The best foods for you, ranked

Diet trends and fads are everywhere and everyone's got opinions on what you should and shouldn't eat. But wouldn't it be great if there were just a simple to understand (but super complex to scientifically determine) ranking system for foods?

Look no further. 

The ANDI or Aggregate Nutrient Density Index does just that. Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD developed the scale by using the idea that health = nutrients divided by calories. 

Yeah ok, we know that's more math than you've seen since high school. The important thing is that all the work is done for you (and the concept is pretty simple). You want to eat foods that have the most nutrients per calorie. 

So the absolute best foods for you according to ANDI? You guessed it: kale. It also tied with collard greens, mustard greens and watercress. These foods all scored 1000. 

Your everyday spinach gets a 707, which isn't too shabby, Popeye. But some things might surprise you. Apples only get a 53 and bananas score a 30. Olive oil is also a low performer on the scale, scoring just a 10. But the absolute worst thing ranked on the ANDI scale? Soda. If you do nothing else, avoiding all the extra sugars in pop can be a step in the right direction for your health. 

But alright, enough already. Without further ado: 

While you're getting healthy, why not make a difference in the health of others around the globe? 

Marc Skid is an eco-friendly organic Pima cotton underwear brand dedicated to helping people live healthy and sustainable lives. Find out just how easy it is to make your Marc on the world at marcskid.com.