Research Desk · Nutrition Science
The VH-NCR rankings — nutrition, scored honestly.
The Nutrient-to-Calorie Ratio (VH-NCR) is our answer to a simple question: how much nutrition does a food actually deliver for the calories it asks of you? Built from public-domain USDA data, VH-NCR scores every food on a 1–100 scale — with bioavailability, anti-nutrients, and realistic serving sizes included, not waved away.
Below: the Top 100 whole foods and the Bottom 100, side by side on one scale, plus a smart search across all 1,705 canonical foods in the index.
The core ratio
VH-NCR = N / C*
Nutrients ÷ realistic calories
6,947
Foods analyzed
Every eligible entry in the USDA SR Legacy database, filtered and scored.
1,705
Canonical foods
Preparation variants collapsed — one ranking per food, with a score range across preparations.
23
Nutrients
12 vitamins, 9 minerals, fiber and protein — benchmarked against RDA values.
1–100
Scale
Log-normalized across the full index, so every point is meaningful.
The tier system
A — PowerhouseExceptional nutrient density
B — ExcellentVery high nutrient density
C — GoodAbove-average nutrient density
D — ModerateAverage nutrient density
E — LowBelow-average nutrient density
F — MinimalVery low nutrient density
Smart food search
Find any of the 1,705 foods
The full canonical index lives behind this search — type a food to see its VH-NCR score, tier, and rank. Try “spinach”, “salmon”, or “olive oil”.
Head to head
The Top 100 and the Bottom 100, side by side.
Both lists are drawn on the same logarithmic scale, so bar lengths compare directly. On wide screens the two columns sit next to each other; on a phone they stack, Top 100 first.
81.3
Typical Top 100 food
Median VH-NCR score across the 100 highest-scoring foods.
17.6
Typical Bottom 100 food
Median VH-NCR score across the 100 lowest-scoring foods.
4.6×
Median gap
How many times higher the typical Top 100 score is than the typical Bottom 100 score.
None
Overlap
The lowest Top 100 score (75.3) is above the highest Bottom 100 score (26.4).
Highest scores · 100 foods
Top 100 whole foods
The 100 highest-scoring unfortified whole foods — ranked by best-case preparation. Each food’s range shows the spread across preparations.
- Median
- 81.3
- Lowest
- 75.3
- Highest
- 100.0
- #1
Lamb liver
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 95.6-100.0
100.0 - #2
Beef liver
Beef Products · range 95.7-99.9
99.9 - #3
Moose liver
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products
99.3 - #4
Clams
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 29.0-98.9
98.9 - #5
Veal liver
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 95.1-98.6
98.6 - #6
Parsley
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 78.7-98.0
98.0 - #7
Lamb kidney
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 94.9-97.5
97.5 - #8
Yeast extract
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
96.4 - #9
Whitefish
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 58.9-96.4
96.4 - #10
Swiss chard
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 17.0-94.6
94.6 - #11
Goose liver
Poultry Products · range 60.7-94.2
94.2 - #12
Duck liver
Poultry Products
93.9 - #13
Mustard greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 66.2-93.4
93.4 - #14
Amaranth grain
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 56.1-92.8
92.8 - #15
Turnip greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 64.2-91.5
91.5 - #16
Beef kidney
Beef Products · range 86.7-91.3
91.3 - #17
Garden cress
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 85.3-91.2
91.2 - #18
Spinach
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 52.9-91.1
91.1 - #19
Veal kidney
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 90.4-90.5
90.5 - #20
Collard greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 75.2-90.0
90.0 - #21
Octopus
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 70.8-89.6
89.6 - #22
Dandelion greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 86.0-89.5
89.5 - #23
Beet greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 85.0-89.4
89.4 - #24
Wheat bran
Breakfast Cereals · range 59.2-89.1
89.1 - #25
Bell peppers
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 63.2-88.6
88.6 - #26
Oysters
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 48.6-88.4
88.4 - #27
Turkey liver
Poultry Products · range 86.3-88.0
88.0 - #28
Pork liver
Pork Products · range 74.6-87.9
87.9 - #29
Lambsquarters
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 72.2-87.3
87.3 - #30
Watercress
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
86.9 - #31
Chicken liver
Poultry Products · range 75.3-86.7
86.7 - #32
Kale
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 80.0-86.4
86.4 - #33
Chicory greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
85.7 - #34
Mussels
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 79.2-85.0
85.0 - #35
Energy/nutrition bars
Snacks · range 67.6-84.4
84.4 - #36
Stinging nettles
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
83.3 - #37
Cilantro
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
83.1 - #38
Turkey
Poultry Products · range 15.3-83.0
83.0 - #39
Tomato
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 44.9-82.6
82.6 - #40
Honey
Snacks · range 15.8-82.6
82.6 - #41
Sweet potato
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 45.9-82.5
82.5 - #42
Chrysanthemum greens
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 66.8-82.0
82.0 - #43
Grapes
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 6.2-82.0
82.0 - #44
Pokeberry shoots
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 74.6-81.9
81.9 - #45
Mackerel
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 63.0-81.7
81.7 - #46
Lettuce
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 76.6-81.7
81.7 - #47
Turkey heart
Poultry Products · range 78.3-81.6
81.6 - #48
Heart (other)
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 51.1-81.5
81.5 - #49
Crab
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 58.3-81.4
81.4 - #50
Pear
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 20.8-81.3
81.3 - #51
Pork kidney
Pork Products · range 79.7-81.3
81.3 - #52
Caviar
Finfish and Shellfish Products
81.3 - #53
Whelk
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 75.1-81.2
81.2 - #54
Chives
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 79.6-81.0
81.0 - #55
Broccoli
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 54.5-80.9
80.9 - #56
Lamb brain
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 71.3-80.5
80.5 - #57
Chicken
Poultry Products · range 15.0-80.5
80.5 - #58
Radicchio
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
80.4 - #59
Sun-dried tomatoes
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 65.2-80.2
80.2 - #60
Salmon
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 19.5-80.0
80.0 - #61
Romaine lettuce
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
80.0 - #62
Peanuts
Snacks · range 24.7-80.0
80.0 - #63
Carrots
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 45.1-80.0
80.0 - #64
Escarole
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
79.9 - #65
Endive
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
79.7 - #66
Caribou
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 35.2-79.4
79.4 - #67
Veal brain
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 72.7-79.2
79.2 - #68
Cuttlefish
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 74.7-78.9
78.9 - #69
Instant breakfast powder
Dairy and Egg Products · range 73.7-78.8
78.8 - #70
Beef heart
Beef Products · range 73.7-78.8
78.8 - #71
Veal
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 29.7-78.5
78.5 - #72
Lamb
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 23.8-78.3
78.3 - #73
Emu
Poultry Products · range 70.8-78.2
78.2 - #74
Herring
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 19.5-78.1
78.1 - #75
Moringa leaves
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 73.5-78.0
78.0 - #76
Rose hips
Fruits and Fruit Juices
78.0 - #77
Taro
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 45.1-77.9
77.9 - #78
Jute leaves
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 73.5-77.9
77.9 - #79
Pork
Pork Products · range 12.2-77.8
77.8 - #80
Liver sausage
Sausages and Luncheon Meats
77.8 - #81
Lamb heart
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products · range 76.6-77.7
77.7 - #82
Orange
Beverages · range 6.1-77.6
77.6 - #83
Beef
Beef Products · range 13.2-77.5
77.5 - #84
Beef brain
Beef Products · range 72.6-77.3
77.3 - #85
Smelt
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 69.8-77.3
77.3 - #86
Cabbage
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 58.9-77.2
77.2 - #87
Meatless luncheon slices
Legumes and Legume Products
77.2 - #88
Fruit-flavored drink powder
Beverages · range 64.0-77.2
77.2 - #89
Trout
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 66.0-77.2
77.2 - #90
Chili peppers
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 60.1-77.0
77.0 - #91
Spirulina
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 67.6-76.9
76.9 - #92
Cloudberries
Fruits and Fruit Juices
76.5 - #93
Seaweed
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 58.6-76.5
76.5 - #94
Onions
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 38.0-76.2
76.2 - #95
Tuna
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 60.5-76.1
76.1 - #96
Fish roe
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 75.8-76.0
76.0 - #97
Cod
Finfish and Shellfish Products · range 61.8-76.0
76.0 - #98
Liverwurst spread
Sausages and Luncheon Meats
75.8 - #99
Indian squash
Vegetables and Vegetable Products · range 70.4-75.4
75.4 - #100
Milk
Dairy and Egg Products · range 24.6-75.3
75.3
Lowest scores · 100 foods
Bottom 100 foods
The 100 lowest-scoring foods in the index — mostly refined products, sweeteners and near-calorie-free items with little nutrient payload.
- Median
- 17.6
- Lowest
- 1.0
- Highest
- 26.4
- #1606
Candies, NESTLE, CHUNKY Bar
Sweets
26.4 - #1607
Sugars, brown
Sweets
26.4 - #1608
Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, M&M's Crispy Chocolate Candies
Sweets
26.3 - #1609
Jellies
Sweets
25.9 - #1610
Candies, toffee, prepared-from-recipe
Sweets
25.9 - #1611
Oil, oat
Fats and Oils
25.9 - #1612
Syrups, table blends, pancake, reduced-calorie
Sweets
25.8 - #1613
Syrups, table blends, pancake, with 2% maple
Sweets
25.7 - #1614
Sweeteners, tabletop, fructose, dry, powder
Sweets
25.7 - #1615
Tequila
Beverages
25.6 - #1616
Oil, palm
Fats and Oils
25.5 - #1617
Frostings, white, fluffy, dry mix, prepared with water
Sweets
25.5 - #1618
Candies, MARS SNACKFOOD US, SNICKERS MUNCH bar
Sweets
25.2 - #1619
Beverages, Fruit punch drink, with added nutrients, canned
Beverages
25.1 - #1620
Cream substitute, flavored, powdered
Dairy and Egg Products
25.1 - #1621
Oil, poppyseed
Fats and Oils
24.9 - #1622
Baking chocolate, MARS SNACKFOOD US, M&M's Semisweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits
Sweets
24.9 - #1623
Beverages, fruit juice drink, greater than 3% juice, high vitamin C
Beverages
24.9 - #1624
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Diet Tropical Blend
Beverages
24.7 - #1625
Beverages, V8 V-FUSION Juices, Tropical
Beverages
24.7 - #1626
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Diet Fruit Medley
Beverages
24.5 - #1627
Alcoholic beverage, pina colada, canned
Beverages
24.5 - #1628
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Diet Berry Blend
Beverages
24.5 - #1629
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Fruit Medley
Beverages
24.3 - #1630
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Berry Blend
Beverages
24.3 - #1631
Beer
Beverages · range 5.5-24.3
24.3 - #1632
Beverages, V8 SPLASH Juice Drinks, Tropical Blend
Beverages
24.3 - #1633
Dessert topping, powdered
Dairy and Egg Products
23.9 - #1634
Candies, HEATH BITES
Sweets
23.3 - #1635
Whipped cream substitute, dietetic, made from powdered mix
Dairy and Egg Products
23.2 - #1636
Whiskey
Beverages · range 5.5-22.7
22.7 - #1637
Candies, marshmallows
Sweets
22.4 - #1638
Puddings, all flavors except chocolate, low calorie, regular, dry mix
Sweets
22.4 - #1639
Toppings, marshmallow cream
Sweets
22.3 - #1640
Frostings, glaze, prepared-from-recipe
Sweets
22.2 - #1641
Oil, bearded seal (Oogruk) (Alaska Native)
Fats and Oils
21.5 - #1642
Candied fruit
Fruits and Fruit Juices
21.4 - #1643
Beverages, Fruit flavored drink containing less than 3% fruit juice, with high vitamin C
Beverages
21.0 - #1644
Oil, industrial, soy (partially hydrogenated ), palm, principal uses icings and fillings
Fats and Oils
20.9 - #1645
Oil, industrial, soy (partially hydrogenated ) and soy (winterized), pourable clear fry
Fats and Oils
20.9 - #1646
Oil, industrial, soy ( partially hydrogenated), all purpose
Fats and Oils
20.9 - #1647
Red wine
Beverages · range 9.7-20.6
20.6 - #1648
Candies, divinity, prepared-from-recipe
Sweets
20.5 - #1649
Fruit syrup
Sweets
20.1 - #1650
Cornstarch
Cereal Grains and Pasta
19.8 - #1651
Syrups, grenadine
Sweets
19.5 - #1652
Mustard
Fats and Oils
19.5 - #1653
Wine
Beverages · range 14.8-19.0
19.0 - #1654
Oil, tomatoseed
Fats and Oils
18.2 - #1655
Sweeteners, tabletop, fructose, liquid
Sweets
17.7 - #1656
Puddings, tapioca, dry mix, with no added salt
Sweets
17.6 - #1657
White wine
Beverages · range 9.7-17.6
17.6 - #1658
Puddings, tapioca, dry mix
Sweets
17.4 - #1659
Candies, taffy, prepared-from-recipe
Sweets
17.3 - #1660
Oil, industrial, palm and palm kernel, filling fat (non-hydrogenated)
Fats and Oils
17.1 - #1661
Oil, industrial, palm kernel (hydrogenated), confection fat, intermediate grade product
Fats and Oils
16.3 - #1662
Oil, industrial, palm kernel (hydrogenated) , used for whipped toppings, non-dairy
Fats and Oils
16.3 - #1663
Oil, industrial, palm kernel (hydrogenated), filling fat
Fats and Oils
16.3 - #1664
Syrups, table blends, pancake
Sweets
16.1 - #1665
Candies, jellybeans
Sweets
16.1 - #1666
Vegetable oil, palm kernel
Fats and Oils
16.1 - #1667
Candies, YORK BITES
Sweets
15.9 - #1668
Beverages, Malt liquor beverage
Beverages
15.3 - #1669
Cider
Beverages
14.3 - #1670
Black tea
Beverages · range 2.5-14.1
14.1 - #1671
Frozen novelties, ice type, pop
Sweets
14.1 - #1672
Oil, cupu assu
Fats and Oils
13.9 - #1673
Beverages, fruit punch drink, without added nutrients, canned
Beverages
13.6 - #1674
Oil, sheanut
Fats and Oils
12.9 - #1675
Oil, teaseed
Fats and Oils
12.9 - #1676
Chewing gum, sugarless
Sweets
12.5 - #1677
Candies, hard
Sweets
12.4 - #1678
Beverages, Horchata, as served in restaurant
Beverages
11.7 - #1679
Alcoholic beverage, daiquiri, prepared-from-recipe
Beverages
11.5 - #1680
Candies, gumdrops, starch jelly pieces
Sweets
11.1 - #1681
Syrup, fruit flavored
Sweets
10.4 - #1682
Sake
Beverages
10.0 - #1683
Oil, sesame, salad or cooking
Fats and Oils
9.8 - #1684
Rum
Beverages
9.8 - #1685
Alcoholic beverage, creme de menthe, 72 proof
Beverages
9.3 - #1686
Carbonated beverage, chocolate-flavored soda
Beverages
8.3 - #1687
Candies, fondant, prepared-from-recipe
Sweets
8.1 - #1688
Beverages, aloe vera juice drink, fortified with Vitamin C
Beverages
8.0 - #1689
Sugars, granulated
Sweets
7.9 - #1690
Sugars, powdered
Sweets
7.9 - #1691
Candies, hard, dietetic or low calorie (sorbitol)
Sweets
7.4 - #1692
Alcoholic beverage, daiquiri, canned
Beverages
7.3 - #1693
Syrups, sugar free
Sweets
7.0 - #1694
Beverages, carbonated, pepper-type, contains caffeine
Beverages
6.5 - #1695
Beverages, Fruit flavored drink, less than 3% juice, not fortified with vitamin C
Beverages
5.5 - #1696
Carbonated beverage, cream soda
Beverages
4.7 - #1697
Vodka
Beverages
4.6 - #1698
Beverages, carbonated, club soda
Beverages
4.2 - #1699
Sweeteners, tabletop, aspartame, EQUAL, packets
Sweets
3.7 - #1700
Chewing gum
Sweets
3.6 - #1701
Beverages, Tropical Punch, ready-to-drink
Beverages
2.5 - #1702
Sweeteners, tabletop, saccharin (sodium saccharin)
Sweets
1.7 - #1703
Sweeteners, tabletop, sucralose, SPLENDA packets
Sweets
1.4 - #1704
Stevia
Sweets
1.0 - #1705
Oil, PAM cooking spray, original
Fats and Oils
1.0
Methodology
What VH-NCR measures — and how it stays honest
Each nutrient is scored as percent RDA per reference calorie, then adjusted for the real world: heme iron counts more than non-heme, fat-soluble vitamins are penalized when a food carries almost no fat, and oxalates, phytates and goitrogens shave points where they bind minerals.
Reference calories use Realistic Consumption Caps — you can’t realistically eat 2,000 kcal of kale, so VH-NCR doesn’t pretend you will. Beverages are capped to a single 240 g serving, nutrients above their Tolerable Upper Intake Level are capped, and fortified products are flagged and excluded from the recommended list.
Sources
- 01VH-NCR Nutrient Density Ranking System — Methodology v5.0The complete scoring pipeline: VH-NCR formula, bioavailability modifiers, consumption caps, tier thresholds, and canonicalization rules. Release date October 21, 2026.
- 02USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (April 2018)Public-domain food composition data (CC0) — the foundation of every VH-NCR score.
- 03Institute of Medicine — Dietary Reference Intakes (2006)RDA and Tolerable Upper Intake Level benchmarks used throughout scoring, with published research on iron bioavailability, phytate binding and carotenoid equivalence.
- 04Twemoji — food group icon artworkColour icons by Twitter, Inc., licensed under CC-BY 4.0. Restyled by Vanu Health (colour, lighting and shadow).
VH-NCR is an independent ranking system with no affiliation to ANDI, NuVal, or any proprietary scoring system, and makes no trademark claim. VH-NCR scores are one perspective on food quality and are not medical advice — consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes.