Yuka's Scoring System Explained
The Yuka app is a powerful tool for consumers seeking to make healthier choices, but its rating system is not always intuitive. Many users are surprised to find that a product they perceive as healthy, particularly one high in protein, receives a low score. The reason lies in the multi-faceted algorithm Yuka uses, which is based heavily on the Nutri-Score system but also includes other criteria. Understanding the weight given to each factor—nutritional quality, additives, and organic status—is crucial for interpreting a product's final score accurately.
The Role of Nutri-Score in Yuka's Rating
The nutritional quality of a product accounts for 60% of its total Yuka score. To determine this, Yuka relies on the European Nutri-Score system, which balances both positive and negative nutritional elements per 100 grams of the product. While protein and fiber contribute positively, other factors can cause a significant deduction. Foods are penalized for high levels of calories, saturated fats, sugar, and salt. A product that is rich in protein but also high in saturated fat or sugar, like some flavored yogurts or snack bars, will have its score lowered accordingly. Similarly, some nutrient-dense foods, such as nuts and nut butters, are often penalized for being calorie-dense despite their healthy fat and protein content, leading to a surprisingly low rating.
The Impact of Additives on Yuka Scores
Beyond nutritional content, Yuka dedicates a significant portion of its score—30%—to the presence of additives. Yuka's developers and scientific advisors analyze additives based on the latest research and classify them into four categories: risk-free, limited risk, moderate risk, and high-risk. The presence of a single additive deemed high-risk can automatically cap a product's maximum possible score at 49 out of 100, effectively categorizing it as 'Poor' or 'Bad', regardless of its otherwise strong nutritional profile. This is a major reason why many processed, high-protein foods, which often use additives for preservation or texture, can end up with a low rating on the app. This risk-based penalty can easily overshadow the positive points awarded for protein.
Why Protein Supplements Are Excluded
One specific reason why Yuka doesn't rate many products high in protein is that it doesn't rate a significant category of them at all: protein supplements. The app's methodology is designed for standard food products and is not adapted for specialized items like protein powders, creatine, or other nutritional supplements. The app developers state that these are not food products in the strict sense and require a different evaluation approach. This means that even the purest, additive-free protein powder will not receive an 'Excellent' rating, but will instead be marked as 'Not Rated'.
How Additives Can Overpower Protein
To illustrate how the scoring works, consider the following comparison between two hypothetical high-protein products.
| Feature | Clean Protein Bar | High-Additive Protein Shake |
|---|---|---|
| Protein Content | High | High |
| Nutri-Score Assessment | Good (Low sugar, balanced fat) | Good (High protein, but potentially higher sugar) |
| Additive Presence | None (Risk-Free) | High-Risk (e.g., Artificial sweeteners, thickeners) |
| Nutritional Score (60%) | Higher (Favorable Nutri-Score) | Lower (Penalized for sugar/fat) |
| Additive Score (30%) | Full points | Zero points (Capped at < 50/100) |
| Organic Score (10%) | Variable | Variable |
| Final Yuka Score | Excellent/Good | Poor/Bad |
Interpreting a Yuka Score
When evaluating a product with the Yuka app, it's essential to look beyond the overall score. The app provides a breakdown of each category, allowing users to understand the specific reasons for a product's rating. This is particularly important for high-protein items, where a low score could be due to a single additive or a higher-than-desired calorie count rather than the protein itself. For instance, a product might have a favorable protein count but a low score due to an ingredient flagged as a 'Moderate Risk'. By checking the details, users can decide if that specific risk outweighs the benefits of the protein for their individual dietary needs.
Best practices for using Yuka for high-protein items:
- Prioritize Ingredient Lists: Scan beyond the main nutritional panel and review the ingredients list. Look for green dots on ingredients to indicate low risk.
- Check the Score Breakdown: Always tap on the detailed score to see what is causing the deductions. A low score due to moderate fat might be acceptable for some, whereas a high-risk additive might not be.
- Remember the 100g Standard: The Nutri-Score part of the rating is based on 100g, which can be misleading for items where a typical serving size is much smaller.
- Search for Alternatives: If a high-protein product scores poorly, use Yuka's alternative suggestions to find a cleaner option with a similar nutritional profile.
- Consider Whole Foods: For the highest protein, choose unprocessed foods like lean meats, eggs, or legumes, which will always score well or are not applicable for a rating.
Conclusion
In summary, the Yuka app does not rate things high in protein alone because its scoring system is a comprehensive algorithm that weighs multiple factors. A high protein content is only one part of the equation, contributing positively to the 60% nutritional score. This benefit can be easily outweighed by negatives like high sugar or saturated fat. Furthermore, the presence of additives, which accounts for 30% of the score, can severely penalize a product, as can a lack of an organic label (10%). For specific protein supplements like powders, Yuka's methodology does not apply, so they are not rated at all. Ultimately, a low Yuka score for a high-protein product indicates a compromise in other areas of health evaluation, prompting consumers to look closer at the full nutritional picture.
