Ever read a food label in the store and find that item you thought was healthy is anything but? Some foods that are marketed as “low-fat” or “no sugar added” can still contain a ton of sweeteners, calories, chemicals and sodium, making it tough to decipher what’s actually good for us. And that’s why researchers at Tufts University created The Food Compass, a nutrient ranking system.
It ranks foods from the absolute best to absolute worst for your health on a scale of one to 100. More than 8-thousand foods were evaluated on “54 attributes across 9 health-relevant domains: nutrient ratios, vitamins, minerals, food ingredients, additives, processing, specific lipids, fiber and protein, and phytochemicals,” according to the report.
Foods on the absolute best side include:
●Raw fruits and vegetables
●Leafy greens
●Whole grains
●Nuts, seeds, beans and lentils
●Fish, especially halibut and tuna
●And plain yogurt.
And on the flip side, the foods that are considered the worst for your health include:
●White bread products
●Soda and energy drinks
●Processed meats
●Fat-free dressings
●“Light” butter
●Cakes and pastries
Source: Eat This, Not That