Microbiome-Health
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CARB-to-FIBER
Try a science-based
FOOD QUALITY SCANNER
How do your favorites score?
Nutrient Consume Score — NCS
Nutrient Consume Score (NCS) is a science-based tool to make healthy food choices easier. It converts complex nutrition science into simple 1–100 quality scores using key ratios, like carb-to-fiber, tied to microbiome & metabolic health.
Also introducing a public-good, NCS-powered food quality scanner, for finding healthy choices as you shop, eat & cook.
The Calculator
► Type Favorite Food, What is the score?
► Combine 2 Foods, +, How do they mix?
► Type a Wild Card, *, What foods return?
The Score
The NCS algorithm integrates the latest literature on nutrient ratios and bioactives to inform an overall food quality score. It references the USDA’s FoodData Central (FNDDS 2021-2023) for nutrient values of individual foods. NCS scores of 70-100 and subscores of less than 2 correlate with healthier uprocessed & packaged foods.
Maximize green, moderate yellow, and minimize red scoring foods in amount and frequency. Ratio Subscores can be used as guides for combining foods to optimize nutritional balance in meals & recipes.
►Green (100-70): Maximize
►Yellow (69-60): Moderate
►Red (59-0): Minimize
The Evidence
Food processing in its current form has disrupted the natural ratios present in whole food matrixes, concentrating for simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, sodium, and additives while limiting fiber, unsaturated fats, potassium, and bioactives. Some of the latest research is suggesting that disrupted ratios that involve both concentrated and insufficient nutrients are important contributors to the rising rates of gut, metabolic, cardiovascular & neurologic disease.[1,2]
Nutrient ratios that provide a composite score of carb, fat, and micronutrient quality have been associated with a lower odds ratio for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung disease as well as higher odds ratio for optimal cardiometabolic health.[3,4]
Carb-to-Fiber Ratio (i.e. Carb Quality) is associated with better health[5]: lower depression[6], smaller waist[7], lower diabetes rates[8–10], and less heart disease[11,12]. Fiber slows the absorption of carbs and is converted by the microbiome to factors like butyrate that help to efficiently process them once absorbed. For more information on fiber please follow this link.
Total Fat-to-Unsaturated Fat Ratio (i.e. Fat Quality) is also associated with health: improved blood lipids and glycemic control.[13] For more information on fats please follow this link.
Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio (i.e. Salt Quality) has been associated with lower blood pressure[14] and interventions have lead to decreased blood pressure and stroke.[15] For more information on sodium and potassium please follow this link.
Additives & Bioactives Some unnatural additives like certain sugar alternatives[16], trans fats[17], and some emulsifiers[18] have been linked to poor health markers or outcomes while other natural bioactives like polyphenols[19] and short chain fatty acids (e.g. acetic acid[20], butyrate[21]) have been linked to better health outcomes. For more information on polyphenols follow this link.
The Manuscript
NCS ranks among top Food Scoring Systems in its link to lower rates of Obesity and better Metabolic Health.
Key: Nutrient Consume Score (NCS), Food Compass 2.0 (FC2), Health Star (HS), Nutri-Score (NS), and NOVA Classification (NC).
The Food Quality Scanner
Smart Nutrition
in Your Pocket
NCS-powered, mission-driven quality scanner to simplify healthy food choice.
- SCAN for 1-100 scoring
- SWAP to smarter options
- SCORE meals & recipes
- TRACK your health gains
A heartfelt thanks to Ben Roberts and Luke Walker for their volunteered artful coding. And grateful to Jennie Damman & family for their ever-wise input & advice.
Fuel Your Best
Try a science-based
FOOD QUALITY SCANNER
How do your favorites score?
This resource provides general dietary guidance and is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding your health or medical conditions.
References
1. Fardet A, Rock E. Chronic diseases are first associated with the degradation and artificialization of food matrices rather than with food composition: calorie quality matters more than calorie quantity. Eur J Nutr. 2022;61: 2239–2253. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02786-8
2. Mozaffarian D. Dietary and policy priorities to reduce the global crises of obesity and diabetes. Nature Food. 2020;1: 38–50. doi:10.1038/s43016-019-0013-1
3. Mozaffarian D, El-Abbadi NH, O’Hearn M, Erndt-Marino J, Masters WA, Jacques P, et al. Food Compass is a nutrient profiling system using expanded characteristics for assessing healthfulness of foods. Nature Food. 2021;2: 809–818. doi:10.1038/s43016-021-00381-y
4. O’Hearn M, Erndt-Marino J, Gerber S, Lauren BN, Economos C, Wong JB, et al. Validation of Food Compass with a healthy diet, cardiometabolic health, and mortality among U.S. adults, 1999–2018. Nat Commun. 2022;13: 1–14. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34195-8
5. Mozaffarian RS, Lee RM, Kennedy MA, Ludwig DS, Mozaffarian D, Gortmaker SL. Identifying whole grain foods: a comparison of different approaches for selecting more healthful whole grain products. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16. doi:10.1017/S1368980012005447
6. Makhani SS, Davies C, George KA, Castro G, de la Vega PR, Barengo NC. Carbohydrate-to-Fiber Ratio, a Marker of Dietary Intake, as an Indicator of Depressive Symptoms. Cureus. 2021;13. doi:10.7759/cureus.17996
7. Sawicki CM, Lichtenstein AH, Rogers GT, Jacques PF, Ma J, Saltzman E, et al. Comparison of Indices of Carbohydrate Quality and Food Sources of Dietary Fiber on Longitudinal Changes in Waist Circumference in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Nutrients. 2021;13: 997. doi:10.3390/nu13030997
8. AlEssa HB, Bhupathiraju SN, Malik VS, Wedick NM, Campos H, Rosner B, et al. Carbohydrate quality and quantity and risk of type 2 diabetes in US women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102: 1543–1553. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.116558
9. Hashimoto Y, Tanaka M, Miki A, Kobayashi Y, Wada S, Kuwahata M, et al. Intake of Carbohydrate to Fiber Ratio Is a Useful Marker for Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study. ANM. 2018;72: 329–335. doi:10.1159/000486550
10. AlEssa HB, Ley SH, Rosner B, Malik VS, Willett WC, Campos H, et al. High Fiber and Low Starch Intakes Are Associated with Circulating Intermediate Biomarkers of Type 2 Diabetes among Women. J Nutr. 2016;146: 306–317. doi:10.3945/jn.115.219915
11. Fontanelli M, Sales C, Liu J, Micha R, Mozaffarian D, Fisberg RM. The ≤ 10:1 carbohydrate to fiber ratio to identify healthy grain foods and its association with cardiometabolic risk factors in Brazil. Proc Nutr Soc. 2020;79: E309. doi:10.1017/S0029665120002578
12. AlEssa HB, Cohen R, Malik VS, Adebamowo SN, Rimm EB, Manson JE, et al. Carbohydrate quality and quantity and risk of coronary heart disease among US women and men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107: 257–267. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx060
13. Schwingshackl L, Zähringer J, Beyerbach J, Werner SS, Heseker H, Koletzko B, et al. Total Dietary Fat Intake, Fat Quality, and Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review of Systematic Reviews of Prospective Studies. Ann Nutr Metab. 2021;77. doi:10.1159/000515058
14. Binia A, Jaeger J, Hu Y, Singh A, Zimmermann D. Daily potassium intake and sodium-to-potassium ratio in the reduction of blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens. 2015;33. doi:10.1097/HJH.0000000000000611
15. Neal B, Wu Y, Feng X, Zhang R, Zhang Y, Shi J, et al. Effect of Salt Substitution on Cardiovascular Events and Death. N Engl J Med. 2021;385. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2105675
16. Suez J, Cohen Y, Valdés-Mas R, Mor U, Dori-Bachash M, Federici S, et al. Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance. Cell. 2022;185. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.07.016
17. Mozaffarian D, Aro A, Willett WC. Health effects of trans-fatty acids: experimental and observational evidence. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63: S5–S21. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602973
18. Naimi S, Viennois E, Gewirtz AT, Chassaing B. Direct impact of commonly used dietary emulsifiers on human gut microbiota. Microbiome. 2021;9: 1–19. doi:10.1186/s40168-020-00996-6
19. Del Bo’ C, Bernardi S, Marino M, Porrini M, Tucci M, Guglielmetti S, et al. Systematic Review on Polyphenol Intake and Health Outcomes: Is there Sufficient Evidence to Define a Health-Promoting Polyphenol-Rich Dietary Pattern? Nutrients. 2019;11: 1355. doi:10.3390/nu11061355
20. Valdes DS, So D, Gill PA, Kellow NJ. Effect of Dietary Acetic Acid Supplementation on Plasma Glucose, Lipid Profiles, and Body Mass Index in Human Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021;121. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2020.12.002
21. Amiri P, Hosseini SA, Ghaffari S, Tutunchi H, Ghaffari S, Mosharkesh E, et al. Role of Butyrate, a Gut Microbiota Derived Metabolite, in Cardiovascular Diseases: A comprehensive narrative review. Front Pharmacol. 2022;12. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.837509
68 responses
Hi. I just downloaded your Smart Bites App and am excited to try it at the store. I was wondering if there is a way to browse the foods in the app database without having to scan. For example, if I’m interested in finding a healthy nutritious snack bar, do I have to scan a random snack bar first to come up with healthier options or is there a way to bypass it? Thanks!
It’s a very good question and you can absolutely browse lists without having to scan. Simple choose the SEARCH function under SHOP type in a food and click the strawberry next to the items return. You’ll see a list similar to the list under scqned items. Hope that’s helpful!
Very excited to report that there is newly released version of Smart Bites in the App Store that lets you track health metrics like SLEEP, ENERGY, MOOD, WEIGHT, and GUT HEALTH alongside FOOD QUALITY to see how they are linked.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smart-bites-healthy-food-scan/id6446603776
Hi all, Happy to report that the SmartBites (NCS) App is now live on the App Store. Looking forward to feedback as it is expanded and improved. Warm regards, Dr. D. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smartbites-healthy-food-scan/id6446603776
This is excellent. It’s reassuring to be able to check up on such things without the focus on calories. I can have periods of highly disordered eating and thinking about calories is a bit of a slippery slope.
I’m extra excited for my lunch salad today as it has so many 80s and I know my little tummy guys will love it!
I have a question tho — I read the blog post about butyrate and want to check my intake. How can I check this?
Not sure if there is a way to search by nutrient. (This would be good to use for iron as well — and anything, actually, as the other forms and apps all track calories/weight…).
Thank you!
Excellent question. Most butyrate is produced in the gut rather than consumed in the diet. To maximize your gut’s butyrate production, keep the Carb to Fiber ratio in the green. This said, very small amounts of butyrate are indeed present in dairy with slightly higher amounts in butter. In fact, butyrate and butter share a similar etymology given the short chain fatty acid was named for the food from which it was first isolated.
I heard you speak on the nutrition show on SiriusXM Doctor radio and I was elated to learn about your calculator. I am 78 and trying to maximize my health for the next decade; nutrition was a primary method chosen, in addition to exercise, augmented by personal training. I am thrilled to have this tool.
Hi Doris, Thrilled it’s been useful for you! Warm regards, Dr. D
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