Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common questions about our scoring system, database, and how to make better food choices.
Database Overview
Data Source: US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Data Central, with additional analysis and scoring algorithms developed by our team.
Understanding Our Scores
What is the Processing Score?
The Processing Score measures how much a food has been altered from its natural state, ranging from 1.0 (minimally processed) to 30+ (ultra-processed). It's based on:
- Number of ingredients (more ingredients = higher score)
- Presence of artificial additives (+2.0 penalty)
- High fructose corn syrup (+1.5 penalty)
- Preservatives and modified ingredients (various penalties)
Processing Levels:
Fresh produce, single ingredients
Canned goods, simple recipes
Packaged foods with additives
Industrial formulations
What is the Nutrition Score?
The Nutrition Score rates the healthfulness of a food's nutritional profile from 0-10 (higher is better). It considers:
Positive Factors
- • High protein content (+3 points)
- • Dietary fiber (+2 points)
- • Fermented dairy products (+1 point)
Negative Factors
- • Added sugars (-3 points)
- • High sodium content (-2 points)
- • Saturated fat (-2 points)
- • Trans fat (-1.5 points)
What's the difference between the two scores?
Processing and Nutrition scores measure different aspects of food quality:
Processing Score
Focuses on how the food was made
- • Ingredient complexity
- • Industrial additives
- • Manufacturing processes
Nutrition Score
Focuses on what nutrients the food provides
- • Protein and fiber content
- • Sugar and sodium levels
- • Overall nutritional value
Using the Database
How many products are in the database?
Our database contains 1.98 million products from over 36,000 brands. Key coverage stats:
How often is data updated?
Our database is refreshed quarterly from USDA Food Data Central. Score calculations and algorithms are updated as needed based on new research and user feedback.
Last major update: December 2024 with improved ingredient parsing and enhanced nutrition scoring algorithms.
Where does the data come from?
All product data comes from the USDA Food Data Central database, which includes:
- Branded Food Products: Nutrition labels from major manufacturers
- Standard Reference Foods: Laboratory-analyzed nutrient data
- Survey Foods: Foods as consumed in national nutrition surveys
Our scoring algorithms are proprietary, developed based on established food science research and NOVA classification principles.
Can I trust the scores?
Our scores are based on objective analysis of ingredient lists and nutrition facts. However, they should be used as one tool among many for making food choices:
Strengths
- • Based on official USDA data
- • Consistent scoring across all products
- • Transparent methodology
- • Large sample size (2M+ products)
Limitations
- • Cannot account for individual dietary needs
- • Scores are averages, not medical advice
- • Some products may have incomplete data
- • Context matters (portion size, frequency)
Shopping Guidance
What scores should I look for?
Ideal scores depend on your goals, but here are general guidelines:
Processing Score Guidelines:
Nutrition Score Guidelines:
Are all ultra-processed foods bad?
Not necessarily. While ultra-processed foods should be limited, context matters:
Consider These Factors:
Portion size: Small amounts vs. daily staples
Overall diet: Balance across all meals
Individual needs: Medical, cultural factors
Alternatives: Availability of better options
Ultra-processed with good nutrition scores:
What about organic products?
Organic certification focuses on production methods, not processing level. Organic products can still be highly processed:
Key insight: An organic cookie with 20 ingredients will have a higher Processing Score than conventional produce with 1 ingredient. Look at both the organic certification AND our scores for the full picture.
How do store brands compare?
Store brand quality varies significantly. Here's how major store brands perform:
Technical Questions
How are ingredients parsed?
Our system uses advanced text processing to extract and normalize ingredients from product labels. The process includes:
- Splitting ingredient lists at commas and parentheses
- Normalizing variations (e.g., "salt", "sea salt", "sodium chloride")
- Identifying and flagging artificial additives, preservatives, and colors
- Mapping ingredients to our database of 412,000+ normalized ingredients
Most Common Ingredients:
What are nutrition flags?
Nutrition flags are binary indicators that highlight when a product is notably high or low in specific nutrients:
High Alert Flags
- • High Sodium (>600mg per serving)
- • High Sugar (>20g per serving)
- • High Saturated Fat (>5g per serving)
- • High Cholesterol (>60mg per serving)
Positive Flags
- • High Protein (>15g per serving)
- • High Fiber (>5g per serving)
- • Low Sugar (≤5g per serving)
- • Low Sodium (≤140mg per serving)
How is the NOVA classification used?
Our Processing Score is inspired by but not identical to the NOVA classification. We use a continuous scale (1.0 to 30+) rather than discrete categories:
NOVA System
- • 4 discrete categories
- • Qualitative assessment
- • Research-based framework
Our Processing Score
- • Continuous 1.0-30+ scale
- • Quantitative ingredient analysis
- • Consumer-friendly comparisons
What about allergen information?
We automatically detect common allergens from ingredient lists and provide flags for:
Detected Allergens
- • Contains Gluten
- • Contains Dairy
- • Contains Nuts
- • Contains Soy
Dietary Attributes
- • Organic
- • Non-GMO
- • Gluten-Free
- • Plant-Based
Computed Flags
- • Is Whole Food
- • Is Plant-Based
- • Contains Artificial
- • Contains Preservatives
Important: Our allergen detection is based on ingredient analysis only. Always check official product labels for allergen warnings, as cross-contamination may occur during manufacturing.
Best Categories to Shop
Some food categories consistently score better than others. Here are the top categories with substantial product selection:
Honey
4,684 products
Other Grains & Seeds
4,789 products
Frozen Vegetables
19,609 products
Rice
8,201 products
Canned Vegetables
19,413 products
Ready to Start Shopping Smarter?
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.