Common questions about Food or Trash, our scoring methodology, and the science behind our approach.
Food or Trash is a free, independent tool that rates foods on a 0–100 scale based on whole food principles. We maintain a curated database of over 1,300 items, each hand-scored and explained. If an item is not in the database, an AI classifier analyses it using the same whole food framework. There is no sign-up, no paywall, and no sponsored content.
Read more about our methodology →Every item is scored using a three-tier system. Tier 1: a curated database of 1,300+ items, each hand-classified with a score and explanation. Tier 2: an AI classifier that evaluates items not in the database using the same whole food principles. Tier 3: ingredient decomposition — combination foods like salads or stir-fries are broken into individual ingredients, each scored separately, then a weighted composite score is calculated. Whole, single-ingredient foods score highest. Ultra-processed products, seed oils, and artificial ingredients score lowest.
See how it works in detail →Seed oils — soybean, canola, sunflower, corn, safflower, cottonseed, and grapeseed oil — are extracted using hexane (a petroleum-derived solvent), then degummed, bleached, and deodorised in a multi-step industrial process. They are extremely high in omega-6 linoleic acid, which humans evolved to consume in much smaller quantities. The 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, published at RealFood.gov, define real food as being prepared “without added sugars, industrial oils, artificial flavors, or preservatives” — naming industrial oils as something to avoid.
Read our deep dive on seed oils →Butter is a single-ingredient food: cream, churned. It has been a dietary staple for thousands of years. Canola oil is extracted from selectively bred rapeseed using hexane, then industrially processed through degumming, bleaching, and deodorising. The 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines state that “healthy fats are a natural part of real foods such as meat, seafood, dairy, nuts, olives, and avocados” and support “brain health, hormone function, and nutrient absorption.” Butter qualifies. Canola oil does not meet the guidelines’ definition of real food.
The full canola story →The guidelines, published at RealFood.gov, represent a major shift from previous editions. For the first time, the U.S. government explicitly tells Americans to eat real food and avoid highly processed products. Key recommendations: prioritise protein (1.2–1.6g per kg of body weight daily), eat healthy fats from whole foods like eggs, dairy, nuts, and avocados, consume 3 servings of vegetables and 2 of fruit daily, and avoid added sugars entirely — which are described as “not part of eating real foods and not recommended.”
Read our breakdown of the new guidelines →Decades of dietary guidance were shaped by food industry lobbying and flawed science. The USDA food pyramid (1992) tripled grain servings based on industry pressure, not nutritional evidence. The sugar industry paid Harvard scientists in the 1960s to publish research blaming fat for heart disease — a fraud exposed by JAMA Internal Medicine in 2016 (Kearns et al.). The result was 50 years of low-fat guidance that replaced natural fats with sugar, refined starch, and seed oils. During the peak low-fat era (1980–2000), U.S. obesity rates doubled and type 2 diabetes tripled.
The full history →The 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines state: “Added sugars are not part of eating real foods and are not recommended.” The average American consumes approximately 17 teaspoons (71 grams) of added sugar per day, according to the CDC. A 2014 study in JAMA Internal Medicine (Yang et al.) found that consuming 17–21% of calories from added sugar increased cardiovascular death risk by 38%. RealFood.gov reports that 50% of Americans have prediabetes or diabetes and attributes the chronic disease crisis to diets dominated by processed food.
Read more about added sugar →Ultra-processed food is defined by the NOVA classification system (Monteiro et al., 2009) as products made from industrial ingredients not found in home kitchens: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, protein isolates, emulsifiers, artificial colours, and flavour enhancers. RealFood.gov reports that 70% of an American child’s diet is ultra-processed (vs. below 20% internationally). A 2024 BMJ umbrella review of nearly 10 million participants found ultra-processed food linked to 50% higher cardiovascular death risk, with the evidence rated “convincing.”
Read our deep dive on ultra-processed food →Read the ingredient list, not the front of the package. RealFood.gov defines real food as “whole or minimally processed and recognizable as food, prepared with few ingredients and without added sugars, industrial oils, artificial flavors, or preservatives.” A simple test: can you recognise every ingredient as something that occurs in nature or in a traditional kitchen? Is it free of added sugars, seed oils, artificial colours, and preservatives? If not, it is ultra-processed.
Our guide to reading food labels →No. Food or Trash is an educational tool that reflects one evidence-based perspective on nutrition, grounded in whole food principles and supported by published research and the 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal dietary decisions.
Food or Trash is an independent project built and maintained by a solo developer. It is not affiliated with any food company, supplement brand, or health organisation. The site is funded by voluntary donations and non-intrusive advertising. There is no sponsored content, no affiliate links, and no industry funding.
Support the project →Sources
Facts and statistics cited on this page are drawn from RealFood.gov (2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines), Lane et al. (BMJ, 2024), Yang et al. (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2014), Kearns et al. (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2016), and the CDC.
Food or Trash is an educational tool, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal dietary decisions.