Table 3 Food groups and their loading factors for three identified dietary patterns

Organ meats

Heart, kidney, liver, tongue, brain, offal, rennet

Salt

Salt

Potato

Potato

Hydrogenated fats

Hydrogenated vegetable oils, solid fats (animal origin), animal butter, margarine

Poultry

Chicken

Egg

Egg

Legumes

Lentils, split pea, beans, chick pea, fava bean, soy, others

Fruits and Juices

Melon, watermelon, honeydew melon, plums, prunes, apples, cherries, sour cherries, peaches, nectarine, pear, fig, date, grapes, kiwi, pomegranate, strawberry, banana, persimmon, berry, pineapple, oranges, dried fruits, all juices, others

Fishes

All fish types

Nuts

Almonds, peanut, walnut, pistachio, hazelnut, seeds, others

Olive and olive oil

Olive and olive oil

Low fat dairy product

Low-fat milk, skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese, Kashk, yogurt drink, others

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise

Pickles

High fat dairy product

High-fat milk, high-fat yogurt, cream cheese, cream, dairy fat, ice cream, others

Non-refined cereals

Dark breads (e.g., barbari, sangak, taftun), bran breads, others

Vegetables

Cauliflower, carrot, tomato and its products, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, eggplant, onion, greens, green bean, green pea, squash, mushroom, pepper, corn, garlic, turnip, others

Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils (except for olive oils)

Soft drinks

Soft drinks

French fries

French fries

Salty snacks

Corn puffs, crackers, potato chips, others

Sweets and desserts

Cookies, cakes, biscuits, muffins, pies, chocolates, honey, jam, sugar cubes, sugar, candies, sweet tahini, others

Refined cereals

Lavash bread, baguette bread, rice, pasta, others

Red and processed meats

Beef and veal, lamb, minced meat, sausage, deli meat, hamburger

Tea and coffee

Tea and coffee