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Imagine a world where the food on grocery store shelves is ranked by healthiness, with simple scores backed by research. In some countries, that world already exists.
Nutrient profiles, or NPSs, support clear front-of-package labels that assess food quality based on nutrient content. Nutri-Score In France, it’s a rainbow-colored system that classifies foods from A to E. Health star rating Australia has a five-star system for rating foods in half-star increments. And Traffic light system In the UK it labels nutrient levels as green, yellow or red.
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In contrast, the US does not have a food front-of-pack classification system. Food Compass was recently developed from Tufts University to help address this gap and shortcomings of other systems. But it uses nutritional information that is not currently available to most foods and consumers.
as a gastroenterologist and medical scientistI focus on making the latest microbiome and nutritional data more accessible to the public. Based on this research, I developed it Nutrient Consume Score or NCSwhich ranks foods from 1 to 100 using the nutritional information available for all foods and includes factors important to a healthy microbiome.
But how do nutrient profiling systems work? And how do they compare to other consumer nutrition guides?
Nutrient ciphers
The nutrient profile is used by each system different scoring algorithmsbut most give positive points to nutrients and foods that are typically consumed in little, such as fiber, fruits and vegetables. Conversely, negative points are given to over-consumed nutrients such as sugar, saturated fat and sodium, which are often added to processed foods. These points are combined into a single score: higher scores indicate healthier foods, while lower scores indicate less healthy options.
For example, kale – rich in fiber, potassium and unsaturated fat, but low in sugar, sodium and saturated fat – would score highly. Conversely, Twinkies that are high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, but low in fiber, potassium, and unsaturated fat, would receive a low score. A food like black olives, high in fiber but also high in sodium, would fall in between.
They work similarly to food profiling systems Nutrition Facts labels on the back or sides of food packages to help consumers make informed choices. These labels provide information about a food’s nutritional content, including calories, macronutrientsand essential vitamins and minerals. Values are determined through laboratory analysis and food databases based on standardized serving sizes regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
But NPSs are different because they combine nutritional information into a single, actionable score. This means you don’t have to spend time deciphering Nutrition Facts labels, which often appear in small print and can be confusing to interpret.
Ultra processed profile
The Nutrient Profiling System’s algorithms are quite similar in the high classification of unprocessed foods (beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and the low classification of processed foods such as hot dogs, soft drinks, cakes, and cookies. They help people rebalance their diets which have deteriorated as a result of food processing, or the degree to which the ingredients have been altered.
They make up NOVA classification system Developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, who classify foods according to their level of processing. This system introduced the term “ultra-processed foods,” which are foods that have undergone significant industrial processing and contain ingredients not normally found in home cooking.
While NOVA has linked them to ultra-processed foods poor health outcomes like obesity, worse mental health, cancer and premature death, it treats all such foods equally, ignoring differences such as the amount of sugar, sodium and other additives.
Nutrient profiling systems help provide nuance by identifying healthier options in the ultra-processed category. For example, plant-based milks such as almond or soy milk may be classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system, but may have higher NPS scores if they have the least added sugar and salt.
Ratios and bioactives in balance
While nutrient profiling systems can be useful for making healthier choices, current systems have limitations. They don’t always go well together other researchoften forget bioactive chemicals that regulate the microbiome and body processes, and may based on incomplete data. Current systems also do not take into account the caloric and health effects of alcohol.
The Nutrient consumption scoreI have designed goals to address these gaps by including those neglected food ingredients. For example, it uses food categories as proxies for areas with limited data, among other things bioactive compounds polyphenols, omega-3 fats and fermentable fibers. Proxies for bioactive compounds found in unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds are integrated into the main scoring algorithm, which uses food proportions to measure the level of food processing.
Nutrient ratios From carbohydrate to fiber, from saturated fat to unsaturated fat, and from sodium to potassium, unprocessed foods reflect the natural balance of cellular nutritional content, research has shown. cardiometabolic health.
For example, the cell walls plants provide structural strength and are rich in fiberwhile their energy vesicles store carbohydrates. fiber reduces the absorption of sugar and it ferments compound butyratewhich maintains blood sugar and regulates appetite.
The fat profiles of unprocessed foods are similar in fat composition cell membranes. The ratio of saturated fat to unsaturated fat includes how different types of fatthey cause swelling and weight gain.
Finally, the potassium-sodium ratio reflects its natural function cell membrane pumpswhich concentrate potassium inside the cells while transporting sodium outside. This affects blood pressure, as well as microbiome and metabolic health.
Research today under peer review shows how the nutrient consumption score compares to other systems. The NCS findings, derived from dietary data from nearly 5,000 Americans, are linked to blood pressure, waist circumference, and weight. NCS has now also been incorporated into a smartphone application intended for public use in beta testing.
Empowering smart choices
Although nutrient profiling systems are promising tools for healthier foods, they come with important caveats. Most research that tests how they work looks at how two factors relate to each other, whether one directly affects the other. Correlation does not prove causation.
Further study these systems are needed to evaluate whether they affect purchasing habits, consumption patterns, and health outcomes such as weight and blood pressure. In addition, individual dietary needs may vary, and custom algorithms can help improve those scores for tailored recommendations.
Despite these considerations, nutrient profiling systems are a promising tool to address rising rates of metabolic disease. Their use in Europe shows their potential Changing consumer buying habits and inspire food companies to create healthier products.
Americans may one day see similar prepackaged labels in the U.S. Until then, smartphone technologies It can provide a practical way to help consumers make smart choices today.
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