Campbell's Healthy Request condensed vegetable soups ranked among top affordable, nutritious options
A new food rating system that analyzes both nutrition and cost value of food may now make it easier for people to find budget-friendly, nutritious foods in today-s tough economy. The Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI), unveiled today at the American Dietetic Association-s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo by leading nutrition expert Adam Drewnowski, PhD, professor at the University of Washington, is the first and only tool that assesses food-s nutritional profile and cost value to create a nutrition-value-per-dollar score.
The ANI is guided by recommendations in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and calculates a food score based on nine essential nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and E) and three nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugars and sodium.
Nearly 300 commonly eaten foods including fresh vegetables, fruits, grains from an independent food intake frequency questionnaire, and various convenience foods, including a variety of Campbell-s- soups, were assessed in the study. Results showed that dark colored vegetables, certain fruits and vegetable soups were among the most affordable, nutritious foods.
-In today-s economy, more people are making food choices based solely on cost, so it-s important to guide them on ways to get nutritious options without hurting their wallets,- said Drewnowski. -It is important to identify a wide range of affordable, nutritious choices that can help people build a balanced diet that fits their lifestyle and budget.-
Vegetables and Vegetable Soups Get Top Scores for Nutrition and Value
In Drewnowski-s analysis, the ANI ranked two dozen soups as comparable to - and in some cases, higher than - many common fruits and vegetables. Drewnowski concluded that based on nutrition and price value, vegetable soups can be a convenient way to help people eat a more healthful, yet affordable, diet consistent with Dietary Guidelines. This new research further validates the importance of including affordable choices across multiple categories of nutritious fresh and prepared foods.
Among the specific findings: