Two peanut butter jars — one with a “reduced fat” label — sit next to each other on a shelf.
Which one’s healthier?
Check with NuVal.
NuVal is a (locally grown), independent nutrition scoring system.
(To find out the answer about the peanut butter and other food, take the quiz at the top of this article.)
NuVal uses a 1 to 100 scoring system to grade the overall nutritional value of different foods. It’s like in school — the closer to a 100, the better.
The system was developed by a group of nutritionists led by Dr. David Katz at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.
And after launching in various supermarkets across the country, the NuVal scoring system is now available in a local supermarket — the Big Y in Ansonia.
Big Y supermarkets started placing NuVal scores on all its shelves this month.
“I’m delighted to see this in a store where my family and my neighbors shop,” said Katz during a press conference held at the Big Y Friday.
How It Works
The scores are based on an evaluation of more than 30 different nutrients.
Good nutrients — such as fiber and calcium — are calculated, and then divided by the negative factors — such as trans fats and sodium — to come up with a score on the 1 to 100 scale.
The nutritionists on the team have created scores for more than 70,000 foods. The scoring took about two years, and was funded by Griffin Hospital.
Katz called the scores “GPS for the food supply.”
“If you want better nutrition, choose this product now,” Katz said, describing the NuVal scores.
NuVal LLC — a for-profit company — licenses the scores to supermarket chains, such as Big Y, to provide their customers with more information about the foods they buy.
Supermarkets Price Chopper and Krogers already license the NuVal scores. There are about 750 stores total using NuVal.
In the next three years, more than 3,000 stores are expected to have the scores listed alongside products.
Watch the NuVal informational video in this story to get a step-by-step break down of the system.
So Which Foods Should I Eat?
The system takes into account overall healthiness of foods, but people shouldn’t exclude all foods that fall below a certain score, Katz said.
Olive and canola oils, for example, don’t score especially high on the scale. Neither does cheese.
But rather than omit those foods from your diet, the NuVal scoring system can help shoppers decide which brands or varieties to purchase.
NuVal scores also indicate that canned vegetables can be as healthy as frozen or fresh vegetables, as long as there’s no salt added to the cans.
In some cases, the same brand can have wide ranging scores. Bear Naked granola, for example, ranged from scores in the teens to 91, depending on the flavor.
The hope is that informed consumers will be able to make better decisions about their food purchases and increase their well being.
“From a public health standpoint, we believe this has potential to really change the world,” said Patrick Charmel, the CEO of Griffin Hospital.
Quiz Yourself!
Click start on the quiz at the top of this article to see if your knowledge of healthy foods matches up with the NuVal scores.
