The Definitive Food Index
Use this simple index to buy the best value food.
THE DEFINITIVE FOOD INDEX
A new Food Index has evolved which gives help in choosing the best foods at the cheapest prices.
It also helps with your five-a-day plan .
It illustrates that the expensive foods are not always the best in value where your body and your budget are concerned.
Broccoli is rated at 100 on the percentage scale whereas expensive Lobster comes in lower down at 36.
As broccoli is the highest scoring vegetable, why not create a small vegetable plot and grow your own? See how it is done at
Our Gardening Diary
This is a definite case for being very selective when you are on a tight budget, and this research makes your search for cheap, nutritious foods so much easier.
The highest rated food, broccoli, scores 100, working downwards to an ice lolly which scores only 1.
The Nutritional Quality Index - Dr. David Katz
Type of food | % score |
Broccoli | 100
|
Blueberries | 100
|
Okra | 100 |
Orange | 100 |
Green beans | 100 |
Pineapple | 99 |
Radish | 99 |
Summer squash | 98 |
Apple | 96 |
Green cabbage | 96 |
Tomato | 96 |
Clementine | 94 |
Water melon | 94 |
Mango | 93 |
Red onions | 93 |
Raisins (unsweetened) | 91 |
Fresh figs | 91 |
Grapes | 91 |
Banana | 91 |
Milk (skimmed) | 91 |
Avacado | 89 |
Oatmeal | 88 |
Salmon fillet | 87 |
Halibut fillet | 82 |
Cod fillet | 82 |
Talapia fillet | 82 |
Oysters | 81 |
Swordfish steak | 81 |
Prawns | 75 |
Shrimp | 75 |
Clams | 71 |
Monkfish fillet | 64 |
Sparkling water (sodium free) | 56 |
Milk (whole) | 52 |
Scallops | 51 |
Turbot fillet | 51 |
Pasta | 50 |
Turkey breast (skinless) | 48 |
Tinned peas | 49 |
Prunes | 45 |
Lobster | 36 |
Pork tenderloin | 35 |
Beef steak | 34 |
Turkey breast | 31 |
Tinned peas | 49 |
Prunes | 45 |
Chicken breast | 39 |
Lobster | 36 |
Pork tenderloin | 35 |
Beef steak | 34 |
Turkey breast | 31 |
Veal chop | 31 |
Veal leg cutlet | 31 |
Beef tenderloin | 30 |
Chicken drumstick | 30 |
Pork chop | 28 |
Ham (whole) | 27 |
Raisins (sweetened) | 26 |
Green olives | 24 |
Bagel | 23 |
Peanut butter | 23 |
Condensed cream Broccoli soup | 21 |
Salted dry Roasted peanuts | 21 |
Fried egg | 18 |
Swiss cheese | 17 |
Diet fizzy drinks | 15 |
Non-streaky bacon | 13 |
Pretzel sticks | 11 |
Dark chocolate | 10 |
White bread | 9 |
Salami | 7 |
Hot dog | 5 |
Cheese puffs | 4 |
Milk chocolate | 3 |
Apple pie | 2 |
Crackers | 2 |
Fizzy drinks | 1 |
Ice lolly | 1 |
At first sight there would appear to be some peculiarities in the this Food Index, but there are reasons.
Lobster scores below other sea foods(36) because of the salt content and low level of healthy omega-3 fats.
Seafood lovers may look longingly at Oysters – they score well (81) because of the high levels of zinc, protein and omega-3 fats.
Raisins outscore olives but only when they are unsweetened.
All in all, while the various schemes by the Food Standards Agency and the others by the supermarkets can appear in conflict with each other, this Food Index seems to be a far more sensible, unbiased and rational system.
It is clear and makes selection of food very easy.
This new Index is the brainchild of Dr. David Katz, Director of Yale University-Griffin Hospital Prevention Research Centre and is independent of the food industry. Scientists from Oxford University assisted Dr. Katz with his methodology.
If you missed the latest edition of the Newsletter you can read it here.
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Five a Day Facts
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