Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program. The system rates foods as good, better, and best to give consumers at-a-glance advice: the more stars a food earns, the more nutritious it is. The Guiding Stars algorithm includes only nutrients that have been researched to the extent that a scientific consensus has been reached and for which the knowledge has been translated into USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans or nutrition policy at either the national or international level.
General Questions
The Guiding Stars algorithm evaluates products using a variety of nutrients found on the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list. For foods that are not labeled, such as meats, fruits, seafoods, and vegetables, the program uses information obtained from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database (SR-28). Foods that earn Stars contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, live & active cultures and whole grains and lower amounts of saturated fat, added sugars, added sodium, trans fat, and additives to limit (artificial colors & flavors, chemical preservatives, non-nutritive sweeteners, and sugar alcohols).
Beverages are credited for providing hydration, based on water as a gold standard. Beverage products receive additional credits if they contain vitamins/minerals, fiber, and/or live active cultures. Beverages receive debits if they are high in added or natural sugars, added sodium, saturated fat, or additives to limit. After calculating the initial product score, items that receive no debits whatsoever contain no additives to limit, no added sodium, and no sweeteners of any kind earn a bonus credit.
For more information about the Guiding Stars evaluation process, see “Our Algorithms”.
No, the Guiding Stars program has 5 unique algorithms to evaluate different categories of foods and beverages. Most foods are evaluated with the General Foods algorithm. However, meats, poultry, seafood, dairy, and nuts are naturally higher in fats and, with the exception of nuts, do not contain dietary fiber, so they are evaluated with a separate algorithm which recognizes these natural differences. There is also a different algorithm for fats and oils, and one for beverages. Infant and toddler foods have their own algorithm as well, which reflects the specific nutritional requirements of children 2 years of age and under.
For more information about the Guiding Stars evaluation process, see “Our Algorithms”.
Guiding Stars evaluates all foods in the store, but only those that meet Guiding Stars nutritional standards earn Stars. Foods with Stars deliver more nutrients per calorie or more “bang for your buck”.
If the product or shelf tag has no Stars, it simply means one of the following:
- The food item does not meet the nutritional criteria to receive a Guiding Star.
- The food item has five calories or fewer per serving.
- The item is a baby formula, alcohol, variety pack, dietary supplement, and/or medical food, all of which are not evaluated by the Guiding Stars program.
As you shop in each aisle of the grocery store or online at participating grocery stores, Guiding Stars can help identify more nutritious options within that food category or group. For example, choosing between two different kinds of cereal. It is not designed for comparing foods across categories, such as comparing a serving of grapes to a serving of yogurt.
To find a participating grocery store, see our Store Finder.
Guiding Stars is an independent assessment of the nutritional quality of foods and beverages. Guiding Stars is not influenced by price, brand or manufacturer, and the Star rating does not influence pricing at retail clients.
Although the algorithm debits for saturated fat and trans fat, it does not debit for total fat so this can explain why some full fat products receive Stars. Although the total fat content is high, it is mainly heart-healthy unsaturated fat. In some cases, a product’s low-fat counterpart may receive fewer Stars because manufacturers may add sugar or salt for taste in the ‘low fat’ version. In keeping with current evidence, Guiding Stars evaluates fat quality rather than fat quantity.
In most cases, frozen produce is flash frozen immediately after harvesting (which preserves the nutrients) and is just as nutritious as its fresh counterpart. Frozen fruits and vegetables typically also have no added ingredients such as preservatives. Starred frozen fruits and vegetables that have little or no added sugars or sodium are nearly identical to the fresh varieties.
As serving sizes vary greatly, we standardize our evaluation to 100 calories for food products and 12 ounces for beverages. Unprepared coffee and tea products are evaluated as they would be prepared and then standardized to the 12-ounce serving size used for beverages. These reference measures help keep the playing field level and make it possible to compare foods within all categories, avoiding the confusion of the variable serving sizes.
Since the program is based on the Nutrition Facts label, it is impossible to determine the source of all the vitamins and minerals. However, to control for foods that are enriched or heavily fortified, it only credits a product’s score for a maximum of two vitamins and minerals.
Guiding Stars does offer credit to products that contain higher amounts of fiber but does not differentiate between fiber additives and naturally occurring fiber. If the fiber additive increases the fiber content listed on the Nutrition Facts label, the product can earn those points.
Approximately 27% of the analyzed U.S. food and beverage products earn one or more Stars. The percentages by department are as follows:
-
- 100% of fresh fruits and vegetables
- 61% of baby and toddler foods
- 57% of grains and pastas
- 61% of seafood and seafood alternatives
- 45% of breakfast cereals
- 27% of bagels and breads
- 27% of meat and meat alternatives
- 38% of beverages
- 16% of dairy and dairy alternatives
The Guiding Stars team partners with data providers to process food and beverage product data that informs the Star rating. Ratings are based on data visible to consumers, such as the Nutrition Facts label, ingredient list, and product package claims. The data is verified through a multi-level quality control process, and product photographs are maintained to support research on all ratings. As with any very large database, mistakes are possible. Manufacturers are constantly revising formulations and product packaging, and Guiding Stars reviews and reevaluates the updated product information each time.
The Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP), which includes experts in nutrition, biochemistry, and public health, regularly reviews the latest nutrition science and policy. The SAP independently determines whether an update is needed to ensure our algorithms align with recommendations from authoritative scientific bodies and significant scientific consensus.
If a certain property isn’t included in our algorithm, it means that science does not currently show a meaningful nutritional benefit or drawback for that property and that it is not part of regular labeling practices. As labeling regulations are updated to reflect new scientific consensus, the Guiding Stars algorithm will be updated to reflect the current recommendations.
Whole grains are included because national and international nutrition recommendations emphasize the health benefits of whole grains and recommend that at least half of our grain and cereal servings should be whole grains. Whole grains are identified by using keywords that can be found in the ingredients list in combination with fiber content.
The Guiding Stars ratings are based on the same nutrient information that is available to consumers on the food label. A manufacturer may opt to only list the mandatory nutrients (Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium) or may opt to list voluntary vitamins and minerals for which the food item is a significant source. Consequently, there are some unavoidable inconsistencies in the ratings. This approach provides the utmost transparency to the consumer by analyzing only the information that is available on the product. When similar products with different information are compared, the ones with less information may receive a lower rating. For products without a food label (i.e., fresh produce), complete nutrition data is obtained from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database (SR-28), and thus full information for the vitamin and mineral content of those foods is considered.
Foods with omega-3 fatty acids, EPA & DHA are given credit as these nutrients have been shown to confer many health benefits. Omega-3 fats include the polyunsaturated fats alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) as well as EPA and DHA. Current dietary recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids in the U.S. are based on ALA. However, since there are also unique health benefits documented for EPA and DHA, an additional bonus point is provided for the presence of these fatty acids in foods.
Protein is not included as an element in the Guiding Stars algorithm for several reasons. In the United States, people generally overconsume this macronutrient, and protein deficiency is extremely rare. Additionally, protein is found in small amounts in many foods (i.e. produce, grains), so it makes more sense to consider protein as a component of the total diet, rather than as a percentage of individual foods. Finally, there is no long-term data on the safety and health effects of increased protein intake as recommended by many recent fad diets.
Major medical authorities in the United States heavily regulate this group of products, resulting in uniformity across brands. We also recognize that leading pediatric authorities recommend breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life and beyond if mom and child are agreeable. We do not want our rating system to cause confusion.
Milk is evaluated using recommendations for children over the age of two and adults. For children under the age of two, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfeeding continue to the age of 12 months, and thereafter as long as mutually desired. Babies need fat in their diets for a variety of reasons, including neurological development. Toddlers should drink whole milk from ages 1 to 2 years; then, if their growth is steady, they can be switched to low-fat or skim milk.
The “additives to limit” debit includes ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, sugar alcohols, and other additives to limit that are commonly found in highly processed foods. Each additive included in the debit is backed by rigorous scientific review and widely accepted evidence demonstrating potential harm or public health concern. The independent Scientific Advisory Panel conducts comprehensive evaluations of each additive before inclusion, drawing on assessments from authoritative bodies such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, World Health Organization, and Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as well as relevant U.S. and international policy actions. The Scientific Advisory Panel also reviews scientific literature and policy trends from other countries to ensure the program remains aligned with the global evidence base and evolving regulatory standards. This process ensures that every ingredient on the “additives to limit” list is justified by both robust science and public health relevance.
When it comes to evaluating ingredients, Guiding Stars must also balance scientific rigor with real-world feasibility. The Scientific Advisory Panel considers not only the strength of the evidence but also the realities of the food supply and the availability of labeling information. Additives are included only when they can be identified and applied consistently based on publicly available product data. This ensures that the program’s criteria remain transparent, objective, and reproducible across the food supply.
Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages are not evaluated in the Guiding Stars program because the general recommendation from health authorities is that consumers avoid or limit their intake of such products. Alcohol itself provides no appreciable nutrients aside from energy (calories) and does not contribute to hydration as it is a diuretic. Moreover, regular consumption of alcoholic beverages can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within recommended daily calorie limits. Alcoholic beverages are not a component of the USDA Dietary Patterns, and national and international nutrition recommendations caution that some adults should not drink at all, such as women who are pregnant.
The Guiding Stars program does not evaluate products that may be considered dietary supplements or medical foods that should be consumed only with a doctor’s knowledge or recommendation. Many meal replacement beverages fall within the categories of supplements or medical foods and are exempt from evaluation. However, this category of products has developed significantly over recent years, and it can at times be difficult to discern between meal replacement beverages, ready-to-drink protein drinks, and electrolyte replacement beverages. Therefore, some beverages within this category are now evaluated with the Guiding Stars beverage algorithm.
The Guiding Stars program has always evaluated dairy products like milk, kefir, and yogurt smoothies, as well as nut-based milks with the Meat algorithm. The nutrient profiles in these products are more closely aligned with those in other high protein-containing foods such as meats, seafood, and nuts. Likewise, other non-nut or seed-based milk alternatives (e.g., oat milk and coconut milk) have always been evaluated with the General Foods algorithm because they are nutritionally similar to their source ingredients, which are also evaluated with that model. As such products are not typically intended for hydration, we will continue to use the Meat or General Foods algorithms to most accurately evaluate them.
While there is no doubt that excess intake of added sugars can lead to weight gain and chronic health conditions, too much sugar of any kind can have the same effects. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not differentiate between added or naturally occurring sugars and refers to them collectively as free sugars. The WHO recommends that any food or beverage that is very high in free sugars be consumed in moderation. We do recognize that there is a place for 100% fruit juices in a healthy diet. We acknowledge that the natural sugars in 100% fruit juices are accompanied by some nutrients, such as vitamin C, and that they can have health benefits when consumed in moderation. However, some juices, especially juice blends made from various concentrates, have much more sugar than others. In fact, some juices contain as much or even more free sugar than sweetened sodas. We adopted a rigorous set of criteria to evaluate beverages so that we can steer consumers toward the best beverage choices, namely drinks that provide hydration without an excess of sugar or calories. While most juices still earn Stars within the Beverage Algorithm, we want consumers to be able to see that some juices might not be the best choice to drink in large quantities for hydration purposes.
The Guiding Stars Advisory Panel conducted a research analysis of caffeine as part of the beverage algorithm development process. Caffeine naturally occurs in over 60 plants including those used to produce coffee, tea, chocolate, and yerba mate. It is also commonly added to beverages such as sodas and energy drinks. While caffeine use may be contraindicated in sensitive populations such as children and pregnant women, moderate use has been found to be safe and to enhance mental alertness and athletic performance in healthy individuals. National and international nutrition recommendations concur that moderate coffee consumption can be a part of a healthy eating pattern for healthy adults. As Guiding Stars is aligned with current food policy, we opted not to include caffeine as a debit in the beverage algorithm. However, children, pregnant women, and other sensitive individuals should avoid or limit consumption of caffeine-containing beverages.
We encourage consumers to speak with an in-store dietitian, visit our website, or contact us directly. A Registered Dietitian is a trained health professional who can help make sense of food and nutrition. Consumers can also visit GuidingStars.com/about to learn more about the program and product ratings. Specific questions may be addressed to the Guiding Stars Team through the form on the website or by email: Info@GuidingStars.com.