Why are beverages scored differently?

Mira rates beverages more strictly than solid foods, especially when it comes to calories and sugar. The underlying logic is still based on Nutri-Score principles, but Mira adapts them to the product type — and for liquids (milk aside) the bar is set noticeably higher.

The reason is simple: the body absorbs liquids faster than solid food. Sugar from a drink reaches the bloodstream quickly and causes a sharper spike in blood glucose. So for the same amount of sugar or calories, a beverage carries a higher health risk — and Mira reflects that by scoring it more strictly.

In practice this means a sugary drink finds it harder to reach the upper bands ('Excellent', 'Good'): a sugar level that would still be acceptable in a solid product pushes a beverage lower. Water and unsweetened drinks aren't penalised by this — the stricter treatment applies specifically to calories and sugar.