FuelSelect Methodology

We separate facts from assumptions.

FuelSelect is useful only if a filter means what users think it means. Our catalogue therefore distinguishes explicit claims and certifications from ordinary product data.

Evidence levels

Certified

Used when an independent certification applies to the relevant product or claim. Certification applies only to the product and scope covered by that certification.

Manufacturer claim

Used when the manufacturer explicitly describes the product with the relevant attribute, for example lactose-free, gluten-free, fructose-free or Low-FODMAP.

Source checked

Used for factual product information such as format, energy, product family or activity context taken from a brand or retailer source. It is not automatically a tolerance claim.

Unknown stays unknown

If a product might fit a rule but we do not have support for that claim, we leave the tag off. A zero-result search is better than a confident guess.

Diet tags

Vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, keto/low-carb and carnivore can mean different things to different people. FuelSelect prioritises explicit manufacturer positioning. For Carnivore, we currently reserve the tag for products with explicit carnivore positioning or unambiguous carnivore-specialist sourcing; we do not automatically label every meat or dairy product carnivore.

Sensitive stomach is not a guarantee

People respond differently to ingredients, dose, intensity, heat and timing. FuelSelect helps narrow products using documented attributes; it does not promise that a product will be symptom-free for a particular person.

Protein and recovery

Protein powders, bars and recovery products are included when they fit the same problem FuelSelect solves: users need to compare products by lactose, dairy, gluten, soy, diet and other food rules. FuelSelect is not trying to become a generic bodybuilding-supplement catalogue.

Commercial relationships

When affiliate or retail relationships are added, commercial availability should remain separate from classification. A paid relationship must not create a dietary or tolerance tag.