Energy is derived from the foods you eat in the form of calories. Hearing the phrase "energy rich diet" might make you think you're consuming a diet that will give you an energy boost, or that will provide you with a rich source of nutrients, but the term "energy rich" really only means "calorie rich." To make the most out of an energy rich diet, you need to choose foods that also provide you with a high level of nutrients.
Calories in Macronutrients
There are three different macronutrients that you consume in your food: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Each macronutrient provides a certain number of calories per gram of the nutrient. Both proteins and carbohydrates provide four calories per gram of nutrient while fat provides nine calories per gram of nutrient. Alcohol also provides you with caloric energy at seven calories per gram of alcohol, although alcohol is not considered a macronutrient.
Energy Rich Foods
Energy rich foods provide you with a dense supply of macronutrients and a relatively high number of calories. Foods made up of large percentages of water, like fruits and vegetables, are generally less energy rich, even though they can provide you with a large number of nutrients. Similarly, a candy bar might be energy rich, but a poor choice nutritionally.
Nutrient Dense Foods
You can eat foods that are both energy and nutrient rich. These tend to be foods "close to the earth" and more or less unchanged from their natural form. Foods like whole grains, beans and legumes, lean cuts of meat, soy protein and low-fat milk all fall into the nutrient- and energy-rich category.
Warning
A poorly managed energy-rich diet can lead to weight gain and associated diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol. When you eat an energy rich meal, try to track the total number of calories you're consuming to make sure you don't exceed your daily recommended value. You can determine a close estimate of your personal caloric needs by using a basal metabolic rate calculator on websites like Calories Per Hour.com or Discovery Health. Then multiply the result by 1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725 or 1.9 depending on whether you lead a sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active or extremely active lifestyle.
Considerations
Even though water-based foods like fruits and vegetables don't provide a lot of energy, they do provide lots of vitamins and minerals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eating a broth-based soup or a small salad before your meal can actually help you control your appetite and round out your diet.
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