Eat by Numbers

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:30:00 PDT

Need a simple number, one through 100, to tell you how to eat? Well the good folks at Griffin Prevention Research Center, part of Yale University, created an algorithm to rank the “overall nutritional quality" of food. The equation factors in vitamin content, macronutrient composition, nutritional density, and other nutritional properties. The Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI) will begin appearing on foods at many grocery stores soon. To see how 11 foods ranked, click the orange start button.

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New Nutrition Labels Coming in '08

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:00:00 PST

Truth be told, I can be a little obsessive about reading nutrition labels while shopping. If you're a label reader too, you'll be happy to know that new nutrition labels will be added to products, so you can compare different food choices easily and (hopefully) opt for healthier alternative.

Called the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI), the new system basically rates food and assigns numbers from 1 to 100. It will also note negative aspects of food like high saturated fat or cholesterol, and will also show positives like high fiber and low sugar.

Topco Associates LLC, a grocery distribution and services cooperative, is introducing this new nutritional label system. Topco is owned by a number of different stores including Wegmans, IGA, Hy-Vee, and Food City, so you can expect to see these labels in those stores first. The new labels should be hitting stores across the US in the second half of 2008. Manufacturers aren't required to put the new labels on their products, but grocery stores can choose to display the new labels next to the price if they want to. I sure hope they do!

Do you read the nutritional labels before you buy your food? Do you think this new system will change the way you shop?

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