Making smarter food choices—simplified.
Tired of confusing nutrition labels? The Food Compass score is here to simplify your food choices.
Developed by nutrition scientists at Tufts University, this powerful tool instantly shows you how healthy any food or beverage is. It rates the healthfulness of foods and beverages on a scale from 1 (least healthy) to 10 (most healthy). The score goes beyond calories—evaluating nutrients, ingredients, additives, and the type of processing—to give you a complete picture of a product’s health value.
🥕 How to Use the Food Compass Score: A Simple Guide
Aim High! Look for foods and drinks with higher scores.
🟢7-10 (Excellent): Eat freely! These are the most health-promoting options.
🟡 4–6 (Fair): Enjoy these regularly, but balance with higher scoring foods for optimal health
🔴1-3 (Limit): Think of these as occasional treats rather than everyday choices.
Make comparisons
The real power of the Food Compass is in comparison. 🛒 In the aisle? Use the score to pick the healthiest yogurt, the best breakfast cereal, or the most nutritious frozen meal. A small trade-up can make a big difference.
🧪 What’s Behind the Score?
FCS 10 is built on 54 factors across 9 key domains (link to more detailed FCS page), including:
- Nutrients: Protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins & minerals
- Ingredients: Fruits, vegetables, grains, seafood, meats, dairy
- Additives: Food dyes, artificial sweeteners, nitrites, MSG, etc.
- Processing: Ultra-processing, frying, fermentation
- Fats: Omega-3s, trans fats, cholesterol
Each factor gets a score from –10 to +10, reflecting its impact on health. All factors are combined and scaled to a final score from 1 to 10, per 100 calories—so you can compare across all types of products. More detailed algorithms is publicly available here.
What Makes a Food Score High or Low
| 🌱 What Boosts a Score? | 🚫 What Lowers a Score? |
| Rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. | High in added sugar, sodium, or saturated fat. |
| Packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. | Contains refined grains and “empty” carbohydrates. |
| Contains healthy unsaturated fats and omega-3s. | Made with artificial sweeteners, dyes, or nitrites. |
| Minimally processed or fermented (like yogurt or kimchi). | Involves ultra-processing or deep frying. |
| Contains red and processed meats. |
💡 Quick Tip
Look for the Food Compass Score on participating product labels or shopping platforms. A small shift toward higher-scoring options can lead to big improvements in your health over time.