Study: NuVal helps consumers with DASH diet

BRAINTREE, Mass. A diet aimed at combating hypertension corresponds with a nutrition-ranking system used in several supermarket chains, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study found that foods ranked highly in the NuVal system corresponded with those recommended in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet. The system ranks foods on a score from 1 to 100, with high scores indicating higher nutritional value. The system is a joint venture between Topco Associates and Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn., and is used in the Hy-Vee, Price Chopper and Meijer chains. The system will soon appear in United Supermarkets.

“The promise that came with the NuVal system from the start was that people could improve their diets, and health, one well-informed choice at a time,” said David Katz, director and co-founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center and one of the system’s creators. “In this study, we have the data to connect those docts –– the foods in the health-promoting DASH diet add up to a higher average score than the typical American diet.”