Foods that are rich in nutrients and relatively low in calories are referred to as nutrient dense foods. The United States Department of Agriculture suggests focusing your diet almost exclusively on nutritionally-dense foods. This can be as simple as switching from whole milk to fat-free skim milk -- fewer calories but still contains all of the nutrients milk provides.
Types of Nutrients
Nutrients are the vitamins and minerals in food that your body needs to function properly. There are many different important nutrients you need each day, including Vitamins A and C, calcium, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, iron, folic acid, sodium, niacin and more. Any food that is packed with a variety of these nutrients is considered to be a nutrient dense food and is the type of food you need to design your diet around.
USDA Recommended Foods
The USDA suggests in its 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that you should eat a variety of nutrient dense foods as part of a well-balanced diet. This includes consuming a healthy amount of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy and beans/legumes/lean meats. It's also important to note that foods, such as cereals, that claim to be whole grain but contain large amounts of sugar are not as nutritionally-dense compared to whole grain cereal with no added sugar. Sugar is full of empty calories.
Most Nutritionally-Dense Foods
Some foods will provide you with the highest concentration of vitamins and minerals compared to others. Physician, and best-selling author, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., says you should eat 90 percent of your daily calories from nutrient dense plant foods. He puts food in the following order of nutrient density from highest to lowest: vegetables, beans/legumes, fruits, seeds/nuts/avocados, whole grains/potatoes, chicken/fish/eggs/oil/fat-free dairy and beef/cheese/sweets/processed foods.
Weight Loss
Because nutrient dense foods are full of vitamins and minerals yet low in calories, a diet that focuses on these types of foods can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. In other words, you body can get all the nutrients it needs while consuming fewer calories. One important nutrient, fiber, can help you feel full, helping you eat less. Other nutrients, such as B Vitamins, help give your body energy for exercising. You can track how many calories and nutrients you're consuming each day by reading the nutrition label on the foods you eat.
Member Comments