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The 10 Most Underrated Foods
The nutritional upsets you're missing.
Swipe →#10
Beef heart
Score7.2/10
Keto
9Paleo
9Low-FODMAP
9Carnivore
9Whole30
9GLP-1 Friendly
9Zone
8DASH
6Mediterranean
5Anti-Inflammatory
5Vegan
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The parts the rest of the world still eats.
Higher nutrient density than muscle meat, and the US throws most of them in pet food.
#9
Beets
Score6.1/10
Vegan
9Whole30
9Mediterranean
8DASH
8Anti-Inflammatory
8Paleo
6GLP-1 Friendly
6Low-FODMAP
5Zone
5Keto
2Carnivore
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The vegetable every endurance athlete knows about.
Nitric oxide boost that lowers blood pressure and improves performance. Research is clear.
#8
Chia seeds
Score7.6/10
Keto
9Vegan
9Whole30
9DASH
9Anti-Inflammatory
9Paleo
8Mediterranean
8Low-FODMAP
8GLP-1 Friendly
8Zone
6Carnivore
1
The rare superfood where the marketing is accurate.
Omega-3s, fiber, and protein in a spoonful. Got hyped in 2015 and then everyone forgot.
#7
Kefir
Score4.8/10
Mediterranean
8DASH
8Anti-Inflammatory
7Zone
6Keto
5Carnivore
5Low-FODMAP
5GLP-1 Friendly
5Paleo
2Vegan
1Whole30
1
The probiotic food yogurt marketers hope you won't notice.
10-30 bacterial strains vs yogurt's 2-3. Better for your microbiome and sold right next to the yogurt.
#6
Dried seaweed (nori)
Score7.5/10
Keto
9Vegan
9Low-FODMAP
9Paleo
8Whole30
8Zone
8Anti-Inflammatory
8GLP-1 Friendly
8DASH
6Mediterranean
5Carnivore
5
Japan's secret longevity weapon.
Iodine, minerals, and umami. The reason Okinawans outlive everyone.
#5
Lentils
Score5.4/10
Vegan
10Mediterranean
9DASH
9Anti-Inflammatory
9GLP-1 Friendly
9Zone
6Keto
2Low-FODMAP
2Paleo
1Carnivore
1Whole30
1
The protein the West forgot how to cook.
Indian cuisine built an entire civilization on them. The US uses them for soup garnish. Absurd.
#4
Mussels
Score7.0/10
Paleo
9Whole30
9Mediterranean
8Carnivore
8Low-FODMAP
8Anti-Inflammatory
8GLP-1 Friendly
8Keto
6Zone
6DASH
5Vegan
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Scores like a multivitamin. Tastes like shellfish.
Complete protein, B12, iron, selenium. Sustainably farmed with a lower footprint than almost any animal food.
#3
Sauerkraut
Score7.3/10
Keto
9Vegan
9Whole30
9Paleo
8Low-FODMAP
8Zone
8Anti-Inflammatory
8GLP-1 Friendly
8Mediterranean
6DASH
5Carnivore
2
Cabbage that beats every probiotic supplement on the shelf.
Live cultures, prebiotic fiber, and vitamin C. $3 a jar vs $40 for probiotics that do less.
#2
Beef liver
Score7.0/10
Paleo
10Carnivore
10Whole30
9Low-FODMAP
9Anti-Inflammatory
8GLP-1 Friendly
8Keto
6Zone
6Mediterranean
5DASH
5Vegan
1
Nature's multivitamin. Sold for $4 a pound.
More vitamin A, B12, copper, and iron per ounce than any supplement.
#1
Sardines
Score8.2/10
Paleo
10Mediterranean
10Keto
9Carnivore
9Whole30
9Low-FODMAP
9DASH
9Zone
9Anti-Inflammatory
9GLP-1 Friendly
6Vegan
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Better than salmon. Cheaper than tuna. Ignored by everyone.
Higher omega-3 density than salmon, lower mercury than tuna, and costs $2 a can.
All 10 Underrated Foods
See scores for 1,000+ foods →Prefer to scan? The full list is below.
The 10 Most Underrated Foods
These foods score 8 or higher on nearly every diet we track — yet none of them are in your grocery cart. The gap between what nutrition science knows and what people actually eat is enormous. Here's where to close it.
Everyone knows about salmon, avocado, and kale. Nobody talks about sardines, sauerkraut, or sea vegetables — and they're arguably better. These are the foods that crush the scoring rubric and still lose at the grocery store.
Top 10 Most Underrated Foods
Foods that score high across diets but lose in the grocery cart.
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More Underrated Picks
Foods the data rates high but culture hasn't caught up to.
Black coffee
beverages
8.8/1010 approve, 1 caution
Green tea
beverages
8.8/1010 approve, 1 caution
Saffron
spices
8.7/1010 approve, 1 caution
Sparkling water
beverages
8.7/1010 approve, 1 caution
Oregano (dried)
spices
8.7/1010 approve, 1 caution
Lemon
fruits
8.6/1010 approve, 1 caution
Turmeric
spices
8.6/1010 approve, 1 caution
Lime
fruits
8.6/1010 approve, 1 caution
Parsley (fresh)
spices
8.6/1010 approve, 1 avoid
Rosemary
spices
8.5/1010 approve, 1 avoid
More Rankings
Explore how every food scores across 11 diets.
