How NuVal works!

Here's an idea: Instead of giving people nutritional advice at the doctor's office, in a book or on TV, give it to them right when they need it - at the grocery store.

The biggest breakthrough hitting the shelves is the nutritional scoring system called NuVal – and it was created by Dr. David Katz from Yale University School of Medicine. It boils nutrition down to a three-digit number ranging from one to 100 - so you can see at a glance the nutritional value of the foods you buy. The higher the score, the healthier the food.

For example, fruits and vegetables like blueberries and spinach score a perfect 100, but regular hot dogs only get a 7. Points are given for good nutrients, like protein, calcium and vitamins, and deducted for not-so-good things, like cholesterol, sugar and sodium. Shoppers love it because it’s so simple. They don’t have to waste time studying ingredient lists or figuring out if “low fat” or “fat free” is healthier. Now, they can tell in an instant if something’s healthy. For example, Ball Park's regular franks get a 7, but Ball Park's Smoked White Turkey fat-free franks score a 24 because they have more protein, less cholesterol and no saturated fat. Right now, you can find the NuVal system at Festival Foods! Or go to Nuval.com to see how nutritious the foods you buy are.