Nutrition is one of the most important factors in determining whether a food can sustain us throughout a long and healthy life. While food must provide enough calories to meet our daily energy needs, it must also supply the essential proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber necessary for our bodies to function properly, maintain strength, repair tissues, and resist disease. A diet that consistently lacks important nutrients, or contains excessive amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar, can gradually contribute to poor health and chronic illness. Because the effects of our food choices accumulate over many years, selecting nutritious meals is essential to maintaining our physical and mental well-being, preserving our independence, and supporting longevity. Within the Food Survivability Index, nutrition deserves particular emphasis because the ultimate purpose of food is not simply to satisfy hunger, but to provide the nourishment necessary to live a long, active, and healthy life.

Score	Rating	Description
5	Excellent	Well-balanced meal providing substantial protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, with little added sugar or excess sodium
4	Very Good	Nutritious, balanced meal with only minor deficiencies or excesses
3	Good	Provides reasonable nutrition but lacks some important nutrients or contains excess sodium, saturated fat, or refined carbohydrates
2	Fair	Limited nutritional variety, low fiber or protein, or excessive sodium, saturated fat, or added sugar
1	Poor	Mostly refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, or added sugars, with few essential nutrients
0	Very Poor	Provides calories but negligible nutritional benefit and substantial nutritional disadvantages

Nutritional Factor	Max Points	What to look for
Protein	20	Adequate protein from lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, or other sources
Fiber	15	Vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains
Vitamins	15	Variety of vegetables, fruits, and nutrient-rich ingredients
Minerals	10	Calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and other essential minerals
Healthy Fats	10	Unsaturated fats from fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil
Carbohydrate Quality	10	Whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and minimally refined starches
Calorie Balance	10	Appropriate calories for the meal's intended role
Sodium, Saturated Fat & Added Sugar	10	Limited excessive sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar