Too fatty, too sweet, too salty:eating to preserve our health can be like a real obstacle course. To orient yourself well, the nutri-score is a valuable tool. How does it work and can we really trust it with our eyes closed? Here are the details you need to know to fill your shopping basket without feeling guilty.
The nutri-score appeared on the first food packaging in 2017. Its role:to inform consumers about the nutritional quality of the food products they buy. The principle is simple:it is a scale of nutritional values characterized by letters and colors.
The nutri-score is intended to be understandable and accessible to all consumers.
The logo is awarded on the basis of a score taking into account the content of foods to promote (fruits, vegetables, proteins, fibres, etc.) and the content of foods to avoid (salt, sugar, saturated fatty acids, etc.) for 100g or 100ml of product. Once the average has been achieved, the score obtained by a product is used to assign it a letter and a color. The lower the product's score, the healthier it is!
The nutri-score is issued free of charge on simple request from the agri-food company. Brands must then register on dedicated Public Health France platforms in order to start the process.
Thanks to the nutri-score, consumers have more and more weight in the face of food manufacturers. Seeing several of their poorly rated products being shunned, some brands have been forced to review the composition of their products in order to be awarded a better rating!
Eat better: apps to know
To go further, consider downloading the Yuka and What's inside? on your smartphone:find out in real time the compositions of each food and any additives to avoid. Ideal for shopping and eating better!
If the nutri-score allows us in the blink of an eye to have indications on the nutritional values of a food, you still have to know how to decipher the labels to be sure!
Nutri-score is often criticized for misleading consumers. What is it really ? It is certainly an excellent tool, but you have to know how to interpret the results to use it wisely. Explanations.
Let's take the example of a fresh fruit juice, often classified nutri-score C, or even D. Is it bad for our health? Absolutely not. Free of harmful additives and only made from fresh fruit, it is excellent for the body. As fruits are naturally high in sugars, the juice is simply considered "too sweet" by the logo!
Conversely, a tomato sauce can be classified A and yet list more than fifteen ingredients on the label, whereas two or three would be enough for a homemade sauce. When you use the nutri-score, you must therefore always make sure to scrutinize the list of ingredients!
The nutri-score in numbers
Only 14%1 of French people say they pay attention to the nutri-score logo when shopping. However, analysis of the sales of more than 92,000 food products reveals that the turnover of products classified A and B increases by 1.1%1 and decreases by 0.8%1 for products classified C and D.
Hunt down hidden additives and sugars, cooking it yourself and with a handpicked list of ingredients!
Rules to follow:
With simple ingredients and low in sugar, it is possible to enjoy. No more excuses for jumping on high nutri-score products!
Prepare 180g of quinoa. Cut the butternut squash into pieces and roast them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil. Mix everything with 1 tsp mustard and 2 tsp balsamic vinegar.
Calories:295 kcal per 100 g
Sugar:0 g
In a blender, add 1 banana, 1 apple, 70 g of spinach, 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 100 ml of apple juice and a little water to adjust the consistency according to your tastes . Mix, it's ready!
Calories:56 kcal per 100 g
Sugar:1 g per 100 g
Steam the cauliflower tops and put them in a dish. Add some light cream and sprinkle with grated cheese:simple and effective!
Calories:90 kcal per 100 g
Sugar:0 g
Need a little help eating better?
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Who said eating well was difficult? With valuable allies such as nutri-score or mobile applications, filling your shopping cart with healthy and nutritious food has never been easier! Shopping becomes almost a pleasure, and you take back control of the kitchen!
11 Nielsen design office.
11 Nielsen design office.
11 Nielsen design office.
