Live Well.
Chew Wisely.

The A–E nutrition grade is based on the Nutri-Score system used across Europe. It weighs beneficial nutrients (protein, fibre) against less beneficial ones (saturated fat, sugar, salt) relative to the dish's energy content. A is the most balanced profile; E means higher levels of less beneficial nutrients per serving.

Alongside the grade, each nutrient shows a % of your daily Reference Intake (RI) — for example, "160% RI" for salt means the dish contains more than your recommended daily amount in one serving. These daily reference values follow both EU Regulation 1169/2011 and US FDA guidelines, so the figures are relevant whether you're in Europe or the United States. For most nutrients the recommended daily amounts are very close between the two; the main difference is that the US also highlights cholesterol, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, which ChuGuru now displays in the Vitamins & Minerals section.

Salt is shown in grams (the EU standard) with its sodium equivalent in milligrams alongside it, so it's easy to cross-reference with US nutrition labels which use sodium. Nutritional values come from the EU CIQUAL database, a leading scientific food composition reference.

Foods are key elements for your bodies functioning. The micronutrients in a dish influence how you feel, recover, and function — often in ways that accumulate over time rather than showing up immediately. Here's what the nutrients ChuGuru tracks are actually doing:

Energy & nervous system
B6, B9 (Folate), B12, Magnesium. The B vitamins are central to converting food into usable energy and keeping the nervous system running. B12 deficiency is one of the more common nutritional gaps — particularly for people eating less meat or fish — and can show up as fatigue and brain fog long before a clinical deficiency is confirmed. Folate is critical during early pregnancy for neural tube development, and ideally should be adequate even before conception. Magnesium sits at the intersection of energy, muscle relaxation and sleep — low levels are linked to poor recovery, restlessness and cramping.

Immunity & cellular protection
Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin A. Vitamin C is the most recognised immune nutrient — it supports white blood cell production and acts as a potent antioxidant. Zinc is essential for immune cell signalling and wound healing; adequate zinc is increasingly linked to faster recovery from illness. Vitamin A (shown as Retinol Activity Equivalents, combining retinol from animal foods and beta-carotene from plants) is critical for mucosal immunity — the first-line defence in your gut, lungs and eyes.

Bones, heart & circulation
Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Potassium, Iron. These nutrients work as a system. Calcium and Vitamin D are the well-known bone partnership, but Vitamin K — particularly K2 — plays a less-publicised role directing calcium into bone rather than artery walls. Potassium helps counteract the blood-pressure effect of sodium; a dish high in both salt and potassium is less concerning than one high in salt alone. Iron is the oxygen-carrier in red blood cells — consistently low intake leads to anaemia, with women of reproductive age at greatest risk.

Skin, eyes & longer-term health
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Zinc, Omega-3. Collagen synthesis depends on Vitamin C, making it central to skin structure and repair. Zinc supports skin regeneration. Vitamin A supports the visual cycle in the retina. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA, found in oily fish and some algae) are anti-inflammatory and linked to cardiovascular protection, cognitive function and joint health. ChuGuru uses the EFSA adequate intake of 250 mg EPA+DHA per day as the reference value; amounts shown reflect raw ingredient weights as cooking can reduce Omega-3 levels somewhat.

Cholesterol — a note on context
ChuGuru displays dietary cholesterol (found in eggs, shellfish, meat and dairy) as a percentage of the US FDA reference of 300 mg/day, since the EU does not set a formal RI. Current evidence suggests dietary cholesterol has less impact on blood cholesterol levels than saturated fat does — so if you see a high cholesterol figure, check the saturated fat line too for a fuller picture.

Reference Intake values follow EU Regulation 1169/2011 except where noted. Nutrient data sourced from EU CIQUAL food composition database.

The macronutrients — calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, fibre, sugars and salt — are the structural building blocks of a meal. ChuGuru shows each as a percentage of the EU adult Reference Intake so you can see how a single dish fits into your day at a glance.

Calories — The Watch Out section flags dishes where a single serving exceeds 54% of a 2,000 kcal daily reference. That's not automatically a problem — an active person or a substantial main meal warrants more energy — but it's useful context when comparing two options.

Fat & saturated fat — Total fat isn't the issue; the type is. Saturated fat (mainly from red meat, dairy and coconut products) is the nutrient most strongly linked to raised LDL cholesterol in population studies, which is why it's tracked separately. The EU RI for saturated fat is 20 g/day — a generous burger can use most of that in one sitting.

Protein — The most satiating macronutrient per calorie. Adequate protein supports muscle maintenance, appetite regulation and steady blood sugar. Animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) provide all essential amino acids; plant proteins (legumes, tofu) can match them when dishes are varied. A serving with 30 g+ of protein is genuinely substantial.

Fibre — One of the most under-consumed nutrients in Western diets, despite strong evidence linking higher intake to lower risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It also feeds the gut microbiome. The EU reference is 25 g/day; most adults average around 15–18 g. Dishes rich in legumes, wholegrains and vegetables are the best sources.

Sugars — ChuGuru shows total sugars, which includes naturally occurring sugars in fruit and dairy as well as added sugars. A dish with 20 g sugar from a fruit-based sauce is quite different nutritionally from one with 20 g of refined added sugar — but ChuGuru cannot currently separate the two, so use the ingredients list for extra context.

Salt — High salt intake is the leading dietary contributor to raised blood pressure. Restaurant and takeaway dishes are frequently the biggest source of dietary salt — often two to three times higher than equivalent home-cooked meals. Salt is shown in grams (the EU standard) with its sodium equivalent in milligrams alongside it, making it easy to cross-reference with US nutrition labels which display sodium rather than salt.

Your dish's ingredients leave environmental footprints from farm to plate. ChuGuru combines four science-based indicators into a single A–E grade — A is lightest on the planet, E is heaviest. The score follow the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) standards across 4 key indicators not the full set of 16 (the full set can be found in our professional TLC Analytics tool). Climate impact carries the most weight (50%), followed by land & biodiversity (25%), then water use and water ecotoxicity (12.5% each).

ChuGuru uses a peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment database maintained by an EU food research institute. AI estimates your dish's ingredients and weights, then matches them to the database. Results are best treated as reliable estimates — real-world variations in sourcing, portion size, and cooking method will always introduce some variation.

• Compare before you order — use the Compare feature to see two dishes side by side
• Look at the planet grade — a one-grade improvement (e.g. C→B) typically means a significant reduction in carbon and water impact
• Portion matters — a smaller chicken dish can score better than a larger plant-based one
• Explore alternatives — the Explore tab shows curated dishes you can analyse before you even search

Food production is responsible for around 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than all the world's cars and planes combined. Your choices at the table are one of the most direct ways you can reduce your personal footprint.

Highest impact: Beef (up to 20× more than chicken), lamb, cheese, and chocolate.

Lowest impact: Lentils, beans, tofu, most vegetables and fruits.

Swapping a beef dish for chicken or a plant-based option on just one meal out can cut your food footprint for that meal by 60–80%.

• Carbon footprint — greenhouse gas emissions, in kg CO₂ equivalent
• Water use — freshwater consumed from farm to plate
• Land & biodiversity — measured in Eco-Points, reflecting damage to wildlife habitats
• Water ecotoxicity — harmful pollutants (fertilisers, pesticides, animal waste) entering rivers and streams

Area alone doesn't capture nature's value. Clearing 100 m² of Amazon rainforest is catastrophically different from using 100 m² of existing farmland. Eco-Points score the damage to biodiversity — species loss risk and ecosystem harm — not just the physical footprint. A higher score means greater risk to wildlife.