Our nutrition program testing methodology

Following a nutrition program can be a great way to make a lasting, positive impact on your health and energy levels. But picking between the thousands of nutritional programs online can be daunting, to say the least. Here’s how we determine if a program is worth your time and money.

Every Fortune nutrition program review features:

In-depth analysis by testers and/or authors who are certified nutritionists and/or registered dietitians
Fact-checking and reviewing by qualified experts
Claims backed by trustworthy clinical research

Fortune Recommends™ aims to test 100% of the nutrition programs we recommend. However, some of our reviews may feature programs we haven’t yet tested. In those scenarios, we rely on the knowledge of our seasoned product testers and nutrition experts to deliver authentic, objective opinions on each program. We update our reviews as soon as we’ve had a chance to test each program over several weeks or months.

Learn how we test all product categories here.

Our scoring methodology for nutrition programs

We assign each nutrition program a score of one through five for each of the 10 categories we test. Instead of averaging those scores together, we weigh them based on what’s most important and then average them to create a cumulative score.

For example, offering a few quick snack recipes is great, but it’s not as important as including adequate nutritional guidance on a day-to-day basis.

Using these individual scores, we create an overall score on a scale of one out of five. One is the lowest possible score while five is the highest.

Testing criteria

Program design—30%

A nutrition program should match the established principles of human health and leave room for your individual needs and preferences. Our testers have been in the field long enough that they know the real thing when they see it. Here’s what they look for:

Explanation: To make lasting lifestyle changes, it’s not enough to be told what to do. You should also understand why you’re being encouraged to eat a certain way. A nutrition plan should include in-depth descriptions of what and how to eat and provide research-based findings that support those recommendations.
Adaptability: Everyone has access to different grocery stores and types of food. A program should be built around realistic principles that can adapt to a range of lifestyles, rather than you having to adapt to it. We also look for nutrition programs that fit a wide range of dietary needs and preferences, such as vegan or gluten-free.
Sustainability: Diets often fail because they’re too restrictive. The nutrition programs we recommend help you establish healthy habits while still being able to enjoy the foods you love.
Realistic expectations: We want you to reach your goals as safely as possible. We won’t recommend any programs that guarantee you’ll lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.

Value—30%

The internet is packed with nutrition programs, ranging from free recipes to personalized coaching that costs thousands of dollars. We want to connect you with a plan that feels worth it from the first day you start until the day you decide to go off on your own.

Here’s what we factor into a program’s value rating:

Fair price: It should feel competitively priced for what it offers. The cost should be comparable to similar options on the market.
Tracking capabilities: A nutrition plan that allows you to track important health and nutritional benchmarks is a step up from one that just tells you what and how much to eat.
Tools and recipes: Simply giving you a set of macros or a calorie range isn’t good enough. A nutrition plan should include features like recipes and/or video guides to help you put it into action.

Extra options—20%

We give extra points to the nutrition programs that go above and beyond with bonuses like:

Coaching and community support: The ability to receive one-on-one or group-level instruction from a qualified nutritionist or dietitian can be life-changing, especially for those who may need an extra push from outside sources to succeed.
Education: You can follow a nutrition program indefinitely. But it should also provide educational resources like blog posts or mini-courses that can empower you to eventually go off on your own with the knowledge you need to maintain healthy eating habits.
Workouts : Nutrition works better along with exercise. If a nutrition plan offers both, that’s worth recognizing.

Customer experience—20%

We want you to avoid buyer’s remorse and end up with a program you’ll look forward to following. Here are some of the little things that make a big difference:

Reliable technology: A program should work smoothly on the latest technology. If it’s an app-based program that allows you to log your food and track your calories and macros, it should have a user-friendly interface and a large database of verified food entries.
Reviews : If real-life users consistently love this nutritional program, that’s a good sign. If the internet is littered with bad feedback, we’ll call that out in our reviews.
Customer service: It should be easy to contact a company, receive help, and return or cancel your program if it’s not a fit.
Free trial periods: We give bonus points to programs that offer free trial periods. This way, you can test them for a week or two to see how feasible they are to follow before making a long-term commitment.