Since its arrival in France in 2017, the Nutri-Score has become an increasingly used tool to help consumers make healthier food choices.
However, this nutritional labeling system has sparked debates about its effectiveness and limitations. 🤔
In this article, we invite you to examine the advantages and disadvantages of this label to better understand its implications.
👉 The positive points of the Nutri-Score
- Clarity and simplicity: The Nutri-Score is designed to be intuitive, with a color code ranging from A (green) to E (red) indicating the overall nutritional quality of foods. This simplicity allows consumers to quickly compare products and make choices without having to analyze complex nutritional tables.
- Incentivising product reform: One of the aims of the Nutri-Score is to encourage manufacturers to improve the composition of their products in order to obtain a better score. This may include reducing the sugar, salt or saturated fat content, which generally improves the available food supply.
👉 The limits of Nutri-Score
- Incomplete assessment: The Nutri-Score focuses on certain nutritional aspects such as saturated fats, sugars, salt and calories, while neglecting other beneficial elements such as vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. Thus, foods rich in essential nutrients but with a high energy density, such as cheese or olive oil, may receive a low score (D or E), which could dissuade consumers from including them in a balanced diet.
- No distinction between processed foods: The Nutri-Score does not take into account the degree of processing of foods or the presence of additives, preservatives or colorings. For example, ultra-processed products with artificial sweeteners may obtain a high score (A or B) simply because they are low in calories, sugar or fat .
- Lack of context: The system does not take into account portions or frequency of consumption. Foods such as butter or chocolate, which are poorly rated, can still be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet. This limitation can lead to a simplistic interpretation of what is a “good” or “bad” food, without considering the whole diet .
Conclusion
The Nutri-Score is a useful tool to guide consumers towards healthier food choices in a simple and visual way. However, its limitations must be taken into account to avoid hasty conclusions about the nutritional quality of products.
Ultimately, it is essential to combine the information provided by the Nutri-Score with a comprehensive understanding of nutritional needs and the principles of a balanced diet.
And you, do you check the Nutri-Score when you do your shopping? 😊
The Oh Oui ! Team
