Methodology · formula v1.1
The open formula
| Pillar | Component | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Label /40 | Density (active g ÷ serving g, vs category target) | 15 |
| Cost per gram of active vs category median (label MRP) | 10 | |
| Full disclosure of ingredients and doses | 10 | |
| Low added sugar (5 at ≤1 g, 0 at 6 g) | 5 | |
| Ingredients /35 | Named, traceable raw material | 10 |
| Branded ingredient at its studied dose | 15 | |
| Third-party certification or lab report | 10 | |
| Buyers /25 | Cleaned marketplace rating, adjusted for volume | 15 |
| Balance of positive vs negative review themes | 5 | |
| Small gap between brand-site and marketplace ratings | 5 |
Grades
A+ 90+ · A 80–89 · B 65–79 · C 50–64 · D below 50.
Density targets
- Protein: 85% protein per scoop earns full marks.
- Creatine: 100% creatine per serving.
- Omega-3: 65% EPA+DHA per gram of oil.
- Ashwagandha: 85% extract per serving.
- Mass gainer: 30% protein per serving.
What "active" and "studied dose" mean in each category
The 15-point active-ingredient component and the 10-point cost component change by category. Everything else stays the same.
Multivitamin
Active means a nutrient at 50% or more of the Indian RDA (ICMR-NIN 2020, using the higher of the adult men's and women's values). The component is the share of listed nutrients at a useful dose, times 15. Each nutrient above its tolerable upper limit costs 3 points. Cost is ₹ per daily serving. The named-form points go to better-absorbed forms, such as methylcobalamin or zinc bisglycinate. Vitamins E and K and selenium have no value in the ICMR-NIN summary, so they are not counted yet. Nutrients with no upper limit (B1, B2, B12) are never penalised for mega-doses.
Source: ICMR-NIN 2020 RDA brief note (sedentary adult man 65 kg, woman 55 kg). Vitamin D values are stored in µg: 600 IU = 15 µg, 4000 IU = 100 µg.
Pre-workout
Actives are caffeine, L-citrulline and beta-alanine per serving. The studied doses are caffeine 150–300 mg, citrulline 6–8 g and beta-alanine 3.2 g. Each one earns up to a third of the 15 points. Caffeine above 300 mg loses credit and shows a warning on the product page. A proprietary blend gets no active-ingredient points and no disclosure points, because the doses can't be checked. Cost is ₹ per serving.
Mass gainer
Active means protein grams per serving. Full marks at 30% protein by weight. We also show the protein-to-carb ratio. Sugar is allowed up to 10 g per serving; each gram above that costs 0.5 points. Cost is ₹ per gram of protein.
Single vitamins and minerals: vitamin D3, B12 and iron
Active means the single nutrient. Its dose is scored against the RDA and the upper limit. Full marks run from half the RDA up to the upper limit; below half the RDA, credit is proportional; above the upper limit, credit falls off. B12 has no upper limit set. The 15 "branded ingredient" points become a named form score: D3 (cholecalciferol) beats D2, methyl- and adenosylcobalamin beat cyanocobalamin, and ferrous bisglycinate beats fumarate and sulphate. Cost is ₹ per serving.
Our admin team keeps the RDA and upper-limit table up to date. Any change is logged and rescores the affected products.
Volume-adjusted rating
We blend each product's rating with 200 imaginary reviews at 3.8★ so a handful of five-star reviews can't win. Suspicious reviews are removed first. Brand-site ratings are only used to check the gap, never as the rating itself.
When we show no score
If any required fact — serving size, active amount, servings, MRP, added sugar, disclosure or testing — is missing or flagged for review, we show no score at all rather than a guess.
What scoring never reads
The scoring function has no access to store prices, affiliate programmes, commissions or clicks. Cost per gram uses the MRP printed on the label, so a score does not swing with daily discounts; the "Where to buy" block uses live store prices to help you buy cheaply today. Every score stores its formula version, and every change is written to a public, append-only change log.