Food scoring

To simplify the nutrient content information, scores have been calculated for all foods: “for whether they are a high source (+++), source (++), present, but low source (~), or not a source, for the respective nutrient. To do so, mean values of recommended nutrient intake data (RNI) of men and women, were calculated based on FAO/WHO references (FAO/WHO, 2004). Thereafter, the percentage of RNI of iron, folate, vitamin C and vitamin A provided by 100 g of the respective food was calculated. The thresholds for whether the respective food is a high source, source, present, but low source, or not a source of the selected nutrient, are based on FAO/WHO food labelling standards and own adaptions (FAO, WHO, 2007).

Food code Food name Scientific Name Iron Vitamin A Folate Vitamin C
F0001 Baobab fruit, pulp, raw Adansonia digitata +++ 1 ~ +++
F0060 Cashew apple, raw Anacardium occidentale ~ 1 2 +++
F0002 Cherimoya, pulp, raw Annona cherimola 1 1 ~ ~
F0003 Sour sop, fruit pulp, raw Annona muricata ~ 1 1 ++
F0053 Custard apple, raw Annona reticulata ~ 1 2 ++
F0004 African custard apple/wild soursop, pulp, raw Annona senegalensis ~ 2 1 ~
F0005 Sugar apple, pulp, raw Annona squamosa ~ 1 1 ++
F0006 Jackfruit, pulp, raw Artocarpus heterophyllus 1 1 ~ ~
F0007 Breadfruit pulp, raw Artocarpus altilis ~ 1 1 ++
F0059 Azanza, pulp, ripe,raw Azanza garckeana +++ 2 2 2
F0008 Desert date, fresh, raw Balanites aegyptiaca ++ 2 1 +++
F0009 Desert date, dried, raw Balanites aegyptiaca +++ 1 ~ 1
F0054 Bird cherry, raw Berchemia discolor ++ 2 2 +++
F0010 Borassus, pulp, raw Borassus aethiopum ~ 2 ~ +++
F0067 Black olive, raw Canarium schweinfurtii +++ 2 2 2
F0011 Papaya, pulp, raw Carica papaya ~ ++ ~ +++
F0012 Karonda fruit, raw Carissa spp ++ 1 1 +++
F0013 White sapote, fruit, raw Casimiroa edulis 1 2 2 ++
F0065 Orange, sour Citrus ×aurantium 2 ~ 2 +++
F0014 Limes, raw Citrus ×latifolia 1 1 1 ++
F0015 Lemons, raw Citrus limon 1 1 1 +++
F0016 Grapefruit (pink, red), raw Citrus paradisi 1 ++ 1 ++
F0017 Tangerines, pulp, raw Citrus reticulata 1 ~ 1 ++
F0018 Orange, raw Citrus sinensis 1 1 ~ +++
F0019 Grey-leaved saucer berry, pulp, raw Cordia sinensis 2 2 2 2
F0055 Kiwano fruit, raw Cucumis metuliferus ~ 1 1 1
F0064 Bushbutter/African pear pulp, ripe, raw Dacryodes edulis ~ 2 2 ++
F0020 Fruit, dried, raw Dialium sp. +++ 2 2 1
F0021 Japanese persimmon, pulp, raw Diospyros kaki 1 +++ 1 ~
F0022 African ebony, fruit, raw Diospyros mespiliformis ~ 2 1 ++
F0023 Kei apple, pulp, raw Dovyalis caffra 1 2 2 +++
F0024 Loquat, pulp, raw Eriobotrya japonica 1 +++ 1 1
F0025 Roseapple, raw Eugenia jambos 1 ~ 1 ++
F0061 Sycamore fig, raw Ficus sycomorus ++ ~ 2 ~
F0026 Indian plum, pulp, ripe, raw Flacourtia indica ~ 2 2 ~
F0068 Garcinia, fruit pulp, raw Garcinia kola 2 2 2 +++
F0027 African mangosteen, raw Garcinia livingstonei 1 2 2 ~
F0028 Mallow raisin, raw Grewia spp ~ 2 ~ ~
F0029 Doum palm, pulp, raw Hyphaene compressa 2 2 2 +++
F0030 Litchi, pulp, raw Litchi chinensis 1 1 1 +++
F0031 Mango, pulp, raw Mangifera indica ~ +++ ~ ++
F0032 Sapodilla, pulp, raw Manilkara zapota ~ 1 1 ~
F0033 Mulberry, raw Morus alba ~ 2 1 ~
F0056 Banana, raw Musa spp. 1 1 ~ ~
F0062 Prickly pear, pulp, raw Opuntia ficus-indica 1 1 1 ++
F0034 Jacket plum, pulp, raw Pappea capensis 1 2 2 2
F0058 Mobola plum, raw Parinari curatellifolia ++ 2 2 +++
F0052 Passion fruit, purple, pulp, raw Passiflora edulis ~ ++ 1 ++
F0035 Avocado pulp, raw Persea americana ~ 1 ~ ~
F0036 Dates, pulp and skin, dried, raw Phoenix dactylifera ~ 1 ~ 1
F0037 African wild date plum, raw Phoenix reclinata +++ 2 1 1
F0038 Manila-tamarind, fruit, raw Pithecellobium dulce 1 1 1 +++
F0039 Guava, pulp, raw Psidium guajava ~ ~ 1 +++
F0040 Pomegranate, raw Punica granatum ~ 1 ~ ~
F0057 Raspberry, raw Rubus pinnatus 2 2 2 2
F0041 Marula, fruit, pulp and skin, raw Sclerocarya birrea ++ 2 2 +++
F0042 Tamarillo, flesh and seeds, raw Solanum betaceum 1 ++ 1 ++
F0043 Soriendeia, raw Sorindeia madagascariensis ~ 2 2 +++
F0044 Monkey-orange, pulp, raw Strychnos spinosa ~ 2 2 +++
F0045 Eugenia/Jamun, Java-plum fruit, raw Syzygium cumini 1 2 1 ++
F0046 Water berry, raw Syzygium guineense ~ 2 1 ~
F0066 Mountain apple Syzygium malaccense 1 1 2 ~
F0047 Tamarind, pulp, ripe, raw Tamarindus indica ++ 1 1 ~
F0048 Wild medlar, pulp, raw Vangueria infausta +++ 2 2 ~
F0063 Shea fruit pulp, raw Vitellaria paradoxa ~ 2 2 2
F0049 Black plum, pulp, raw Vitex doniana ~ 1 2 ~
F0050 Wild plum, raw Ximenia americana ~ 2 2 +++
F0051 Jujube pulp, raw Ziziphus jujuba ~ 1 1 ++
V0022 Wild spinach, leaves, raw Amaranthus dubius ++ +++ 2 2
V0023 Wild spinach, leaves, boiled Amaranthus dubius ++ +++ 2 2
V0020 Amaranth, spinach, leaves, raw Amaranthus hybridus +++ 2 2 2
V0021 Amaranth spinach, leaves, boiled Amaranthus hybridus +++ 2 2 2
V0014 Amaranth leaves, raw Amaranthus spp. +++ +++ ++ +++
V0015 Amaranth leaves, boiled Amaranthus spp. +++ +++ ~ ++
V0006 Kale, raw Brassica oleracea ~ +++ ++ +++
V0007 Kale, boiled Brassica oleracea ~ +++ ++ ~
V0004 Cabbage, raw Brassica oleracea var capitata 1 1 ~ +++
V0005 Cabbage, boiled Brassica oleracea var capitata 1 1 ~ ++
V0018 Cat's whiskers, leaves, raw Cleome gynandra +++ +++ +++ +++
V0019 Cat's whiskers, leaves, boiled Cleome gynandra +++ +++ ++ ++
V0012 Pumpkin, boiled Cucurbita spp ~ ++ 1 1
V0013 Pumpkin, leaves, boiled Cucurbita spp ++ ++ ~ 1
V0009 Cassava, leaves, boiled Manihot esculenta +++ +++ ++ ~
V0001 Drumstick leaves, raw Moringa oleifera +++ +++ ~ +++
V0002 Drumstick leaves, boiled Moringa oleifera ++ +++ ~ ++
V0003 Drumstick, pods, raw Moringa oleifera 1 1 ~ +++
V0026 Drumstick, pods, boiled Moringa oleifera 1 1 ~ +++
V0027 Beans, runner, boiled Phaseolus coccineus 1 1 ~ 1
V0024 Black nightshade, leaves, raw Solanum nigrum +++ +++ 2 ~
V0016 Spinach, raw Spinacia oleracea ++ +++ +++ ++
V0017 Spinach, boiled Spinacia oleracea ++ +++ ++ ~
V0025 Stinging Nettles, blanched Urtica dioica ++ +++ 1 2
V0010 Cowpea, leaves, raw Vigna unguiculata +++ +++ +++ +++
V0011 Cowpea, leaves, boiled Vigna unguiculata ++ +++ ++ ++
N0003 Cashew nut, raw Anacardium occidentale +++ 1 ~ 1
N0001 Groundnuts/peanuts, raw Arachis hypogaea +++ 1 +++ 1
N0004 Coconut, mature, meat/flesh, raw Cocos nucifera ++ 1 ~ 1
N0005 Coconut, immature kernel, fresh, raw Cocos nucifera ++ 1 1 1
N0002 Nuts, macadamia nuts, raw Macadamia integrifolia ++ 1 1 1
N0006 Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried Sesamum indicum +++ 1 ++ 1
P0003 Pigeon pea, mature, whole, dried, raw Cajanus cajan +++ 1 +++ 1
P0004 Pigeon pea, mature, whole, water-soaked, boiled Cajanus cajan ++ 1 ~ 1
P0001 Hyacinth bean, mature, whole, raw Lablab purpureus +++ 1 ~ 1
P0002 Hyacinth bean, mature, whole, water-soaked, boiled Lablab purpureus ~ 1 1 1
P0009 Common bean, mature, whole, dried, raw Phaseolus vulgaris +++ 1 +++ 1
P0010 Common bean, mature, whole, water-soaked, boiled Phaseolus vulgaris ~ 1 ~ 1
P0012 Pea, mature, whole, boiled Pisum sativum ~ 1 ~ 1
P0005 Mung bean, mature, whole, dried, raw Vigna radiata +++ 1 +++ 1
P0006 Mung bean, mature, whole, water-soaked, boiled Vigna radiata ~ 1 ++ 1
P0007 Cowpea, mature, whole, dried, raw Vigna unguiculata +++ 1 +++ 1
P0008 Cowpea, mature, whole, water-soaked, boiled Vigna unguiculata ~ 1 ++ 1
S0002 Water yam, tuber, boiled Dioscorea alata ~ 1 1 ~
S0004 Sweet potato, yellow, boiled Ipomoea batatas ~ +++ ~ ~
S0005 Sweet potato, deep yellow, raw Ipomoea batatas ~ +++ ~ ++
S0006 Sweet potato, deep yellow, boiled Ipomoea batatas ~ +++ ~ ~
S0007 Sweet potato, pale yellow, boiled Ipomoea batatas ~ 1 ~ ~
S0009 Cassava, tuber, boiled Manihot esculenta ~ 1 1 ~
S0011 Plantains, raw (yellow and green) Musa ×paradisiaca 1 ++ ~ ++
S0012 Plantains, yellow, raw Musa ×paradisiaca 1 ++ ~ ++
S0013 Plantains, green, raw Musa ×paradisiaca ~ 2 ~ ++
S0014 Plantains, green, boiled Musa ×paradisiaca 1 2 ~ ~
S0016 Plantains, (yellow and green), boiled Musa ×paradisiaca 1 ++ 1 ~
S0017 Plantains, yellow, boiled Musa ×paradisiaca 1 ++ 1 ~
S0015 Potato, boiled Solanum tuberosum ~ 1 1 ~
C0001 Finger millet, dried, raw Eleusine coracana +++ 1 ~ 1
C0010 Finger millet, boiled Eleusine coracana ~ 1 1 1
C0007 Rice, brown, boiled Oryza sativa ~ 1 1 1
C0008 Rice, white, polished, boiled Oryza sativa 1 1 1 1
C0009 Rice, white, boiled Oryza sativa 1 1 1 1
C0003 Pear millet, whole grain boiled Pennisetum glaucum ++ 1 1 1
C0006 Sorghum, whole grain, boiled Sorghum bicolor ~ 1 1 1
C0004 Maize, sweet, yellow, boiled Zea mays ~ ~ 1 1
Explanation of SCORES

Minerals and vitamins (except vitamin C)

+++ ++ ~ 1 2
high source source present, but low source not a sources no data available
≥ 30 % of RNI 15-29% of RNI 5-14% of RNI < 5 % ND (no data available)
FAO/WHO (2007) FAO/WHO (2007) own adaptation own adaptation own adaptation

The thresholds for "high source" and "source" are based on FAO/WHO (2007): Codex Alimentarius Commission, Food Labelling. Fifth edition. Rome. Recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) used in the calculation of the scores are based on FAO, WHO (2004): Vitamin and mineral requirements in human nutrition: report of a joint FAO/WHO expert consultation. Second edition. WHO, FAO.

Vitamin C

+++ ++ ~ 1 2
high source source present, but low source not a sources no data available
≥ 100 % of RNI 40-99% of RNI 10-39% of RNI < 10% ND (no data available)
own adaptation own adaptation own adaptation own adaptation own adaptation