A seven-day diet was constructed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center with ninety-one percent of the calories (approximately 1,820 calories per day) derived from ultra-processed foods. The scientists conducting this study used the NOVA scale and consulted with NOVA graders in order to determine which foods are categorized as ultra-processed as opposed to one of the other three categories: unprocessed/minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, and processed foods. The scientists were able to put together a healthy diet, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options, using mostly ultra-processed foods by including foods lower in saturated fats and added sugar but still containing a substantial value in micronutrients and macronutrients. This diet also followed the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for America (DGA) recommendations for fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. The MyPyramid diagram was also used as a guide throughout the process. Some foods included in the meal plan were instant oatmeal, unfiltered milk, whole wheat bread, and dried fruit. One of the scientists discussed the team’s results by saying, “We used the Healthy Eating Index to assess the quality of the diet as it aligns with key DGA recommendations," said Hess. "The menu we developed scored 86 of 100 points on the Healthy Eating Index-2015, meeting most of the thresholds, except for sodium content [exceeded recommendations] and whole grains [below recommendations]." The diet scored high on the Healthy Eating Index despite containing mostly ultra-processed foods. The article concludes by expressing the need to continue researching this topic because, although there are adverse effects to one's health when eating a large amount of ultra-processed foods, this study shows that there can be a place for these foods in a healthy diet.
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