Data Studies
Flagship original research built from the Labelgrade catalog of 356+ graded branded foods. Every figure is computed live from the underlying product pages and verified against USDA FoodData Central using our transparent six-dimension methodology. These studies are free to cite with attribution — see each one for details.
The State of Packaged Food
The annual-report view of the whole catalog: what grading 356 branded foods A–F reveals about the grocery aisle. The average product is a B−, only a sliver earn an A-range grade, and the single dimension most responsible for low grades isn't sugar or saturated fat — it's sodium. Full grade distribution, the dimension that fails most, and the best- and worst-scoring categories, all computed live.
Protein Per Calorie
We ranked every graded food by grams of protein per 100 calories — the number that says how much of a food is actually protein, not filler. The most efficient picks (tuna, plain Greek yogurt, shakes, whey) vs. the "protein" bars, "fit" granolas and "power" cereals that don't earn the name. With the honest distinction between protein density and protein per serving.
The Health Halo Report
The packaged foods that market hardest on health — juice, granola and "protein" bars, fruit snacks, sweetened yogurt, flavored tea, dried fruit — and earned a C or worse anyway. For each one, the live data shows the single dimension that sank it. The recurring culprit isn't fat or salt: it's added sugar, hiding behind a clean-looking label.
The Added-Sugar Hall of Fame
Every graded food, ranked by sugar — the sugariest single servings in the catalog and where the sugar actually hides. The list spans nearly 20 aisles, and many of the worst offenders are foods that market themselves as healthy: juice, dried fruit, "protein" bars, sweetened yogurt. Sorted both per serving and per 100 g, with the honest natural-vs-added distinction.
The Most (and Least) Processed Foods
We counted the ingredients and flagged the additives behind every grade. Lists run from a single item to 40-plus, and most carry at least one flagged additive — artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, nitrites, maltodextrin, phosphates or gums. The most processed picks vs. the cleanest, with average ingredient count by category.
The Saltiest High-Protein Foods
Sodium is the dimension that sinks the most grades — so we ranked the catalog by it. The saltiest single servings, the worst offenders per 100 g, and the categories where sodium quietly piles up (deli meat, jerky, canned and frozen meals), all computed live from the labels.
The Protein Bar Report
"Protein bar" is a marketing term, not a standard — so we graded every bar in the catalog and ranked them by protein-per-calorie, the number that says how much of a bar is actually protein. The spread is enormous: genuine high-protein, low-sugar bars at one end and candy bars with a protein dusting at the other. The best picks, the worst sugar offenders, and the candy in disguise, all computed live.
The Greek Yogurt Report
"Greek yogurt" is one of the most health-marketed words in the dairy aisle — but straining is the only thing it promises. We graded every Greek yogurt in the catalog, ranked them by protein-per-calorie, and measured the plain-vs-flavored sugar gap. Plain strained tubs are among the best protein values in the store; the fruit-blended ones can carry dessert-level sugar.
The Breakfast Cereal Report
Breakfast cereal is the aisle where added sugar hides in plain sight. We graded every cereal in the catalog and ranked them by sugar per serving, sugar per 100 calories, and the fiber and protein they actually deliver — separating the genuinely good (plain oats, high-fiber, grain-free protein cereals) from the "whole grain" and "protein" boxes that are sugar-delivery vehicles.
Working on a story about packaged food, nutrition labeling, or food marketing and want a specific cut of the data? Get in touch — we're happy to share. The full dataset is open at labelgrade.com/data.