Table 1: HEI-2015 Dietary Components, Constituents, and Scoring Standards
| Component | Units | Dietary Constituents | Maximum Score | Standard for Maximum (Standard for Minimum, if Moderation Component) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From FPED (or other food-based database) | ||||
| Total Fruits | cup eq. | Total Fruit | 5 | ≥0.8 cup eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Whole Fruits | cup eq. | Citrus, Melons, Berries + Other Intact Fruits | 5 | ≥0.4 cup eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Total Vegetables | cup eq. | Total Vegetables + Legumes (Beans and Peas) in cup equivalents | 5 | ≥1.1 cup eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Greens and Beans | cup eq. | Dark Green Vegetables + Legumes (Beans and Peas) in cup equivalents | 5 | ≥0.2 cup eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Whole Grains | oz. eq. | Whole Grains | 10 | ≥1.5 oz eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Dairy | cup eq. | Total Dairy | 10 | ≥1.3 cup eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Total Protein Foods | oz. eq. | Total Meat, Poultry, and Seafood (including organ meats and cured meats) + Eggs + Nuts and Seeds + Soy + Legumes (Beans and Peas) in oz equivalents | 5 | ≥2.5 oz eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Seafood and Plant Proteins | oz. eq. | Seafood (high in n-3) + Seafood (low in n-3) + Soy + Nuts and Seeds + Legumes (Beans and Peas) in oz equivalents | 5 | ≥0.8 oz eq. per 1,000 kcal |
| Refined Grains | oz. eq. | Refined Grains | 10 | ≤1.8 oz eq. per 1,000 kcal (≥4.3 oz eq. per 1,000 kcal) |
| Added Sugars | tsp. eq.* | Added Sugars | 10 | ≤6.5% of energy (≥26% of energy) |
| From FNDDS (or other nutrient database) | ||||
| Fatty Acids | g | (Total Monounsaturated Fatty Acids + Total Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids)/Total Saturated Fatty Acids | 10 | (MUFAs + PUFAs) /SFAs≥2.5 ((MUFAs + PUFAs)/SFAs≤1.2) |
| Sodium | mg** | Sodium | 10 | ≤1.1 g per 1,000 kcal (≥2.0 g per 1,000 kcal) |
| Saturated Fats | g*** | Total Saturated Fatty Acids | 10 | ≤8% of energy (≥16% of energy) |
| Energy | kcal | Total Energy | --- | --- |
cup eq.=cup equivalents; oz. eq.=ounce equivalents; g=grams; mg=milligrams
*=teaspoon equivalents are converted to kcal in the scoring process.
**= sodium is converted from mg to g in scoring process.
***= fatty acids are calculated in grams but converted to energy in the scoring process.