Understanding What Does Yuka Consider Healthy for Food Products?

December 26, 2025 •

4 min read

With over 55 million users worldwide, the Yuka app has become a powerful tool for consumers seeking transparency. But what does Yuka consider healthy when it scans a food product's barcode? Its rating is based on a specific, three-part algorithm that evaluates nutritional quality, additives, and organic certification to determine a product's final score.

Quick Summary

The Yuka app rates food products out of 100 based on nutritional quality (60%), additive presence (30%), and organic status (10%). It penalizes products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat while favoring fiber and protein. High-risk additives can significantly lower a product's score.

Key Points

Nutritional Breakdown: Yuka scores food primarily based on its nutritional quality, rewarding products high in protein, fiber, and fruits/vegetables.
Penalties for Poor Nutrition: The app penalizes high levels of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and calories, which can impact even otherwise healthy foods like nuts.
High-Risk Additives: A single high-risk ('red') additive can severely reduce a product's score, capping it at a maximum of 49/100, regardless of other nutritional benefits.
Organic Bonus: An official organic certification provides a 10% score bonus, though some experts question its nutritional significance.
Simplicity vs. Accuracy: The app is praised for its simplicity but criticized for oversimplifying complex nutritional science and potentially labeling foods unfairly.
Alternative Suggestions: A key feature is the ability to recommend healthier alternative products, which can help guide consumers toward better choices.

Yuka's Three-Pillar Scoring System

When you scan a food item with the Yuka app, it assigns a score out of 100 and a color-coded rating based on a weighted algorithm. This system provides a quick snapshot of a product's health impact, breaking it down into three main components:

Pillar 1: Nutritional Quality (60%)

This is the most significant factor in Yuka's evaluation and is based on a European labeling system called Nutri-Score. The algorithm gives positive points for beneficial components and penalizes less desirable ones. The color-coded nutritional gauges in the app visually represent the levels of each component, from 'Low' (Dark Green) to 'Too' (Red).

Positive Nutritional Contributions (increase score):

Protein: Higher protein content improves the product's nutritional score.
Fiber: High fiber is another key factor for a higher score.
Fruits and Vegetables: A higher percentage of fruit and vegetable content (for applicable products) is beneficial.

Negative Nutritional Contributions (decrease score):

Sugar: High sugar levels will significantly lower a product's score.
Saturated Fats: A high content of saturated fats is penalized.
Sodium (Salt): Products with high sodium levels receive a lower score.
Calories: Unsurprisingly, products with a high-calorie count are often penalized, which can controversially affect nutrient-dense but caloric foods like nuts.

Pillar 2: The Presence of Additives (30%)

This criterion accounts for nearly a third of the overall score. Yuka maintains a database of scientific research to assess the health risk of various food additives, assigning them a risk level: 'risk-free,' 'limited risk,' 'moderate risk,' or 'high-risk'.

Impact of risky additives: If a product contains even one high-risk ('red') additive, its maximum possible score is capped at 49/100. The app provides detailed information on what specific additives are flagged and why, with links to scientific sources.
Common flagged additives: High-risk additives can include certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners like sucralose, and other chemical agents that the app deems hazardous based on its research.

Pillar 3: Organic Dimension (10%)

This is a smaller but influential component of the rating. Products with an official organic label, whether national or international, receive a bonus to their score. The app's rationale is that organic products avoid chemical pesticides and other potentially harmful synthetic substances. However, this aspect has been criticized by some nutrition experts who argue there is no definitive proof of nutritional superiority in organic foods.

Yuka vs. Traditional Nutritional Information

To put Yuka's system into perspective, let's compare how it evaluates different products based on its algorithm versus simply looking at a standard nutrition label.


Feature	Yuka App Evaluation	Standard Nutrition Label	Considerations for the Consumer
Transparency	Simplifies complex information with a single score and color code.	Requires active reading and understanding of serving sizes, percentages, and ingredient lists.	Yuka is faster for quick comparison, but the label offers more raw data.
Nutritional Emphasis	Prioritizes certain nutrients (protein, fiber) and strictly limits negative ones (sugar, salt).	Lists all nutrients equally and in isolation, without an overall health grade.	Yuka provides a curated view of health, while the label gives you the full picture to interpret yourself.
Additives	Flags potentially risky additives and can severely penalize a product's score.	Ingredients are listed, but consumers must research each one to understand potential risks.	Yuka alerts you to specific, controversial ingredients instantly.
Organic	Gives a score bonus for certified organic products.	May have an organic label but doesn't quantify its contribution to overall health.	For shoppers prioritizing organic, Yuka offers a quick way to confirm certification.

Critiques of Yuka's 'Healthy' Definition

Despite its popularity, Yuka's methodology has received criticism from some nutrition experts. A key concern is the oversimplification of nutrition science into a single score, which may lead users to dismiss perfectly healthy, calorie-dense foods like nuts. Some dietitians also worry that labeling foods as 'good' or 'bad' can promote disordered eating habits and create unnecessary food anxiety. Furthermore, Yuka doesn't distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars in its Nutri-Score calculation. The app also doesn't consider context, such as portion size, individual health needs, or how the food fits into a balanced overall diet.

Navigating the App's Recommendations

When a scanned product receives a poor score, the Yuka app doesn't just leave you with bad news. It provides independent recommendations for similar but healthier alternatives, allowing for easy substitutions. This feature empowers consumers to quickly identify and choose better options while shopping. Users can also filter for specific dietary preferences, such as palm oil, gluten, or lactose detection, further personalizing the experience. The recommendations are a powerful and popular feature that aids conscious consumerism.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices with Yuka

Ultimately, what Yuka considers healthy is a multi-faceted assessment weighing nutritional content, additive safety, and organic certification. While the app provides a convenient, objective, and transparent way to understand a product's composition, it is not without its critics. Its simplified scoring is a useful tool for general guidance, especially for avoiding highly processed foods high in sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. However, experts advise using it as a starting point rather than the sole arbiter of a healthy diet, which should always consider individual nutritional needs and a broader, balanced eating pattern. As the app itself acknowledges, no single tool can replace personal judgment and a holistic approach to wellness. The information Yuka provides can empower consumers to make more informed decisions, but it should be viewed alongside other sources of dietary advice.

For more detailed information on Yuka's scoring method, consult their help page: How are food products rated?.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yuka calculates a food product's score using a weighted algorithm based on three criteria: nutritional quality (60%), the presence of additives (30%), and whether it is organic (10%).

Nutri-Score is a European labeling system that evaluates a product's nutritional balance. Yuka uses this system to assign points based on nutrients to be encouraged (protein, fiber) and discouraged (sugar, saturated fat, sodium, calories), which accounts for 60% of the overall score.

If a product contains a 'high-risk' additive according to Yuka's criteria, its maximum possible score is automatically capped at 49 out of 100, regardless of its nutritional value.

Yes, Yuka gives a 10% bonus to a product's score if it has an official organic certification. The app's reasoning is that organic products avoid chemical pesticides, though this aspect of the scoring has received criticism.

Some nutrition experts argue that Yuka's scoring can be misleading by oversimplifying nutrition. For example, it can give low scores to nutrient-dense but caloric foods like nuts, and it does not distinguish between natural and added sugars.

A dark green rating on Yuka indicates an 'excellent' score (75-100), signifying a product is of high quality and healthy. A light green rating means 'good' (50-74).

When you scan a product that scores poorly, Yuka automatically provides independent recommendations for similar items that are rated as better for your health, often featuring a higher score and a more favorable ingredient list.