Making smarter food choices—simplified.

Developed by nutrition scientists at Tufts University, Food Compass 10 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, food 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. Think of the scores like a traffic light:

GREEN: 7-10 (Excellent): Eat freely! These are the most health-promoting options.

YELLOW: 4–6 (Fair): Enjoy these regularly, but balance with higher scoring foods for optimal health

RED: 1-3 (Limit): Think of these as occasional treats rather than everyday choices.

Make Smart 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 considers 54 factors across 9 key domains, including:

  • Nutrient Density: Density of essential vitamins and minerals
  • Food ingredients: Fruits, vegetables (non-starchy), legumes, nuts/seeds, whole grains, seafood, yogurt, healthy plant oil, refined grains and sugar, red and processed meats.
  • Additives:  Added sugar, nitrites, artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, MSG, partially hydrogenated oils, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup.
  • Processing: It accounts for how a food is made, penalizing ultra-processed, and deep-fried foods while rewarding fermentation (like in yogurt).
  • Fiber & Protein: Total fiber, total protein
  • Phytonutrients: beneficial bioactive compounds from plants, including carotenoids, flavonoids

The scoring system analyzed both nutrition label and the ingredient list. Each of these 54 factors is carefully weighted, and the results are combined into the simple 1-to-10 score you see on the label.

If you’d like to dive deeper into the science, you can find more detailed algorithm here.


What Makes a Food Score High or Low

What Boosts a Score? What Lowers a Score?
Rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, yogurts, or seafoodsContains refined grains, contains red and processed meats
Packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and mineralsHigh in added sugar, refined carbohydrates, sodium, or saturated fat
High in healthy unsaturated fatsContains artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors, or nitrites
Minimally processed or naturally fermentedBe ultra-processed or deep fried