First, TCA identifies how the production and consumption of food products impact human health, the environment, and society. These impacts may be positive (improving health, protecting biodiversity, or sequestering carbon) or negative (causing poor health or pollution).

The second step is to measure impact per kilogram of food product. How this is measured depends upon the type of impact. For example, pollutants are measured in kilograms of emission, while health impacts are measured in the years of human life lost due to disability or premature death caused by diet-related disease.

The second step is to measure impact per kilogram of food product. How this is measured depends upon the type of impact. For example, pollutants are measured in kilograms of emission, while health impacts are measured in the years of human life lost due to disability or premature death caused by diet-related disease.

Impacts are then translated into monetary values. Estimates for how much each impact will cost or benefit society are made based on established methodologies. By showing impacts as monetary values, it's easier to evaluate which foods generate the highest or lowest hidden costs for society.