Understanding NuVal Scores
NuVal is a new scoring system for food that makes it easier for shoppers to find healthy foods with a quick glance to one score, posted on the shelf of the food store.This new system is not yet in every store but it is spreading. Stores will offer the NuVal scores by category or aisle and for most food products in their store including items that do not have packages such as seafood, meat and poultry.We just shopped in store that uses NuVal scores and found the system interesting for choosing a better bread product - it really worked to find the lowest sodium, whole grain bread.Here is how it works:NuVal looks at 30 different nutrients and applies one score from 1 to 100 with 100 being the best choice. Basically, it takes the sum of good news (all the nutrients and fiber in a food) and divides it by the bad news (trans fat, cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium and sugar) and that equals the nutrition quality score of the food. It also accounts for calorie density, protein quality, fat quality and glycemic load.Visit NuVal.com and click on the “scores” category. Here you can research foods according to score. The highest scores go to fruits and vegetables because they are high in nutrients and fiber and low in added fat, sugar and salt.
