DESCRIPTION OF EAT RIGHT AMERICA'S NUTRIENT SCORES
Eat Right America’s Health Equation is H = N/C or Health = Nutrients divided by Calories. The main idea is to eat foods that give you the most nutrients on a per calorie basis or said another way: MAKE EVERY BITE COUNT. When you make every bite count, the body will become properly nourished and you will conquer your food cravings, achieve superior health and your ideal weight automatically.
In order to identify which foods give you the most bang for your buck, Eat Right America created the Eat Right America Nutrient Scoring System. Eat Right America’s Nutrient Scores were developed so people can quickly view the total micronutrient content of a food. It is the simplest and most accurate way to compare nutrient levels between foods.
Eat Right America's Nutrient Scores measure a series of nutrients and adds them up. Nutrient Scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of food factors, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacities, based on an equal number of calories for each food. After completing the calculations, foods are ranked on a numerical scale of 1 to 1000, with the highest nutrient foods given a score of 1000. All other foods are then scored relative to them. Kale, a dark leafy green, scores 1000 while Coke scores 1.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NUTRIENT SCORES
Q: Why were Nutrient Scores created?
The USDA estimates less than 5% of Americans get the minimum daily required nutrition not only causing disease, but also causing food cravings and over-eating. There is a substantial body of scientific research that suggests a properly nourished body will seek its ideal weight and will offer significant protection against chronic diseases and the leading causes of death such as cancer and heart disease. Nutrient Scores were created so people could quickly and accurately identify the foods with higher nutritional values. For example: Broccoli has a Nutrient Score of 378 while Kale scores a 1000. Therefore, Kale is about three times more nutrient dense than Broccoli. On the other hand, chicken scores only a 31 making both kale and broccoli a significantly richer source of micronutrients than chicken.
Q: What foods have the highest Nutrient Scores and what foods have the lowest?
Foods that have the highest Nutrient Scores are green leafy/colorful vegetables and fruits and foods that have the lowest Nutrient Scores are refined grains/oils, sweets and processed foods.
Q: Does portion sizes affect the Nutrient Score?
Portion size does not affect the Nutrient Score. The Nutrient Score score is based on an equal calorie of foods compared.
Q: Is there a difference between conventional and organic produce?
The nutrient data base does not distinguish between conventional and organic produce. Until we have reliable data on a broad array of organic foods grown in various regions and soils, we have to assume the Nutrient Scores are the same.
Q: What’s the difference between fresh vs. dried vegetables/fruit?
Dried fruits and vegetables are not the same as fresh. They need to be scored individually. The data we have so far indicates that dried fruit/vegetables consistently score lower. We have scored dried apples, apricots, peaches, figs.
Q: Do Nutrient Scores differentiate between grass-fed and non-grass fed beef?
The USDA nutrient data base does not have any data for grass fed beef so we cannot get a separate Nutrient Score for it. “Grass feeding” is not subject to inspection, so the amount of grass feeding the animal gets may be variable. Cattle advertised as grass fed do not have to be exclusively grass fed. The term is somewhat open for interpretation. In general, however, research indicates that grass feeding does improve the safety and nutritional quality of the meat. Grass fed beef has less fat and therefore fewer calories. It is still high in saturated fat, but has more omega-3’s which make it somewhat healthier too. Grass fed beef is also recommended because it is higher in conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs); however the research on the nutritional or health significance of this is inconsistent and contradictory. Since the amount of micronutrients in all meat is low, the small changes achieved by eating grass fed beef expecting to earn more of those micronutrients would be fruitless.
Q: Health-promoting foods in the Eat Right America Program include: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. But nuts and seeds have pretty low Nutrient Scores, should we still eat them?
Nutrient Scores represent the nutrient density of foods, but a variety of healthy food types are also important. For example, seeds, nuts and beans are important components of an ideal diet even though they have lower scores. The Eat Right America Nutrient Score is not meant to be totally inclusive of all nutritional factors, but rather its focus is on the total of the favorable micronutrients present per calorie. Nuts and seeds have lower Nutrient Scores because they are higher in calories, but their health benefits make them essential for a healthy diet.