The truths and myths about the Nutri-Score logo✨

KarmaKarma creates healthy products and only develops a product idea if it achieves a Nutri-Score A. We believe there are already enough unhealthy products on the market. So yes, we know how to check a Nutri-Score accurately.

There’s quite a bit of controversy and confusion around the Nutri-Score logo. For example, you might have seen a photo of frozen fries with a Nutri-Score A. Many people also think Nutri-Score is an indicator within a category, but whether a product is actually healthy often remains unclear. What’s the reality?

Nutri-Score is an objective formula that gives a solid indication of the nutritional quality of a product.

There’s a different calculation for drinks and fats, but for all other foods—from cereals to frozen meals—the method is the same. Nutri-Score is a general health score, not a category-specific indicator as people often think.

The score is calculated based on the amount of energy, saturated fats, sugar, salt, protein, fiber, and the percentage of fruits, vegetables, and nuts per 100 grams.

Too much energy, saturated fats, sugar, and/or salt leads to negative points, while high amounts of fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts give positive points. Nutri-Score is therefore a sum of the positive and negative aspects of an ingredient or recipe, and it is completely independent of category. However, the logo does help you quickly identify healthier Nutri-Score A products within a product category.

How to use it?

Products with a Nutri-Score A or B are healthy and can be eaten daily. Products with Nutri-Score C, D, and E should be consumed in moderation. Our daily diet needs not only fruits and vegetables but also carbohydrates and fats, including saturated fats. The issue is that we often consume these too easily. Products rated D and E, like olive oil or chocolate, can be part of a healthy diet but are best enjoyed in moderation.

What are the limitations of Nutri-Score?

Nutri-Score is a good indicator of a product’s nutritional quality, but it doesn’t account for everything. For example, it does not consider additives, allergens, colorings, chemical sweeteners (like aspartame), or pesticides. We know aspartame is bad for your health, yet many diet sodas still show a Nutri-Score A. For these aspects, the EU organic logo is a good guide, but we’ll cover that in another post.

Also, Nutri-Score does not consider how a product is prepared. For example, if you deep-fry healthy potatoes in a lot of saturated fat, it’s no longer a healthy choice. That’s why frozen fries can have a Nutri-Score A, even though no one eats them raw.

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