The following essay is reproduced with permission. 
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Imagine a world where the foods on grocery store shelves were ranked by their healthiness with a simple, research-backed score. In some countries, that world already exists.
Nutrient Profiling Systems (NPS) support clear front-of-pack labels that evaluate food quality based on nutrient content. France’s Nutri-Score is a rainbow system that grades foods from A to E. The Australian Health Star rating is a five-star rating system for food products. The UK’s traffic light system also labels nutrient levels as green, yellow or red.
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In contrast, the United States does not have a front-of-pack ranking system for food products. Food Compass was recently developed from Tufts University to address this gap or shortcoming in other systems. However, it uses nutritional information that is currently unavailable to most foods and consumers.
As a gastroenterologist and physician-scientist, I focus on making the latest microbiome and nutritional data more accessible to the general public. Based on this research, I developed the Nutrient Consumption Score (NCS), which uses the nutritional information available for all foods to rate foods on a scale of 1 to 100 and incorporates elements important to a healthy microbiome. did.
But how does a nutrient profiling system work and how is it different from other nutrition guides for consumers?
Nutrient code
Although each nutrient profiling system uses a different scoring algorithm, most systems assign positive points to nutrients and foods that are commonly under-consumed, such as dietary fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Conversely, negative points are given for overconsumption of nutrients such as sugar, saturated fat, and sodium, which are often added to processed foods. These points are combined into one score. Higher scores indicate healthier foods and lower scores indicate less healthy options.
For example, kale, which is high in fiber, potassium, and unsaturated fat, and low in carbohydrates, sodium, and saturated fat, scores high. In contrast, Twinkies score lower because they are higher in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, and lower in fiber, potassium, and unsaturated fat. Foods like black olives, which are high in fiber but also high in sodium, fall somewhere in between.
Nutrient profiling systems work similarly to nutrition facts labels on the back or side of food packaging to help consumers make informed choices. These labels provide information about a food’s nutrient content, including calories, macronutrients, and key vitamins and minerals. This value is determined through laboratory analysis and nutrient databases based on standardized portion sizes regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
However, NPS is different in that it combines nutritional information into a single actionable score. This means you don’t have to spend time deciphering nutrition facts labels, which are written in small print and can be difficult to interpret.
Ultra-engineered profiling
Nutrient profiling system algorithms rank unprocessed foods (beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains) higher and processed foods (hot dogs, soft drinks, cakes, cookies, etc.) lower. All very similar. These can help rebalance diets that have been skewed by the degree of food processing or ingredient modification.
They complement the NOVA classification system developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, which classifies foods based on their level of processing. This system introduced the term ‘ultra-processed foods’. This is a food that has undergone extensive industrial processing and contains ingredients not normally used in home cooking.
NOVA links ultra-processed foods to poor health outcomes such as obesity, poor mental health, cancer, and early death, but ignores differences such as amounts of sugar, sodium, and other additives. All foods are treated equally.
The Nutrient Profile System helps provide nuance by identifying healthier options within the ultra-processed category. For example, plant-based milks such as almond milk and soy milk may be classified as ultra-processed in the NOVA system, but may have relatively high NPS scores if they have minimal added sugar or salt. There is.
Ratio and balance of bioactive substances
Nutrient profiling systems can help you choose healthier options, but current systems have limitations. These do not always fully align with other studies, often overlook bioactive chemicals that regulate the microbiome and body processes, and may rely on incomplete data. The current system also doesn’t take into account the calories and health effects of alcohol.
The nutrient intake score I designed aims to address these gaps by incorporating neglected food components. For example, use food categories as a proxy for areas with limited data, such as bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, omega-3 fats, and fermentable fiber. Substitutes for bioactive compounds found in unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds are integrated into the score’s core algorithm, which uses nutrient ratios to measure the degree of food processing. .
Ratios of nutrients such as carbohydrates and fiber, saturated and unsaturated fats, and sodium and potassium reflect the natural balance of cellular nutrients found in unprocessed foods and have been shown in research to correlate with cardiometabolic health. It is shown that there is.
For example, plant cell walls provide structural strength and are rich in fiber, and energy vesicles store carbohydrates. Fiber reduces sugar absorption and ferments into complex butyric acid, which maintains blood sugar levels and regulates appetite.
The fat profile of unprocessed foods is similar to the fat composition of cell membranes. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats provides insight into how different types of fats affect inflammation and weight.
Finally, the potassium to sodium ratio reflects the natural ability of cell membrane pumps to concentrate potassium within the cell while transporting sodium out. This not only affects your blood pressure, but also your microbiome and metabolic health.
Studies currently under peer review show that nutrient intake scores are superior compared to other systems. Based on nutritional data from nearly 5,000 Americans, NCS scars are associated with blood pressure, waist circumference, and weight. NCS is also integrated into a consumer smartphone app and is currently in beta testing.
enable smart choices
Nutrient profiling systems are a promising tool for making healthier food choices, but there are important caveats. Most studies testing how well they work focus on how the two elements relate to each other, rather than whether one directly causes the other. Correlation does not prove causation.
Further research is needed to assess whether these systems influence purchasing habits, consumption trends, and health outcomes such as weight and blood pressure. Additionally, individual dietary needs may vary, and personalized algorithms could help adjust these scores to achieve customized recommendations.
Despite these considerations, nutrient profiling systems are promising tools to combat the increasing rates of metabolic diseases. Its use in Europe shows it has the potential to change consumer buying habits and encourage food companies to make healthier products.
Americans may someday see similar front-of-pack labels in the United States. Until then, smartphone technology can provide practical ways to help today’s consumers make smarter choices.
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