Food item grading
Systems and methods of grading food items include a user customizable profile that allows a user to specify nutritional needs, dietary goals, or a medical state. The user profile is used to provide a user specific grade to one or more food items. This grade is configured for a user to compare food items and learn which provides better nutrition according to their profile. The user profile is optionally configured to take into account a medical state such as celiac disease, diabetes, or a nutritional deficiency. A grade can be provided for a single food item or to a list of food items.
1. A method of providing a grade for a food item to a user, the method comprising:
identifying the food item;
retrieving multiple nutritional values characterizing the food item, from a digital storage device;
receiving a user profile characterizing nutritional preferences of a user;
calculating a binary score for the food item based on a Boolean value of the nutritional values and the nutritional preferences, using a processor;
calculating a non-binary score for the food item based on more than one of the nutritional values and the nutritional preferences;
calculating a grade for the food item based on the binary score and the non-binary score; and
providing the grade to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the food item includes receiving a universal product code from the user.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the food item includes receiving a food category selection from the user.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the food item includes identifying food items in a same category as a food item selected by the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the food item is identified using a bar code.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the non-binary score includes using a model of the healthiness of the food item, the model including a set of coefficients by which the multiple nutritional values are multiplied.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein some of the coefficients are negative and some of the coefficients are positive.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the set of coefficients are selected by a medical indication.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the medical indication is one of celiac disease, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, lactose intolerance or obesity.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the set of coefficients are customized by the user.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the set of coefficients are based on previously selected food items.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the non-binary score includes comparing a caloric content of the food item with a target caloric value, the target caloric value being based on the user profile.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the binary score includes using a set of user selected coefficients and the nutritional values, the user selected coefficients being configured to indicate a food allergy, a vegetarian diet, a vegan diet, lactose intolerance, or a desire to avoid a particular food ingredient.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grade is provided to the user via a browser executing on a client computer.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a customization of the nutritional preferences from the user.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a medical indication from the user and using the medical indication to set a default user profile for the user.