Our method
We show our homework
Every verdict in every guide is the output of one deterministic check against public data — not a one-off opinion. Here's exactly how.
Where the data comes from
- UK Composition of Foods (CoFID) 2021 ↗
Primary nutrient numbers for the UK edition — potassium, phosphorus, sodium and sugars per 100 g. McCance and Widdowson's dataset, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- USDA FoodData Central ↗
Nutrient numbers where CoFID has no matching record (Foundation Foods and SR Legacy), and cross-checks.
- NHS ↗
Public healthy-eating and condition information (nhs.uk).
- Food Standards Agency ↗
UK food composition and labelling guidance.
- ANSES — Ciqual ↗
French food composition table, cited in the French editions.
- Patient-charity guidance ↗
Publicly available renal, diabetes and cardiovascular dietary guidance (e.g. Kidney Care UK, Diabetes UK, Blood Pressure UK).
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Naming a database as a data source does not imply any endorsement by that organisation.
How merging works: the strictest rule wins
Each condition has its own rule-set — the foods it flags and why. For a multi-condition guide we run every food through all of them and keep the strictest answer. Take bacon:
- Type 2 Diabetes — Processed meats, including bacon, ham, sausages and pâté, are linked with worse diabetes and heart health. Keep them occasional.Limit
- Kidney Disease (Stage 3) — Salt raises blood pressure and strains the kidneys. Keep to about a teaspoon a day in total.Limit
- High Blood Pressure — Processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages and pâté are very salty. They push blood pressure up.Avoid
Your combined guide says
Bacon (back, grilled)
Processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages and pâté are very salty. They push blood pressure up — and the reason line tells you which condition set the limit.
Why every food shows its source
A verdict you can't check is just an opinion. So the full guide prints the CoFID and USDA numbers behind the verdicts, and the app shows which condition flagged each food. You can check any of the 227 foods here too:
Check our homework
3 free checks left. Your full list covers 227 foods: see your full list
What we are not
- Not medical advice. We publish educational information compiled from public sources. Your GP, dietitian or care team know your blood results; we don't.
- Not a substitute for your dietitian. If you've been given targets for potassium, phosphate, fluid or protein, those targets win over anything we print.
- Not a medical device. You choose your conditions in the shop; the app never asks about your health or adapts to it.
Read the full medical disclaimer
Food Made Clear guides are educational information for general awareness only. They are not medical advice, not a medical device, and not a substitute for professional care. Dietary needs in diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension are individual and change with your blood results, medications and stage of disease. Always consult your GP, dietitian or care team before changing your diet, and follow their advice where it differs from our guides. If you have been given fluid, potassium, phosphate or protein targets, those targets take priority over anything we publish. Never stop or change medication based on our guides. Nutrient data is sourced from public databases; naming a database as a data source does not imply any endorsement by that organisation.
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