What is the ‘food compass’ & can it help you eat better?

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There’s been a lot of buzz in the food and nutrition industry over a recently released food scoring system developed by researchers at Tufts University, called the Food Compass.

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We’ve seen scoring systems like this come and go in the past. Perhaps you remember seeing star-ratings or stop-light colors attached to shelves in grocery stores.

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How is the Food Compass Score calculated?

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It incorporates a broader range of food principles, applying consistent criteria across multiple food categories, and—unlike some other systems—the methodology used to produce the ratings is completely transparent.

How to use the Food Compass

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Foods that are ranked 70 and higher are encouraged. Foods with a score between 30 and 70 are OK if eaten in moderation. Foods scoring lower than 30 are supposed to minimized.

What makes a food good?

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A food gets a higher score if it contains fruits, non-starchy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, yogurt, plant oils, or seafood. It is penalized if it contains refined grains or red or processed meat.

For one thing, foods don’t all play the same role in a healthful diet. A food-by-food scoring system also can’t account for foods eaten in combination. Three foods with low individual ratings could make a very healthful meal when combined.

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