The FoodHealth Score
One score to make nutrition simple.
The food we eat impacts our health in profound ways. According to the International Food Council and CDC, over 50% of Americans are trying to eat better, but diet-related diseases like Type II Diabetes and heart disease are on the rise every year.
Historically, we’ve been measuring healthfulness with the wrong number. Calories.
Calories paint an incomplete picture of a food’s healthiness. Calories measure energy, which is one of many factors in determining if a food will work with your body’s unique chemistry. WHY?
To truly understand the healthiness of a food, we need to look at two measures: nutrient density & ingredient quality.
The result of these is the FoodHealth Score.
A personalized, 0-100 scoring system built specifically to help people identify which foods are best for their unique bodies and goals, with 100 being the highest.
So how do we measure all of these variables in one number?
Let’s take a closer look using one of our favorite things, protein bars.
Three bars, all with similar calories, but very different health profiles.
What does the FoodHealth Score mean and how does it work?
Let’s look at the highest scoring bar to explain.
Though it has a similar calorie count to the other bars, this RX Bar scores much higher because of the nutrient density and ingredient quality of the bar!
This bar is high in both protein and fiber, and made of whole food ingredients.
Though 210 Calories tells us the energy it gives, an 8.8 tells us the nutrient density has what our bodies need and the ingredients are higher quality.
Now what about the lowest scoring bar?
We know the calorie count is nearly the same, but the nutrient density & ingredient quality result in a lower score.
This KIND Bar is high in saturated fat, which we want to limit, and contains additive ingredients such as salt and seed oil.
It’s what’s in the food, not just the amount of energy it gives.
Your body’s unique health needs and goals are factored into your FoodHealth Score.
What if you’re managing a health condition, not just trying to be healthier?
The FoodHealth Scores you saw above were for a generally healthy person, looking to prevent disease. Take a look below at how the highest scoring bar might be better or worse for individuals managing specific health conditions.