What is the NuVal Score?
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Ask the Diva: What’s Your Opinion of the NuVal Score?
Q. My local supermarket has added ‘NuVal’ nutrition scores to most of the labels in the store. How accurate do you think they are for judging the “healthiness” of food?
Answer. The NuVal system assigns a single number to foods based on a complex formula that takes into account a long list of vitamins, minerals, fiber, types of fat, protein quality, energy density, glycemic load, and so on.
“Good” nutrients like antioxidants or omega-3 fats bring the score up; “bad” nutrients like cholesterol, sugar, and sodium bring the score down. The basic idea is to save shoppers time and simplify the task of selecting healthy foods. Faced with 100 kinds of breakfast cereal, it’s a lot easier to scan the shelf for the highest NuVal score than to study the nutrition facts labels on every box. Inevitably, a system that attempts to rate everything from soup to nuts with a single formula won’t get it right every time.
For example, plain popcorn (relatively harmless as snack foods go but not exactly a nutritional powerhouse) rates twice as high as a skinless chicken breast. I think the NuVal system is probably most useful (but still not infallible) when used to compare foods within fairly tight categories, such as breakfast cereals or canned soups.
Related Content: For a longer discussion of the pros and cons, see this article on my blog at NutritionOverEasy.com.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.