Getting back to "nutrient dense foods"

 What do we mean by Nutrient Dense Foods??

As opposed to the typical American diet which is very "energy rich" and supplies empty calories, nutrient dense foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients that promote good health. Nutrient dense foods are not high in saturated fats, added sugars nor sodium.  Examples of nutrient dense foods are:

• Fruits,
• Vegetables,
• Fish and seafood,
• Whole grains,
• Poultry (without skin),
• Nuts and legumes,
• Lean meat (unprocessed),
• Non-fat or low-fat dairy (substitutions such as almond milk)

Is there a simple way to rate nutrient density??

                                          

Yes, the more nutrients you obtain from the food for the calories contained, the more nutrient dense the food is.   Food labels can be very handy for helping you to identify not only caloric and fat contents, but also beneficial nutrients contained within a food. 

Tips for making more nutrient dense choices:

• Choose pieces of sweet fruit in place of candy, 
• Replace chips with pieces of crunchy vegetables or vegetable sticks,
• Substitute more veggies in sandwiches and as toppings for your favorite pizza,
• Use non-fat Greek yogurt to substitute for cream and sour cream,
• Use whole grain varieties of rice and pasta,
• Use more water and unsweetened teas in place of sugary drinks.

                                                             Reference

Hingle, M., et al (2016). Practice Paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Selecting Nutrient Dense Foods for Good Health.