How Nutria Health Score Works

Our health score is a simple 1 to 10 scale for every food or drink you log. This number is a quick snapshot of how healthy that item is, with 10 being the healthiest and 1 the least healthy. The score is designed to be easy to understand at a glance, while still being grounded in solid nutrition science.

Why Is the Health Score Useful?

The health score makes it easier to be nutrition-aware in daily life as it adds context beyond just calories. Two foods can have the same calorie content but very different health scores if one is rich in nutrients and the other is mostly empty calories. It nudges you toward healthier choices and helps build knowledge over time as you start noticing patterns, like which foods tend to score high or low, and why.

How Is the Health Score Calculated?

Our health score works a lot like the research-validated nutrient-profile models (Nutri-Score, Health-Star Rating), but with extra layers for portion size and processing level. We combine several factors to get a single score. Here are the key factors that influence the score:

Caloric load & energy density

Very dense or super-sized portions encourage overeating. NIH’s “Portion Distortion” project shows today’s servings can add over 1,000 extra calories per day compared to typical portions from the 1990s. We lower the score for meals that go over 700 calories (for a 2,000 kcal diet) and drinks that contain more than 30 calories per 100 ml, unless they’re packed with beneficial nutrients that balance the load.¹

Free sugar

Diets rich in free sugars are firmly linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. The World Health Organization says free sugars should stay below 10 % of daily calories and ideally under 5 % (≈ 25 g for a 2,000 kcal diet). In Nutria, solid foods start losing points as soon as a single portion exceeds 15 g. Drinks are scored even earlier, roughly once they exceed 1 g of sugar per 100 ml, because liquid sugar is absorbed fast. The steeper the sugar rise, the greater the penalty.²

Saturated fat

Excess saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. WHO’s 2023 fat guideline keeps the ceiling at < 10 % of energy. Our algorithm begins deductions around 6 g per serving (about 10 % of calories in a 600 kcal meal) and ramps up quickly beyond 15 g.³

Industrial trans-fat

Industrial trans-fat is considered unsafe at any level. We lower the score for foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils, which are the main source of industrial trans-fat. This reflects WHO’s REPLACE campaign to eliminate industrial trans-fat from the global food supply.⁴

Sodium (salt)

High sodium drives hypertension. The American Heart Association urges an upper limit of 2,300 mg/day and prefers 1,500 mg. We begin with small deductions at 400 mg in a single portion and increase them beyond 1,000 mg.⁵

Processing level

Diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The extensively processed foods often contain additives and are high in sugar, unhealthy fats, or salt, while being low in essential nutrients. Our scoring system reflects this by lowering the score of more extensively processed foods, encouraging users to choose more nutritious, whole options.⁶

Unsaturated (healthy) fats

When ≥ 60 % of a food’s fat is mono- or poly-unsaturated (think nuts, olive oil dishes, oily fish), we add a point. An American Heart Association advisory notes that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat lowers cardiovascular-event risk about as well as statin therapy.⁷

Protein

Protein content improves the score when it's present in meaningful amounts. Meals in the 15–25 g range contribute positively, with even greater benefit for higher amounts, and drinks delivering at least 4 g tend to support satiety and muscle maintenance. Meta-analyses show higher-protein meals boost satiety and help maintain lean mass during weight control.⁸

Dietary fiber & whole foods

We reward foods that deliver meaningful fiber, typically beginning around 8 grams for food and 3 grams for drinks, since fiber is consistently linked to better digestive, metabolic, and cardiovascular health. WHO recommends at least 25 g of fibre and 400 g of fruit and vegetables daily.³ ⁹

Whole-grain carbs

Substantial whole-grain content lifts the score, reflecting a 2016 BMJ dose-response meta-analysis linking every three extra servings of whole grains per day to 19 % lower all-cause mortality and 26 % lower cardiovascular death.¹⁰

Micronutrient density

Foods naturally rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, or similar nutrients pick up a modest bonus, echoing WHO/FAO advice that nutrient density, not just calories, guards against chronic disease.³

Alcohol

Each standard drink subtracts points, reflecting WHO-Europe’s 2023 conclusion that no alcohol intake is truly risk-free. Double shots or strong craft beers lose proportionally more.¹¹

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS)

Zero-sugar sodas reduce sugar intake, but they still get a small deduction, consistent with the 2023 WHO guideline, which cautions that NNS are not a proven long-term weight-control tool and may potentially cause undesirable effects from long-term use.¹² Excess caffeine

While up to 400 mg of daily caffeine intake is generally considered safe, we slightly lower the score of caffeinated beverages. This is to encourage the prioritization of water as the best source for hydration.¹³

Probiotics & functional extras

Fermented drinks (kombucha, kefir) or yogurts with live cultures receive a small boost, aligning with World Gastroenterology Organisation guidance that specific probiotic strains support gut health.¹⁴

How AI Helps Fill in the Gaps

One challenge in giving every food a health score is having complete nutritional information. Packaged foods come with nutrition labels, but what about homemade meals, restaurant dishes, or generic foods? Nutria tackles this by using ingredient-based assumptions and AI-powered inference to fill in the gaps when needed.

Here’s how it works in simple terms: if some data is missing, we make an educated guess. If you log something like “Grandma’s beef stew”, we will break it down into ingredients (beef, potatoes, carrots, etc.) and estimate the nutrition from those. If you log a branded food that we don’t have exact data for, we might look at similar products or the ingredients list to infer its qualities.

How Tags Help Explain the Score

To make the health score even more transparent and helpful, Nutria also provides tags or badges alongside the score for each food. These are short phrases that summarize the biggest factors influencing the score. Think of them as little hints explaining “why did it get that score?”

Alcohol – contains alcohol; limit intake and consider non-alcoholic alternatives like sparkling water or herbal teas
Artificial Sweeteners – contains non-nutritive sweeteners; use in moderation and consider naturally sweet foods or small amounts of real sugar
Caffeine – contains some caffeine; be mindful of overall daily intake, especially when consuming coffee, tea, or energy drinks
Healthy Fats – rich in unsaturated fats; supports heart and metabolic health; present in fatty fish (like salmon), olives, avocados, and plant oils
High Calorie – high energy density; be mindful of portion size, and consider adding more vegetables or lean protein to increase volume without excess calories
High Caffeine – over 80 mg caffeine; may disrupt sleep or hydration, balance with water and limit intake later in the day
High Fiber – high in fiber; linked to better digestion and heart health; found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and whole grains
High Protein – a good source of protein; supports satiety and muscle maintenance; found in foods like eggs, legumes, tofu, fish, chicken, and dairy
High Saturated Fat – high in saturated fat; swap in foods rich in unsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil
High Sodium – elevated salt content; try balancing with low-sodium meals and favoring fresh ingredients over processed or packaged foods
High Sugar – contains a large amount of added sugar; consider reducing sweetened drinks, desserts, and processed snacks; opt for unsweetened yogurt, fruit, or naturally sweet alternatives
Low Fiber – minimal dietary fiber; increase intake of beans, lentils, berries, leafy greens, and whole grains like oats or quinoa
Low Sugar – minimal free sugars; supports metabolic balance and reduces risk of chronic disease
Minimally Processed – close to whole food form; helps retain nutrients and reduce exposure to additives; think fresh produce, unseasoned meats, and simple grains
Nutrient-Rich – dense in essential vitamins or minerals; includes leafy greens, eggs, nuts, legumes, and colorful fruits and vegetables
Probiotics – contain live cultures; may benefit gut health; common in yogurts, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha
Trans Fat – may contain industrial trans fats; best to avoid deep-fried fast food, packaged pastries, and anything listing partially hydrogenated oils
Ultra-Processed – heavily processed food; favor meals built from whole ingredients like grains, legumes, fresh vegetables, and minimally processed proteins

These tags serve both educational and practical purposes. They educate by pointing out what nutritional factors you should pay attention to (you’ll soon learn which foods are high in sugar, or which ones pack protein, etc.). They are practical by helping you make decisions quickly – maybe you’re looking for a high-protein snack, or you want to avoid high-sugar treats; the tags let you scan an item and get those highlights instantly.

In essence, the tags turn the Health Score from just a number into a mini report card for the food. We believe this makes the whole system more user-friendly and informative. You don’t have to be a nutrition expert to understand why a food got a certain score.