NuVal™
About the NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System
You know that making better food choices is essential to good health, but it can be confusing and time-consuming. Now the NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System is here to help.
Developed by a recognized team of nutrition and medical experts from leading health organizations and universities, the NuVal™ System is a food-scoring system that helps consumers see – at a glance – the nutritional value of the food they buy.
How the Scoring Works
The NuVal™ System scores food on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the NuVal™ Score, the higher the nutrition. It’s that simple.
Because the NuVal System applies the same nutritional criteria to all foods, you can now quickly and easily compare the nutritional value of foods not only within a category (vegetables) but also across categories (vegetables and veggie burgers).
The Science Behind the NuVal™ System
The NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System is powered by a patent-pending algorithm (the Overall Nutritional Quality Index or ONQI™) that summarizes the nutritional quality of foods and beverages into a single number. It was developed over a two-year period by an independent team of nutrition and medical experts from leading universities and health organizations.
The NuVal™ System considers more than 30 nutrients when developing a Score – including carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It accounts for how these nutrients influence health outcomes and how they relate to recommendations from the USDA dietary guidelines and Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes.
How the NuVal™ System Benefits You
The NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System helps you cut through the clutter of nutrition information so you can make informed decisions about food quickly, easily and with confidence.
Should you buy the wheat rolls or the potato bread? Which salty snack is more nutritious for your family? These are the decisions that the NuVal™ System can help you make – in mere seconds – as you’re walking down the supermarket aisle.
A Different Approach to Nutrition
We realize other nutrition ranking systems are being promoted in the marketplace and we believe it is important for you to understand how the NuVal™ System differs.
It is truly independent. The team of recognized nutrition and medical experts that developed the ONQI™ algorithm behind the NuVal™ System was entirely funded by Yale-affiliated Griffin Hospital without support from manufacturers or other parties interested in promoting specific foods. Ownership and ongoing oversight of the algorithm remains in the hands of Griffin Hospital.
- It provides complete and easy-to-use nutritional guidance. The NuVal™ System summarizes the overall nutritional value of food into a single number. Our 1-100 scoring range enables consumers – at a glance – to see and compare the nutritional value of the foods they buy.
- It uses a robust scoring model. The NuVal™ System considers more than 30 different nutrients and nutrition factors – and their impact on health outcomes – to determine a food’s Score, so it gives a robust and fair account of a food’s true nutritional value.
- It applies to all products in a grocery store. Our goal is to score 100% of the 50,000+ products in the average grocery store – including private-label products. And because the NuVal™ System applies the same criteria to all foods and beverages, consumers are able to compare the nutritional value of products both within and across food categories.
- It links price and nutrition. For every product on the shelf, consumers can see and compare (side by side on the same tag) exactly what they’re paying for how much nutrition. This is a key benefit to consumers as the economy squeezes family budgets.
NuVal™ Scores in Stores
NuVal™ Scores will be displayed right at the point of purchase – on shelf tags, aisle signage and other communications. At a glance, you’ll be able to see and compare the nutritional value of products as part of your regular shopping routine.
Store managers and associates trained in the NuVal™ System will be available to answer questions and help you use NuVal™ Scores while you are shopping. There also will be a variety of informational materials about the NuVal™ System available in your local store.
Eventually, almost every product in our supermarket will have a NuVal™ Score. Scores will roll out by category (produce, protein, salty snacks, etc.), so if you don’t see NuVal™ Scores in your favorite aisle yet, know that they are coming soon.
Want To Learn More About NuVal™?
Click here to visit the Nuval™ Nutritional Scoring System website.
NOTE: The Nuval™ website will open in a new browser window. If you have a pop-up blocker installed in your web browser, you may want to turn it off. The Nuval™ website is not managed by Hy-Vee, Inc.
