How We Score Products: Avo's Methodology

A transparent explanation of how Avo Scanner calculates its health scores, what factors are considered, and how to interpret your product scores.

Published April 10, 2024

Our Philosophy: Holistic Health Assessment

Avo's scoring system was designed to address the shortcomings of existing approaches. Simple calorie counts ignore food quality. Nutri-Score only evaluates nutrients, not ingredients or processing level. Traffic light systems give partial information. Avo's score incorporates three dimensions: nutritional quality (what macronutrients and micronutrients the product contains), ingredient quality (what specific ingredients and additives are present), and food processing level (using the NOVA classification framework). This three-dimensional approach means a product with acceptable nutrition but problematic additives still scores lower, and a minimally processed whole food scores higher even if it has higher fat content.

Nutritional Quality Component

The nutritional quality component evaluates the nutrition facts per 100g/100ml, similar to Nutri-Score's approach. We apply positive weight to: dietary fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals at meaningful levels, and healthy fat types (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated). We apply negative weight to: added sugars, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and calories in excess of category-appropriate norms. Unlike Nutri-Score, we also consider the overall nutrient density — a food that provides many beneficial nutrients relative to its calories scores better than one that merely avoids bad nutrients.

Ingredient Quality Component

Our ingredient analysis database maps thousands of specific ingredients to health impact assessments based on the scientific literature. We flag ingredients in several categories: (1) Concerning additives — artificial dyes, certain preservatives, specific emulsifiers with emerging negative evidence; (2) High-concern allergens beyond the FDA's major eight; (3) Highly processed ingredients that indicate industrial food production; (4) Positive ingredients — whole foods, beneficial probiotics, vitamins added in bioavailable forms. The proportion of flagged versus clean ingredients affects this component's score.

Processing Level and Certifications

We classify products on the NOVA scale (1-4) based on their ingredient list characteristics. NOVA Group 1 (unprocessed or minimally processed foods) and Group 2 (culinary ingredients) receive the highest marks. Group 3 (processed foods) receive moderate marks. Group 4 (ultra-processed foods) receive the lowest marks for this component, regardless of their nutritional profile. We also add positive weight for verified certifications: USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Fair Trade, and certified B Corp. The final score combines all three components with weights validated against dietitian assessments of a sample of products.

Frequently Asked Questions

What scale does the Avo score use?

Avo scores range from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the highest possible health quality. Scores above 70 represent products we consider generally healthy choices. Scores from 40–70 represent moderate choices with some concerns. Scores below 40 indicate products with significant nutritional, ingredient, or processing concerns that we recommend consuming rarely or in small amounts.

Why might a food I think is healthy score low?

Several situations can cause unexpected scores: (1) A food might have good macronutrients but contain artificial additives or be highly processed (ultra-processed). (2) A "natural" product might contain high levels of saturated fat or sodium. (3) Serving sizes can be misleading — a product might look healthy per serving but be very calorie-dense per 100g. (4) Our scoring is based on the full ingredient list, so if a product contains several concerning additives even in small amounts, the score reflects this.

Is the Avo score the same as the Nutri-Score?

No. The Avo score is different from and more comprehensive than Nutri-Score. Nutri-Score only evaluates nutrient content (calories, fat, sugar, sodium, fiber, protein, vegetables). Avo's score also incorporates the specific ingredients and additives present, and the level of food processing (NOVA classification). As a result, two products with similar Nutri-Scores may have very different Avo scores based on their ingredient quality and processing level.

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