Questions, answered
What is The Grading Room?
A data-driven food tier list. Every food gets a 0–100 nutrition score from a published formula, then a tier from S to D based on its rank within its category. No sponsored placements, no vibes.
How are the scores calculated?
Each factor — protein, fiber, micronutrients, and others depending on the category — is scored 0–100 against a fixed benchmark, then combined with fixed weights. Scores are computed per 100 calories. The full formula is published here.
Why per 100 calories instead of per serving?
Per-serving comparisons punish foods that come in big packages and reward tiny ones. Per 100 calories measures nutrient density: how much nutrition you get for the energy. See how the denominator flips rankings.
Are the tiers absolute or relative?
Relative within each board. The top 10% of each category earn S tier. A B in vegetables is not the same as a B in fast food — the boards use different rubrics.
Where does the nutrition data come from?
USDA SR Legacy reference values for whole foods; the chains’ and manufacturers’ own published labels for fast food and snacks. All accessed October 4, 2026.
Why does butter grade so badly?
Because the formula punishes saturated fat heavily, and butter is mostly saturated fat. If you think that judgment is wrong, the methodology page shows you exactly which weight to argue with.
Is this medical advice?
No. Grades are a starting point for thinking about food, computed from public data. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about your diet.
Can I suggest a food?
Not yet — the list grows as we verify data. Every number on the site traces back to a published source, and we’d rather be slow than wrong.