Vegan Curator

A Quick Guide to the Vegan Curator Food-Rating Model

A Quick Guide to the Vegan Curator Food-Rating Model

At Vegan Curator, we developed a transparent food-rating system that breaks down the Nutrition Facts label into a single score from –6 to +6. That score determines where a food falls within five simple diet tiers, from 🔴 Treat to 🟢 Staple. This lets you evaluate fully plant-based foods quickly and with confidence—no nutrition degree required.

Here’s how the score is built:

1. Subtract for Nutrients to Limit

Certain nutrients are linked to chronic conditions when consumed in excess. This step penalizes products based on how much saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars are present per serving:

  • Saturated Fat & Sodium
    –1 point if the %DV is between 10–19% (moderate)
    –2 points if the %DV is 20% or higher (high)
    0 points if under 10% DV
  • Added Sugars
    –0.5 points if under 10% DV
    –1 point for 10–19% DV
    –2 points for 20% or more

Explanation: Saturated fat and sodium occur naturally in many whole plant foods (like nuts, seeds, and leafy greens), so no penalty is applied at low levels. Added sugar, on the other hand, is not naturally found in unprocessed foods—its presence always reflects deliberate industrial processing. That’s why it earns a –0.5 deduction even in small amounts.

2. Add for Nutrients to Encourage

This step rewards nutrient-dense foods that support sustained energy, muscle maintenance, digestive health, and essential body functions:

  • Dietary Fiber
    +0.5 points if <10% DV
    +1 point if 10–19% DV
    +2 points for 20% DV or more
  • Protein
    +0.5 points if <10% DV
    +1 point if 10–19% DV
    +2 points for 20% DV or more
  • Micronutrients (Iron, Calcium, B12, etc.)
    Only the highest %DV is credited among listed vitamins or minerals.
    +0.5 points for 10–19% DV
    +1 point for 20% or more

Explanation: Micronutrients include a broad range of vitamins and minerals, each with distinct physiological roles and varying degrees of impact. Because of this diversity, they are scored more moderately. In contrast, fiber and protein provide consistent and well-established benefits across nearly all populations and dietary patterns—supporting digestion, metabolism, and satiety. Even small amounts (under 10% DV) of these highly coveted nutrients earn +0.5 points, because they meaningfully contribute to your daily nutritional needs.

3. Reward for Minimal Processing

Whole-food simplicity matters. This step rewards not just nutrient content, but the overall quality of the ingredients—favoring products with short, clean, and recognizable ingredient lists.

  • +1 point for 5 or fewer recognizable whole-food ingredients with no flagged additives
  • +0.5 points for 6–8 mostly whole-food, recognizable ingredients
  • 0 points if the product is highly processed, contains artificial additives, or no ingredient list is available

This bonus favors foods that are closer to their natural form—minimally refined, transparently labeled, and free from unnecessary additives.

4. Total and Translate

Once all points—positive and negative—are added together (including any bonus for minimal processing), the final score determines which category the food falls into.

Scores from –6 to –3 fall into the 🔴 Eat Minimally category. These are indulgent or low-nutrient foods—often high in added sugars, sodium, or saturated fat—and are best reserved for rare treats or special occasions.

A score between –2.5 and –1 places a product in the 🟤 Eat Sparingly tier. These foods offer limited nutritional value and should be consumed rarely—no more than once or twice a month, and in small portions.

Scores from –0.5 to +1 land in the 🟠 Eat in Moderation category. These are more balanced options that can still contribute value when portioned carefully and eaten occasionally—ideally a few times per month, especially when paired with more nutrient-dense foods.

If a product scores between +1.5 and +3, it earns a 🟡 Eat Weekly rating, indicating it’s a supportive, nutrient-positive choice suitable for weekly inclusion in a well-rounded diet.

The highest scores—+3.5 to +6—fall into the 🟢 Eat Daily category. These are foundational foods: rich in nutrients, minimally processed, and ideal for daily or near-daily use as part of a healthy, plant-based eating pattern.

Why This Model Works

This model reflects nutritional science: it rewards foods rich in fiber, protein, and key micronutrients, penalizes excessive sodium, sugar, and saturated fat, and favors ingredient transparency. It’s consistent, brand-agnostic, and works across serving sizes by using standardized % Daily Value ranges.

It’s also easy to use. Products edging into green make solid daily choices. Those in red? Occasional treats at best. Everything in between can be portioned accordingly.

Fair Food Scoring Starts Here

This model was built specifically to evaluate 100% plant-based (vegan) foods—because they have unique nutritional and ethical profiles that standard scoring systems often overlook.

When applied to animal-based products—like dairy, eggs, or meat—additional deductions would be necessary to account for compounds not present in plant-based foods, such as cholesterol, lactose, casein, whey, animal growth factors, and residual hormones. These substances are not essential for human health and have been linked to negative outcomes when consumed in excess.

That said, not all animal-based foods would score equally. Minimally processed items—like plain Greek yogurt or whole milk—could still earn partial or full credit for meeting our minimal processing criteria. This may place them in a more neutral scoring range, where their final rating would be shaped primarily by their nutrient profile.

We also chose not to adopt scoring systems like Nutri-Score, which—despite offering a simple front-of-pack format—present limitations that conflict with our values. Nutri-Score evaluates foods per 100 grams or milliliters, regardless of how they’re actually consumed, and gives special consideration to certain animal-based products, particularly cheese.

One example is its use of protein as a proxy for calcium—a decision rooted in dairy-centric assumptions. This approach effectively treats animal dairy as the default benchmark for calcium, overlooking the fact that humans have different nutritional needs. A more relevant comparison would be human milk, not cow’s milk. As a result, Nutri-Score often underrepresents the value of calcium-rich plant-based foods while disproportionately favoring dairy-based options.

If you’re curious about why Nutri-Score wasn’t the right fit for our approach, explore our full breakdown in the companion article: “Nutri-Score: Helpful Shortcut or Missed Opportunity?” https://vegancurator.com/blog/decoding-nutri-score

In Conclusion

This rating system is more than just a score—it’s a tool for making more informed, health-conscious choices in a world filled with marketing noise and confusing claims. By focusing on what matters—nutrient quality, ingredient integrity, and long-term health impact—we help you cut through the clutter and build a stronger, smarter plant-based diet one food at a time.

Let us know if you'd like to see this model in action or explore how your favorite products measure up.


Making the Most of the Score

This model helps you evaluate individual foods, but knowing where a product lands is only part of the story. To use this system effectively, it’s important to understand how different foods contribute to the overall pattern of a healthy, plant-based diet.

That’s where food groups come in. Each category—grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds—plays a unique role in meeting your nutritional needs with balance and intention.

To learn how to structure meals and build a well-rounded diet, explore our companion article, The Food Group Playbook: Eat with Purpose: https://vegancurator.com/nutrition/food-groups