Baked goods

Baked goods are among the harder categories to score well on our Nutrient Density Score, which measures nutrients relative to calories. The category median sits at 41, below the reference midpoint, because most breads, muffins, and pastries are built on refined flour, added sugar, and fat. Those ingredients pack in calories that dilute the vitamins and minerals present, so the per-calorie return stays modest even when a slice delivers useful fiber or protein.

The foods that climb higher do so by concentrating nutrients or by carrying almost no calories at all. Leavening agents, cream of tartar tops the category at 90, but that reflects a near-zero-calorie potassium salt used a teaspoon at a time, not a food you eat in volume. Read it as a scoring quirk, not a health claim. More instructive are the breads that lift their density with bran and protein: rice bran bread at 56 and oat bran muffins at 57 gain from fiber-rich milled bran, while protein bread at 58 trades some starch for added gluten.

Choosing within the category

Favor whole-grain, bran, and higher-protein formulas over white or enriched versions, and treat cakes and sweet pastries as occasional. Individual needs vary, so weigh portion size alongside the score.