Hundreds of diets and weight loss plans claim to hold the key to losing weight and keeping it off. In general, fad diets severely restrict caloric intake or overemphasize a particular food group, which can be an unhealthy diet choice. A food density diet, on the other hand, focuses on the content and quality of foods eaten rather than promoting a diet gimmick.
Food Density
Food density, or energy density, represents the number of calories in a given volume of food. All foods have a particular energy density. Some, such as desserts, soda and processed foods, have a high number of calories per gram. Others, including most fruits and vegetables, contain very few calories per gram. High levels of water, high fiber content and low fat make foods lower in energy density, according to MayoClinic.com.
Guidelines
The central purpose of a energy density weight loss plan is to consume foods low in energy density. Low-density foods make you feel fuller while consuming fewer calories. You can evaluate the energy density of foods by checking the nutritional label and dividing the number of calories per serving by the number of grams in that serving. In general, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins have lower energy densities than red meat, processed foods and oils.
Features
A central feature of the food density diet is the need to carefully plan your meals. MayoClinic.com recommends beginning each meal with a soup or salad. In addition to boosting your vegetable intake, these foods increase satiety and decrease your consumption of the more energy dense main course. In a food density diet, it is important to swap simple sugars and starches, which have a high energy density, for fiber-rich whole grain foods. The fiber content in whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, oatmeal and brown rice increases feelings of fullness. While dieters should not deprive themselves of high-density treats entirely, these should be eaten in moderation and swapped for low-density fruits or frozen yogurt when possible.
Benefits
Following a diet with many low-density foods reduces caloric intake while maintaining feelings of fullness. Eating slowly and mindfully lets your body process the foods and tell you when it is full. In addition to facilitating weight loss, a low-density diet contains high levels of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while minimizing intake of saturated and trans fats. These diet features lower the risk for cardiovascular disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats increases levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and lowers levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, boosting overall health.
Considerations
Strictly following a food density diet to incorporate solely low-density foods may deprive your body of important nutrients. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains provide excellent sources of vitamins and minerals but tend to be low in fat content. The body requires some fat intake to maintain energy levels, according to the website Eat Right America. Rather than excluding all high-density foods entirely, dieters must incorporate small portions of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats into their diets. Avocados, fatty fishes, olives, canola oil and olive oil are important sources of healthy fats and should be eaten in moderation, according to MayoClinic.com.
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