From: aidotengineer

Alma, a nutrition companion application, has developed the “Alma score” to help users understand the quality of their food intake beyond just calories and macronutrients [00:02:14]. This feature addresses the user’s desire to know “how holistically well they’re eating” and “the quality of a food” [00:02:18]. The developers recognized that “1,000 calories could be had a million different ways” and “not all of it is equal in terms of quality” [00:02:24].

Development and Purpose

The Alma score concept was developed with the academic adviser at Harvard University, Dr. Eric Prim [00:02:33].

The score aims to:

  • Provide a simple metric, presented as a score out of 100 [00:02:38].
  • Steer users throughout the day towards foods that are “fundamentally good for your health” based on decades of scientific research [00:02:42].
  • Nudge users away from foods known to be less beneficial [00:02:51].

This focus on food quality helps Alma fulfill its mission of making eating well easier and providing simple, personalized nutrition [00:00:11].