The Highest Nutrivore Score: Unveiling the Most Nutrient-Dense Foods

January 9, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the official Nutrivore database, canned clam liquid shockingly tops the charts with a staggering Nutrivore Score of 14,744. While this is the highest nutrivore score, it's a testament to the metric's focus on nutrient-to-calorie ratio, highlighting specific, highly concentrated nutrients rather than a complete dietary solution.

Quick Summary

This article delves into the concept of the Nutrivore Score, explaining how it quantifies nutrient density by measuring nutrients per calorie. It explores foods with exceptionally high scores, including surprising options like canned clam liquid, brewed coffee, and watercress, and compares them with more familiar nutrient powerhouses like organ meats and leafy greens.

Key Points

Canned Clam Liquid Tops the Chart: The single food with the highest nutrivore score is canned clam liquid, scoring over 14,000 due to its very low calorie count and extreme concentration of nutrients like Vitamin B12.
High-Scoring Green Vegetables: Foods like watercress, spinach, and kale consistently rank very high on the Nutrivore scale due to their high vitamin and mineral content relative to their low calories.
Organ Meats are Nutrient Powerhouses: Despite higher calorie counts than greens, organ meats like beef liver have exceptionally high Nutrivore Scores due to their dense and highly bioavailable nutrient profiles.
Score is a Relative Measure: The Nutrivore Score measures nutrients per calorie, not overall healthfulness, and should be used to compare foods within the same category to guide better choices.
Variety is Key: No single food provides all necessary nutrients. For optimal health, the Nutrivore philosophy stresses eating a varied diet rich in different nutrient-dense whole foods.
Affordable Nutrivore Options: Incorporating budget-friendly options like frozen vegetables, canned fish, and affordable spices is an effective way to boost your diet's nutrient density without overspending.
Don't Overlook Flavors and Quality: Cooking methods and sourcing can impact nutrient retention and bioavailability. For example, local, in-season produce may be more nutrient-dense than conventionally grown options.

What is the Nutrivore Score? A Deep Dive into Nutrient Density

Developed to simplify and quantify the concept of nutrient density, the Nutrivore Score is a science-based metric that measures the total amount of 33+ nutrients in a food relative to its caloric content. The goal is to provide an objective guide for identifying foods that deliver the most nutritional value per calorie, helping people make more informed food choices. Unlike other scoring systems, the Nutrivore Score does not cap the contribution of a single nutrient, accurately reflecting foods exceptionally rich in specific vitamins or minerals, such as the high selenium content of Brazil nuts.

The Science Behind the Score

The score's calculation involves summing up the percentage of the Daily Value (DV) for each of 33 nutrients in a food per 100 grams, then dividing that sum by the number of calories per 100 grams. This formula places a premium on foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds while being low in calories. It provides a more comprehensive picture than simply looking at a few key nutrients.

How to Use the Nutrivore Score in Your Daily Diet

While canned clam liquid might not be a staple food, understanding its top ranking offers a key lesson: prioritize nutrient-dense ingredients where possible. The Nutrivore Score encourages incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich foods across different food groups. Instead of viewing low-scoring foods as “bad,” they are simply less nutrient-dense per calorie. The score is a tool for abundance, not restriction, helping you find opportunities to boost your nutritional intake. For example, adding highly-ranked garlic or spinach to a meal can significantly increase its overall nutrient density.

Unveiling the Foods with the Highest Nutrivore Scores

While canned clam liquid holds the top spot, several other foods have remarkably high Nutrivore Scores, highlighting the unexpected places where concentrated nutrients can be found. The ranking often surprises people, as many familiar “superfoods” are outpaced by less common but incredibly nutrient-dense options.

Top Contenders for the Highest Score

Garden Pepper Cress (11,265 Nutrivore Score): A raw leafy green, this plant is an unsung hero of nutrient density, packed with vitamins and minerals.
Brewed Coffee (7,036 Nutrivore Score): Often overlooked, coffee contains a surprising number of beneficial compounds that contribute to its high score.
Watercress (6,929 Nutrivore Score): This cruciferous vegetable is a powerhouse of vitamins A, C, and K, along with numerous antioxidants.
Rainbow Chard (6,573 Nutrivore Score): Known for its vibrant colors, chard is rich in nutrients and offers substantial benefits.
Garlic (5,622 Nutrivore Score): A staple in many cuisines, garlic is not only flavorful but also highly concentrated with beneficial compounds.

These examples demonstrate that maximizing your Nutrivore Score doesn't always require expensive or exotic ingredients. Many common foods, particularly leafy greens and spices, offer an impressive nutrient punch per calorie.

Organ Meats: A Category of High Scores

While plant-based foods often top the list due to their low-calorie count, organ meats like beef liver also rank exceptionally high for their nutrient density. Beef liver, for instance, boasts a Nutrivore Score of 4,021, thanks to its high concentration of bioavailable iron, vitamin A, and B vitamins. This shows that both plant and animal foods can achieve high scores, reinforcing the importance of a varied, balanced diet for overall nutrient sufficiency.

Nutrivore Score Comparison Table

To put the scores into perspective, here is a comparison of various foods across different categories.


Food Item	Nutrivore Score	Key Nutrients	Why it Ranks High	Notes
Canned Clam Liquid	14,744	Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, Selenium	Extremely low calories with concentrated B12.	A specialty ingredient, not a complete food.
Watercress	6,929	Vitamins A, C, K; Antioxidants	Very low in calories, high in essential vitamins.	Easy to add to salads and soups.
Beef Liver	4,021	Iron, Vitamin A, B12, Protein	Extremely rich in vitamins and minerals per calorie.	Highly bioavailable nutrients.
Spinach	4,548	Iron, Vitamins A, C, K; Magnesium	Low calories packed with vitamins and minerals.	A versatile, common leafy green.
Kale	4,233	Vitamins A, C, K; Folate, Calcium	High nutrient content relative to its calorie count.	A popular, well-known nutrient-dense food.
Wild Salmon	868	Omega-3s, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D	Excellent source of healthy fats and protein.	High nutrient value, but not as concentrated per calorie as greens.
Eggs (Chicken)	355	Protein, Choline, Vitamin B12	Good source of complete protein and fats.	High-quality nutrients but lower score due to higher fat content.

The Role of Whole Foods and Variety

While the Nutrivore Score is a fantastic tool for comparison, it's essential to remember that no single food, regardless of its score, can provide all the nutrients required for optimal health. The core of the Nutrivore philosophy emphasizes consuming a wide variety of nutrient-dense whole and minimally-processed foods to ensure overall nutrient sufficiency. Focusing on food groups, like leafy greens, seafood, and nuts, and then making smart swaps within those groups can significantly improve your diet quality over time. Frozen and canned options, harvested at their peak, can be just as nutrient-dense as fresh ones, offering budget-friendly ways to eat well.

Conclusion: Beyond a Single Score

While canned clam liquid holds the title for the single highest nutrivore score, the broader takeaway is the power of nutrient density. The Nutrivore Score provides a scientific, objective way to view food, encouraging a focus on the nutritional payoff of every bite. By consistently choosing a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods, from leafy greens and spices to organ meats and fatty fish, you can build a more nourishing and health-supportive diet that goes far beyond any single metric or food item. The goal is not perfection in every meal but a pattern of mindful, nutrient-rich choices that build a foundation for long-term health and well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Nutrivore Score is a tool that quantifies the nutrient density of foods by measuring the total amount of 33+ essential nutrients relative to a food's calorie content. It helps identify foods that offer the most nutritional value per calorie.

Canned clam liquid achieves its top spot due to a very high concentration of specific nutrients, most notably Vitamin B12, combined with an extremely low-calorie count. The score is a measure of nutrient-per-calorie, which this food maximizes.

Not necessarily. The score is about the nutrient-to-calorie ratio. High-calorie foods that are also exceptionally nutrient-rich, such as some nuts, seeds, and organ meats, can still receive respectable scores, though they might not reach the highest levels reserved for very low-calorie items.

No. The Nutrivore Score is not a measure of a food's inherent 'goodness' or 'badness.' Many foods with lower scores, like cheese, can still be valuable sources of specific nutrients and provide important dietary functions.

No. The Nutrivore philosophy emphasizes a varied diet, not focusing solely on the highest-scoring foods. A balanced intake of nutrient-dense options from all food groups is recommended to ensure you meet all your nutrient requirements.

Organ meats, such as beef liver, are incredibly nutrient-dense and score very high, often above 4,000. While they don't surpass the top spot of canned clam liquid, they provide a different set of highly concentrated, bioavailable nutrients compared to leafy greens.

The Nutrivore Score is not a weight loss tool, but a quality-of-calorie metric. However, by focusing on more nutrient-dense foods, you may naturally feel fuller and consume fewer calories, which can support weight management goals.