Foods that offer the maximum amount of nutrients without excessive calories are referred to as "nutrient-dense." For a 2,200-calorie diet, you can consume up to 12 teaspoons, or 44 g, of sugar daily, but sugar does not provide any nutrients. Energy in foods is measured in calories and comes from carbohydrates, protein and fat. Most of your diet should consist of carbohydrates, but you should choose nutrient-dense carbs. According to MayoClinic.com, 45 to 65 percent of your total calories should come from carbs, 10 to 35 percent from protein and 20 to 35 percent from fat.
Grain Foods
You should eat 3 to 4-ounce equivalents from the grain group each day. Whole grains, which include the germ, endosperm and bran parts of the grain, are preferable. These types of foods provide quality carbohydrates that will keep you full for a long period of time while your body breaks them down. One slice of whole wheat bread provides 70 nutrient-dense calories and less than 2 g of sugar. Enjoy a cup of cooked quick oats, which has 200 calories, but only .5 g of sugar. At lunchtime, make a sandwich on a medium-sized whole-wheat pita.
Replace your white pasta with whole-wheat pasta, which provides 120 calories and 4 g of sugar.
Produce
Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet as a way to consume more energy without the added sugar. You should eat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetables each day, suggests MyPyramid.gov. Consuming the skin from fruits will increase the energy, or calories, you eat. Enjoy a large, fresh apple, which has about 120 calories and 20 g of sugar. Four apricots have less than 70 calories and 13 g of sugar. Fresh vegetables do not have as much sugar as fruit. Enjoy a large-size baked sweet potato with the skin. This will give you nearly 300 calories and 12 g of sugar. A cup of cooked corn offers 125 calories while providing less than 10 g of sugar. Include 1 cup of steamed broccoli, which has 100 calories and 2.5 g of sugar, with your dinner.
Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils are part of the meat group. According to MyPyramid.gov, you need 5 to 6 1/2-ounce equivalents from this group each day. These types of foods provide many nutrient-dense calories, but do not contain much sugar. Beans make a delicious side dish or you can add them to a burrito. You should avoid canned beans, which are stored in a sugary substance. Select dry beans, soak them overnight and cook them to get the maximum nutrients. A 1-cup serving of black beans has around 310 calories and slightly more than a gram of sugar. The same amount of kidney beans provides 330 calories and .5 g of sugar. Add 1/2 cup of cooked lentils, which adds 160 calories and 1.5 g of sugar, to your soup.
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