How to Use (and Not Use) the Nutrivore Score
Take the Guesswork Out of Nutrient Density with the Nutrivore Score
It’s time to add another powerful tool to your Nutrivore toolkit: the Nutrivore Score.
The Nutrivore Score quantifies nutrient density by calculating how much valuable nutrition a food provides per calorie. It’s a simple, science-based way to identify foods that deliver exceptional nutritional value—without labeling any food as “good” or “bad.” All foods exist on a spectrum, so the goal isn’t to chase high scores or eliminate lower-scoring foods. Instead, the Nutrivore Score helps you make simple swaps, easy additions, and nutrient-boosting upgrades that fit seamlessly into the way you already eat.
Used well, the Nutrivore Score can help you:
Improve diet quality with small, doable adjustments
Make balanced meals even more nutrient-dense
Choose among similar foods with more confidence
Discover nutrient-rich foods you may not be eating yet
Used incorrectly, it can become another diet mentality trap—and we’re not doing that here.
The PDF guide below will show you both how to use the Nutrivore Score and how not to, so you can get all the benefits without turning it into another set of food rules.
What Is the Nutrivore Score?
The Nutrivore Score is calculated using over 30 essential and important nutrients, so it gives you a complete picture of just how nourishing a food really is. The higher the score, the more essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, healthy fats, and beneficial phytonutrients it contains relative to its energy content. You can think of the Nutrivore Score as a measurement of how opposite of an “empty calorie” a food is.
Because the Nutrivore Score is only one measure of food quality—and may be influenced by incomplete nutrient data—it’s best to use it alongside other considerations like nutrient variety, food group balance, personal preferences, and cultural traditions. Nutrivore is about balance, variety, and meeting your nutrient needs across your whole diet—not perfection in every bite. The Nutrivore Score exists to guide choices, not restrict them.
Find Nutrivore Scores for 8,000+ foods in the free searchable database here.
How to Use the Nutrivore Score
The Nutrivore Score works best when used for simple, stress-free upgrades, not overhauls. Here are some easy ways to put it into practice:
🍝 Make nutrient-dense swaps: Love noodle dishes? Try chickpea or lentil pasta for extra protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
🍕 Add nutrient boosters to comfort meals: Having pizza or a burger? Add a quick side salad or roasted veggies to elevate the nutrient density of the whole meal.
🍓 Upgrade your snacks: Pair yogurt with berries for extra antioxidants and fiber. Add nuts or seeds for healthy fats and minerals.
🥗 Think in additions, not restrictions: One vegetable added to a meal, one fruit added to a snack, or one nutrient-rich swap makes a meaningful difference.
These small steps add up quickly—and they’re much easier to sustain than perfection.
How Not to Use the Nutrivore Score
To keep the Nutrivore Score a helpful tool rather than a source of guilt, here are a few important guardrails:
Don’t moralize foods based on their score. Low-scoring foods aren’t “bad”—they just offer fewer nutrients per calorie.
Don’t try to build meals using only high-scoring foods. That’s not realistic, joyful, or nutritionally complete.
Don’t use the Score as a weight-loss tool. That’s not what it’s designed for, and it undermines the entire Nutrivore philosophy.
Don’t compare your meals to anyone else’s. Your needs, preferences, and lifestyle are unique.
The Nutrivore Score is here to empower, not restrict. It’s a compass—not a rulebook.
Quick Tips for Using the Nutrivore Score
Instead of overhauling your entire diet, use the Nutrivore Score to make small, impactful changes that boost nutrient density without sacrificing flavor:
🍝Love noodle dishes? Try chickpea or lentil pasta for extra protein and fiber.
🍕Eating pizza or a burger? Add a simple side salad to boost your meal’s nutrient density with vitamins and fiber!🍓Snacking on yogurt? Add some berries for a dose of fiber and antioxidants!
Download Your Nutrivore Score Guide!
To make using the Nutrivore Score day-to-day even easier, I’ve put together a PDF guide for you that includes:
✅A quick breakdown of how to use the Nutrivore Score (and how NOT to!)
✅The Top 100 Nutrivore Score Foods at the Grocery Store
✅Where to find even more Nutrivore Scores (including my searchable database on Nutrivore.com!)