A nutrient-dense diet includes foods that provide the greatest nutrition per calorie consumed, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and nuts. Such diets generally avoid high-calorie options that provide few beneficial nutrients like fast food and sugary snacks.
Concerns remain about how foods are identified as nutrient dense. For instance, should poultry skin be considered nutrient dense given its relatively low saturated fatty acid (SFA) content?
Fruits
Nutrient-dense foods provide essential vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals that may have health benefits with relatively few (kilo)calories. Furthermore, these foods typically offer fiber, healthy fats and phytochemicals associated with reduced chronic disease risks.
National nutrition guidelines advise the consumption of foods rich in essential nutrients; but how do these foods define themselves?
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and 2010 Dietary Guidelines for America both recommend that nutrient-dense foods include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as well as fat-free or low-fat milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans & peas nuts seeds dried or canned legumes as nutrient dense options. But many individuals consume mixed dishes which include both nutrients dense ingredients such as lasagne with chicken for instance as well as nonnutritious elements; would such meals count as being considered as nutrient dense foods?
Vegetables
Nutritious vegetables contain an abundance of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Furthermore, they offer energy from plant-sourced proteins while remaining relatively low in saturated fat content.
Vegetables are an abundant source of calcium, iron and vitamin A. In addition, many vegetables provide essential dietary fiber and antioxidant benefits.
Enjoying a variety of vegetables to maximize their health benefits is essential in getting the maximum returns from their vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber content. Furthermore, cooking techniques like steaming, stir-frying or grilling may help minimize any loss of essential vitamins during preparation; tomatoes yield more lycopene when cooked than raw. The same principle holds true for other nutrient-rich veggies such as spinach, broccoli and cauliflower.
Dairy
Milk and other dairy foods provide essential calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients. Dairy fats (full-fat, non-fat and low-fat) provide a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fats. While full-fat may offer greater heart-health benefits than non-fat varieties of the same dairy food products, including low-fat yogurts and cheese as part of a healthy eating pattern can help lower heart disease risk significantly.
For those who cannot consume dairy for health reasons or prefer not to due to veganism or other reasons, plant-based milk alternatives like almond and soy milk provide similar nutritional value.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an energy source and an essential macronutrient. While natural sources include fruits and vegetables and dairy products, as well as processed food with added carbohydrates such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or starch; carbohydrates also can be added through food processing processes or additives such as high fructose corn syrup.
The body converts carbohydrates to glucose for use as fuel by cells and tissues – specifically the brain which relies on it for proper functioning.
Choose carbs from minimally processed sources, like whole grains, nonstarchy vegetables and legumes for “good carbs” that won’t spike blood sugar while providing fiber and other essential nutrients. Avoid refined sugars and high glycemic index (GI) sweeteners which have been linked with an increased risk of disease.
Nuts
Nuts are energy-dense foods with complex matrices packed with bioactive macronutrients and micronutrients such as unsaturated fats, vegetable proteins, tocopherols, minerals and phytosterols – making them an excellent source of bioactive macronutrients and micronutrients that may lower chronic disease risks. Their consumption has been associated with decreased risks.
Nut proteins provide essential amino acids arginine and glutamic acid, and also contain phenolic compounds which provide further benefits.
Prospective studies conducted on humans have revealed that regular consumption of nuts has been linked with reduced risks of coronary heart disease, sudden cardiac death and diabetes for women; and decreased cholesterol in men. These associations exist regardless of other dietary variables. Furthermore, nuts do not seem to lead to increased fatness.
Seeds
Seeds contain all of the essential nutrients required for their germination into new plants, including protein, soluble fiber, healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals.
Seeds like sunflower, flax and chia provide protein, fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals – as well as potentially helping lower cholesterol levels and help manage blood sugar.
Though most people don’t consume whole seeds, many do sprinkle them onto foods like muesli or oatmeal at breakfast and salads at lunch. Be wary: many seeds and nuts contain phytic acid that can interfere with digestion by binding with minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium and inhibiting absorption into your system.
