This time of year, many people are setting New Year’s resolutions. Much of the time, these resolutions are focused on improving health and/or lowering body weight. As a registered dietitian, I am happy to help you in this quest, but also wanted to let you know about a system that Hy-Vee has in place that can improve your overall health if used on a regular basis. This system is called NuVal. It is not a diet plan or a calorie counter, but it is a guide to overall better choices.

Overview

The NuVal Nutritional Scoring System truly is expert nutrition knowledge in a single score. 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 on the shelf. While the nutrition facts panel is very accurate nutrition information, it often can be confusing. With NuVal, shoppers can quickly make decisions on the most nutritious food choices within a category by looking at one score, prominently displayed on the shelf tag.

This system was developed over a two-year period and reflects widely accepted research in nutrition and is based off recommendations from the 2005 dietary guidelines, dietary reference intakes (DRIs), the food pyramid and the nutrition facts panel.

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, consumers can now quickly and easily compare the nutritional value of foods not only within a category (vegetables) but also across categories (hamburgers and veggie burgers).

While the program as implemented at store level is known as the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System, the formula used is designed to generate a single score for the “overall nutritional quality” of a food based on its macronutrients (like fat and fiber) and micronutrients (including vitamins, minerals, and flavinoids) and several other of its nutritional properties (e.g., energy density). Thirty nutrients are factored into the food’s score, making the NuVal score the most comprehensive assessment of a food’s overall nutrition we have found. Another point here is that the calculation or equation is the same for all foods. No brands or companies are influencing the NuVal score.

Putting NuVal into use

Hy-Vee knows that customers are concerned about health and they want to be proactive in their food choices. NuVal is a quick way to make better decisions. It is truly very easy to use. You simply just:

1. Look for the NuVal score on each item. It is in the double hexagon emblem on each tag, right next to the price and will be a number between 1 and 100.

2. Compare the number on the item you normally buy with other items within that same category. This is done in the same way as you compare prices.

3. Make a decision. When you want to buy more nutritious foods, simply look for those with a higher NuVal score. Even if you don’t buy the product with the highest score, you have the information you need to make your decision quick and easy.

It is important to mention at this point that NuVal scores in certain categories will not always go up to 100. The category of “salty snacks” for example will have a high score of 52.

So if you are using NuVal and are shopping for the healthiest salty snack, you won’t find a number of 100. In this category, a 52 will be your highest score. My recommendation in this category and others is to look at the product you were going to buy and compare it to others. Choosing a product with a higher NuVal score will mean better nutrition for you. Use this quick reference chart as a guide to the number ranges in different food groups.

A few last notes about the NuVal system:

Hy-Vee plans to have all food items with a nutrition facts panel scored — at this point, the process is not 100 percent complete.

NuVal does not offer guidance on portion size or calories. We know that reasonable sized portions are the key to a healthy diet.

The key to a successful diet is balance and variety. You should choose foods from all categories and range of scores. However, the more frequently you choose foods with higher scores, the better your overall nutrition. The goal of NuVal is to help you make wise food decisions, not to tell you what or what not eat. Sometimes you choose a food just because you love it and that’s OK!

Amy Pleimling is a registered dietition with Hy-Vee Foods in Albert Lea. Health Corner is a weekly column with a different local expert on diet, fitness and medicine each week.