New nutritional ratings system for food
Posted: 08.16.2010 at 4:03 PM
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AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A new method to determine the nutritional value of food is beginning to be seen in the Amarillo area. It's called "Nu-val" and it rates foods for you based on the good and bad components of each item.

All food receives a ranking between 1 and 100. The higher the number, the more nutritious it is for you.

But, according to BSA Dietician and Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Micah Wing, you have to remember to only compare similar foods. So, you can't compare meats to fruit.

"It's great for consumers to understand nutrition and for the experts to be able to put it in a way that's easy to read, easy to see, and help us make nutritious choices. It's easier and quicker just to see a score of 1 to 100 than looking at all the nutritional facts and trying to figure it out for yourself. In certain food groups, you're not going to score a 100. Cereals for example, good, healthy cereal options might score in the 30's or 20's. So comparing food across that food's category is going to be ideal. Getting the best score for the category is the goal."

Nu-val can be found at Market Street United and the United at 45th and Bell. All United stores hope to have the new system in place by year's end.