When going to the grocery store, it often feels like we’re in a race against time. We rush through the store getting our weekly groceries before the clock runs out. While we strive to get the most nutritious products for our family, it can be difficult when there’s little time to compare the nutritional value of every product.

Let’s face it, even if we did have time to compare each product, the food labels can get confusing. With terms like no sugar added, sugar free, fat free and high in fiber; it can get frustrating trying to pick the best item for our family.
At Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods we have a tool that lets you pick the most nutritious products in a short amount of time. NuVal is a scoring system that places food’s overall nutritional value on a scale between 1 and 100. Simply put, the higher the NuVal score, the higher the product’s overall nutrition. You can find these scores located in the blue double hexagon on the price tag.

NuVal produces the scores by entering the information from the nutrition facts panel and the ingredients list into an algorithm, called Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI). The ONQI takes into account 30 different nutrients that affect the health of the general public, including sodium, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, cholesterol, fiber, antioxidants and a number of vitamins and minerals.

When using NuVal, there is not a particular score to shoot for; rather it’s a tool to help you compare items. If you normally buy a cereal that scores a 10, try to find one that scores a little higher, like a 17. Just remember the higher the score, the better the overall nutrition of the product.

The NuVal system is not a diet and should not take place of any dietary recommendations provided by your doctor. NuVal is a quick and simple tool to help you pick the most nutritious foods for your family.

If you have any questions about NuVal, you can contact Brookshire’s Consumer Nutrition Specialist at askbrooke@brookshires.com or 903-266-2421.