Macro partitioning
Using a carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio of 10:1 or a combined 10:1 carb:fiber and 1:2 fiber:free sugar ratio effectively identifies carbohydrate-rich processed products with superior nutritional profiles, including lower calories, fat, and sodium, and higher protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
When choosing processed carbohydrate-rich foods like bread, cereal, or snacks, look for products that have at least 1 gram of fiber for every 10 grams of total carbohydrate. This '10:1' ratio is a practical, validated way to identify products with lower calories, less fat, and more beneficial nutrients like protein and minerals. Avoid relying solely on terms like 'whole grain' or 'multigrain,' as these can mask high sugar and calorie content.
The 10:1 and 10:1|1:2 ratios similarly identified products with lower calories, fat, free sugars, and sodium; and higher protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin E, zinc and iron.
Why this rating
Large national dataset (NHANES 2013-2016) with robust statistical analysis, though observational in nature.
Source
A comparison of different practical indices for assessing carbohydrate quality among carbohydrate-rich processed products in the US
Junxiu Liu et al. · PLoS ONE · 2020
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