Food GreenScore® Methodology
One simple score to make healthy, conscious food choices easy - the GreenScore®
The GreenScore® is a wholistic scoring system for foods, to help you identify which foods are most healthy for you and the planet.
Foods are scored from 1-100 across four science-based standards for: nutritional density (Food Nutrition Score), ingredient processing (Food Processing Score), ingredient safety (Food Safety Score), and climate footprint (Food Climate Footprint Score).
The four scores each make up 25% of a food's GreenScore® from 1-100.
Aim for a total GreenScore® above 75.
90-100
Great
75-89
Good
50-74
Okay
26-49
Limit
0-25
Avoid
Food Nutrition Score
The Food Nutrition Score is based on the latest USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which provides nutrition recommendations for the general U.S. population. Each food product is evaluated based on (i) the key ‘beneficial nutrients’ it supplies, (ii) the amount of ‘nutrients to limit’ it contains, and (iii) whether it provides healthful foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The more nutritious a product is, the higher the food will score.
Aim for a Food Nutrition Score above 60.
70 – 100
Very high nutritional value
60 – 69
High nutritional value
50 – 59
Some nutritional value
0 – 49
Low nutritional value
Food Processing Score
The Food Processing Score is based on NOVA, a widely used system that classifies foods based on their level of processing. Each food product is evaluated based on the degree of processing it has undergone, specifically (i) the processing methods used and (ii) whether it contains natural or artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or other additives. The closer a product is to its natural state, the higher the product will score.
Aim for a Food Processing Score above 50.
90 – 100
Unprocessed or minimally processed
50 – 89
Moderately processed
0 – 49
Highly processed
Food Safety Score
The Food Safety Score evaluates products for (i) the presence of additives with known health concerns based on data from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and (ii) the potential pesticide and herbicide exposure based on the USDA Pesticide Data Program (PDP) along with the associated degree of risk according to WHO guidelines for classifying pesticides by hazard. The lower the total estimated food safety risk, the higher the product will score.
Aim for a Food Safety Score above 75.
100
Very minimal concern
75 – 99
Minimal concern
50 – 74
Moderate concern
25 – 49
Significant concern
0 – 24
Significant concern
Food Climate Footprint Score
The Food Climate Footprint Score is based on the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard. Each product is evaluated based on its (i) estimated carbon footprint per serving and (ii) its estimated water footprint per serving. The carbon footprint considers the greenhouse gas emissions (measured as carbon dioxide equivalents) emitted throughout the lifecycle of each ingredient from farm to farm gate. The water footprint considers the blue, green, and grey water used throughout the lifecycle of each ingredient from farm to farm gate. The lower the estimated carbon and water footprints, the higher a product will score.
Aim for a Food Climate Score above 65.
94 – 100
Very Low footprint
90 – 94
Low footprint
65 – 89
Moderate footprint
30 – 64
High footprint
6 – 29
Very high footprint
0 – 5
Extremely high footprint
Our Data Sources
The GreenScore® Food Health Scores and Food Sustainability Scores are based on research and data from 140+ vetted sources, including the following organizations:
Disclosure from GreenChoice
We’re constantly evolving the GreenScore® food product rating as new research emerges and trustworthy data becomes available.
No company can pay to have their products' GreenScore® ratings changed.
The descriptions used to describe each rating tier constitute the opinion of GreenChoice. They only qualify the food ratings according to the GreenScore® rating method. These descriptions do not refer directly to the product’s quality. The information provided is for informational purposes only. Although we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee is made to that effect.
The app does not offer medical advice, or attempt to diagnose or treat any health problem, disease, or dietary condition. The information contained herein should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other healthcare provider.
