SmarTasty
Count calories with a photo
Our nutrient density score shows how many vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre a recipe provides per calorie – and how many valuable food groups it has.
Nutrient density describes how many vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre a food provides for its calories. Our score – shown on each recipe as “Nutrient density” – rates a recipe from 0 to 10 in two parts: nutrients per calorie and the food groups it’s made of.
Counting per calorie means a bigger portion doesn’t score higher – what counts is what a dish brings for its energy. For recipes at the top of the scale, see nutrient-dense recipes.
| Part | Weight |
|---|---|
| Parts | |
| Nutrients per calorie – 16 nutrients against 2,000 kcal, the ten strongest count | 60% |
| Food groups – how many groups – or how much of the serving is veg, fruit, pulses, wholegrains, potatoes, fish, nuts | 40% |
| Points taken off | |
| Saturated fat – over 10% of energy | −1 |
| Salt – over 1.5 mg sodium per kcal | −1 |
| Added sugar – over 20% of energy | −1 |
Adds up to 0 to 10. Counts 25% towards the Health Score.
Nutrient-dense recipes: From 7.
A nutrient “fits” when a serving provides the same percentage of its daily requirement as it provides of 2,000 kcal. We count the ten strongest of 16 nutrients (each up to 150%) – a lentil dish doesn’t need vitamin B12 to do well.
An average of 70% gives 0, an average of 150% gives 10. Reference values: German Nutrition Society (DGE) and EU.
For the food groups, the higher of two values counts: how many valuable groups there are (variety), or how much of the serving – by weight – is veg, fresh fruit, pulses, wholegrains, potatoes, fish and, in unsweetened recipes, nuts. From 80% the full points apply. Juice, syrup and dried fruit don’t count.
If more than 11 of the 16 nutrition values are missing, we don’t show a score.
Vitamin figures are estimates – the food groups make the score more robust.
The score follows fixed rules, the same for every recipe. It doesn’t replace medical or dietary advice.
Otherwise a double portion would be “more nutritious”. Per calorie, what counts is what a dish brings for its energy.
Foods that provide lots of vitamins, minerals, protein or fibre for few calories – such as vegetables, pulses, fish, eggs, wholegrains and fruit. Juice, syrup and sweets provide energy with few nutrients.