Foods scored on quality — not calories

The headline factor. How much real nutrition — vitamins, minerals, fiber, quality protein — a food delivers relative to its calories. A food earns its score by what it gives you per calorie, not by being low-calorie.

Whole and minimally-processed foods score high; ultra-processed foods (refined, reformulated, additive-heavy) are penalized. We use the food's processing classification, not marketing claims.

Bioactives with real evidence — omega-3s, polyphenols, carotenoids, glucosinolates, isoflavones — add points. These are the compounds whole foods carry that a calorie count can't see.

Verified organic and non-GMO status, and a short, clean ingredient list, are recognized. A single-ingredient whole food and a clean branded product can both score well.

Excess added sugar, high sodium, and unnecessary additives pull the score down — even on a food that's otherwise nutrient-dense.

Why isn't this just about calories?

Calories tell you about energy, not quality. Two foods with the same calories can have wildly different nutrition. Formulate scores the quality — what the food actually delivers for your long-term health — so a calorie-dense whole food can outscore a 'low-calorie' ultra-processed one.

How can a branded product and a whole food share one scale?

Because the factors are universal — nutrient density per calorie, processing level, beneficial compounds, additives. A clean branded food with a real nutrient profile can score as well as a whole food; an ultra-processed one won't.

Where does the nutrition data come from?

Whole-food data is drawn from established nutrition databases; branded foods use their published label and ingredient data. Beneficial-compound credit is tied to the evidence base, the same way supplement ingredients are evaluated.

Do brands pay to score well?

No. There are no sponsorships in any domain. The same algorithm runs on every food, and the score reflects the nutrition — not marketing or affiliate relationships.