Real Food Calculator Criteria

What is Real Food?

Real food refers to whole, unprocessed foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. These foods are typically free from artificial additives, preservatives, and excessive processing. The concept of real food is based on the idea that consuming foods in their most natural form provides better nutritional value and fewer potential health risks.

The term "real food" is often used in contrast to processed foods, which have undergone significant changes in preparation, packaging, and preservation. While processed foods can be convenient and shelf-stable, they often lack the nutritional benefits of whole foods and may contain additives that some consumers prefer to avoid.

Real Food Criteria

To determine whether a food qualifies as "real food," it should meet the following criteria:

1. Whole Food Ingredients: The food should be made from whole, unprocessed ingredients. This means that the food should not contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
2. Minimal Processing: The food should have undergone minimal processing. This means that the food should not have been treated with chemicals, irradiated, or exposed to excessive heat or pressure.
3. Natural Preservation: If the food is preserved, it should be done using natural methods such as fermentation, drying, or freezing. Artificial preservatives should be avoided.
4. No Added Sugars or Fats: The food should not contain added sugars, fats, or other ingredients that are not naturally present in the food.
5. No Artificial Additives: The food should not contain artificial additives such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, or thickeners.

How to Calculate Real Food

Calculating whether a food is real can be done by evaluating its ingredients and processing methods against the criteria outlined above. The calculator on this page provides a simple way to assess a food product based on these criteria.

The resulting score ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 indicating that the food meets all the criteria for real food. A score of 0.8 or higher is generally considered a good indicator of real food.

Real Food Examples

Here are some examples of foods that are generally considered real food:

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: These are whole, unprocessed foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.
• Whole Grains: Foods made from whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread are considered real food.
• Lean Proteins: Lean meats, poultry, fish, and plant-based proteins such as beans and lentils are considered real food.
• Natural Dairy Products: Unprocessed dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are considered real food.
• Fermented Foods: Foods that have been fermented using natural methods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir are considered real food.

In contrast, processed foods such as frozen dinners, canned soups, and packaged snacks are generally not considered real food due to their extensive processing and use of artificial additives.