Surprising insights from analyzing 2 million products across 200+ categories, revealing unexpected patterns and hidden champions.
• Frozen Vegetables: Score 2.2 on average - better than many "natural" products
• Honey: Processing Score of just 1.2 despite commercial processing
• Cakes Category: Huge variation (1.0 to 85.5) - contains both pure ingredients and ultra-processed
• Vegetable Oils: Low processing (1.6) but moderate nutrition (3.3) due to calorie density
These categories have the biggest spread in processing scores - meaning they contain both excellent and terrible products. Shopping carefully within these categories matters most:
35,673 products • Highest variation in database
Industrial cake mixes and frosted products (scores 20-85)
50,422 products
Simple ingredient crackers and plain oatmeal cookies
Gingerbread house kits and heavily decorated cookies
39,277 products
Candy bars with multiple fillings and artificial ingredients
Even in the most processed categories, there are excellent options. These are the best products we found in typically ultra-processed categories:
Categories with the highest average nutrition scores - these are nutritional powerhouses:
Key insight: Whole food categories (grains, seeds, legumes) consistently have both low processing scores AND high nutrition scores - the sweet spot for healthy eating.
Approach with caution - most products are ultra-processed:
Strategy: Read ingredients carefully, look for minimal lists
Wide variation - great and terrible options exist:
Strategy: Compare products within category, huge differences
Generally excellent choices with minimal processing:
Strategy: Focus shopping here for staples and basics
Disclaimer: All tools and data visualizations are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not intended as health, medical, or dietary advice. Always consult healthcare professionals for personalized dietary guidance.