA is working toward a US definition.
Use the aisle list below to decide which packs to compare. Formulations vary by product and country. A long ingredient list alone is not a reliable verdict. If you want the detailed classification, see our NOVA groups guide; for a quick ingredient check, try the ultra-processed food checker.
Which foods should you compare first?
Examples are categories, not verdicts on every product. Read the pack in your hand.
Breakfast
- Compare first
- Sweetened cereal and flavoured instant oats
- Simpler option
- Plain oats or unsweetened cereal
- What to check
- Compare added sugars; look for flavours, colours and other formulation markers.
Snacks
- Compare first
- Flavoured packaged snacks and snack bars
- Simpler option
- Plain nuts, fruit or plain popcorn
- What to check
- Compare sodium and added sugars; check flavours and emulsifiers.
Ready meals
- Compare first
- Frozen pizza, instant noodles and ready-to-heat meals
- Simpler option
- A simple meal assembled from frozen vegetables, beans and grains
- What to check
- Freezing is not the issue. Compare sodium and the ingredient list.
Chicken and deli
- Compare first
- Reconstituted chicken nuggets and deli slices
- Simpler option
- Simply cooked chicken pieces or sliced roast poultry
- What to check
- Look for protein isolates, modified starch, flavours and sodium.
Bread and dairy
- Compare first
- Packaged loaves and flavoured yogurts with formulation additives
- Simpler option
- Bread with basic baking ingredients; plain yogurt
- What to check
- Read the exact pack. An emulsifier or flavour may signal Group 4; compare added sugars too.
How it works
A three-step label check in the aisle
1Name the food
Start with what you need to buy. Compare two versions of that food, not a snack with a completely different meal.
2Read ingredients
Look for Group 4 clues such as flavours, emulsifiers, protein isolates or modified starch. A short list is helpful, but length alone cannot classify a food.
3Compare nutrition
Check sodium, saturated fat and added sugars where listed. Processing level and nutritional quality answer different questions.
Cleaner swaps
Easy swaps that keep the same job
Sweetened breakfast cereal
Plain oats with fruit
Compare added sugars on the cereal label. Plain oats let you choose the topping and sweetness yourself.
Flavoured packaged snack
Plain popcorn or nuts
Keep the crunch; compare sodium and the ingredients on each pack.
Ready-to-heat meal
Frozen vegetables, canned beans and a grain
Convenience can still start with simple foods. Check sodium on the canned beans and any sauce.
Frequently askedquestions
Everything you need to know about scanning your food with Berry Pure.
Which processed foods should I avoid?
There is no universal blacklist. Compare sweetened drinks, packaged snacks, ready meals and reconstituted meats first, especially when they are high in added sugars, sodium or saturated fat. The ingredient list can also show NOVA Group 4 clues. Choose based on the whole label and your needs.
Are canned beans and frozen vegetables ultra-processed?
Not just because they are canned or frozen. These are preservation methods. Check for added ingredients and compare sodium on canned products. A plain one-ingredient frozen vegetable is different from a frozen ready meal.
Does a long ingredient list mean a food is unhealthy?
No. Ingredient count is not a health score or a NOVA classification by itself. Look for formulation markers, then use the nutrition panel to compare sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
Is every NOVA Group 4 food bad for me?
NOVA describes processing, not the full nutritional value of a food. Products within Group 4 vary. Use the classification as one clue, then compare nutrition and how the food fits your usual diet.
See what’s really
in your food
Scan your first label in seconds and start making cleaner choices across your whole kitchen.
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