Evaluation Standards
Understanding the scientific metrics used to evaluate food quality and nutritional value.
Food Compass (FCS)
Developed by Tufts University, Food Compass is a novel nutrient profiling system that assesses foods across 9 domains and 54 attributes. Scores range from 1 (least healthy) to 100 (most healthy).
NOVA Processing Groups
The NOVA classification assigns foods to a group based on the extent and purpose of industrial processing applied.
- 1Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, eggs)
- 2Processed culinary ingredients (e.g., oils, butter, sugar)
- 3Processed foods (e.g., canned vegetables, fresh bread)
- 4Ultra-processed foods (e.g., soft drinks, chips, instant noodles)
Nutri-Score
Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition label that converts the nutritional value of products into a simple code consisting of 5 letters, from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy), each with its own color.
Health Star Rating
The Health Star Rating system uses stars (from 0.5 to 5) to provide a quick, easy, standard way to compare similar packaged foods. The more stars, the healthier the choice.