Our methodology
The science behind our scores
How we turn thousands of studies and nutritional data points into clear, reliable scores, calculated per serving.
The result of several years of research and data cross-referencing.
See the method ↓From scientific study to your plate
Our method in four steps, from research to the score you read at a glance.
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1
Peer-reviewed studies
We gather scientific work reviewed by other researchers.
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2
Mega food database
We unify the major nutritional composition databases.
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3
Weighted formula
Each score blends up to 22 parameters, weighted by the science.
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4
Clear score
A readable score, calculated for the serving you actually eat.
Data, not opinions
Our scores aren't based on trends or personal views. They rely exclusively on peer-reviewed scientific work, research's gold standard for reliability.
Peer-reviewed sources
We draw on leading nutrition and health journals and reference platforms (such as PubMed). Only studies reviewed by other researchers are kept.
Rigorous selection
Every source is read, compared and checked against the others. When studies disagree, we favour the highest levels of evidence and the most recent consensus.
Continuously updated
Science moves forward, and so do our scores as new research is published. It's not a frozen snapshot but a foundation maintained over time.
A mega food-composition database
To calculate accurately, you first need to know what each food actually contains. We unified several of the largest public nutritional composition databases, harmonised with one another. Here are two of the most recognised, as examples:
Example sources
USDA FoodData Central
The reference database of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, among the most complete in the world.
View the U.S. database ↗Ciqual (ANSES)
France's reference nutritional composition table, published by the national food safety agency (ANSES).
View the French database ↗These are just two examples: other international scientific references further complete and cross-check the data.
The result: dozens of harmonised nutritional parameters for each food: the raw material for a reliable, reproducible calculation across 2,281 foods.
A formula tailored to each concern
Reducing gout to uric acid alone, or kidney stones to oxalates alone, would be far too simplistic. Each score has its own formula, built and weighted according to what the science says about that specific concern.
Beyond purines, we factor in what truly drives uric acid levels (fructose, alcohol, hydration, overall meal balance).
Oxalates aren't enough: calcium, hydration and other parameters strongly modulate the real risk. The formula combines them.
A score designed for weight management, blending energy intake, nutritional quality and satiety effect.
One score, 5 reading levels
In the end, each food can be read at a glance thanks to a colour scale (from most recommended to best avoided), and that for each of the 3 scores.
Why 22 parameters?
A food never acts through a single nutrient. To reflect its overall effect, each score combines up to 22 parameters (favourable and unfavourable alike) instead of stopping at one isolated value. Each parameter is weighted by its real importance according to the literature.
- Parameters that penalise (e.g. unfavourable compounds).
- Parameters that protect (e.g. beneficial nutrients).
- Weighting derived from levels of scientific evidence.
A real-serving calculation
Nutritional values are almost always given per 100 g. Yet nobody eats "100 g" on principle. So we recalculate each score for the serving you actually eat, turning the information into something concrete and immediately useful.
What it looks like in the database
For each food, the 3 scores are shown as colour gauges, with a number and an instant reading level.
Cooked lentils
Transparency & limits
Our approach is scientific, independent and updated as research is published. Our scores are an information and decision-support tool for food choices: they don't replace medical advice and don't constitute a medical certification issued by a health authority. If you have a medical condition, always discuss it with a healthcare professional.
Clear scores, grounded in science.
Explore the food index and find all 3 scores for each product, calculated for your serving.
Frequently asked questions
Have another question? Contact us.
Are your scores medically certified?
Our method is scientific and based on peer-reviewed studies, but our scores are not a medical certification issued by a health authority. They help you make informed food choices and don't replace a professional's advice.
Where does your nutritional data come from?
From unifying the largest public food-composition databases: USDA FoodData Central (United States) and Ciqual / ANSES (France), harmonised with one another.
Why not just look at uric acid for gout?
Because a food's real effect depends on many factors (fructose, alcohol, hydration, meal balance). A composite score that blends up to 22 weighted parameters reflects reality far better than a single isolated value.
Why calculate per serving?
Because nutritional tables reason per 100 g, which isn't what we actually eat. Recalculating the score for the real serving makes the information directly actionable.