These healthy nutrients will be listed lower on the label and include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, and others.
You can use this tactic to compare foods against one another to determine which is more nutritionally dense. For example, imagine you’re comparing a whole grain bread (which has . 25–. 5 mg of Vitamin E) against a white bread (which has . 1 mg of vitamin E). Both breads will contain roughly the same number of calories, but the whole grain bread will have much better nutrient density. [7] X Research source
One of the more common means of measuring nutrient density is Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s nutrient density scale, which divides the nutrients in a food by its calories, and produces a value from 1–1,000 (indicating low to high nutrient density) on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI). Produce features heavily on the list: for example, kale and watercress each have 1,000 points, while soda and corn chips have a 1 and 7, respectively. [8] X Research source
The category of whole foods generally includes fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, and even starchy foods (like potatoes) and proteins (like steak or chicken) when these are prepared without processing or deep frying. Whole-grain breads are an example of a nutrient-dense whole food, as their grains have not undergone the processing that other breads have. This bread is much healthier than regular white bread: although it contains roughly the same number of calories, it contains many more nutrients. [11] X Research source
You may find yourself debating between foods with different nutritional strengths: for example, one which is high in vitamin A but low in vitamin D, and another which is high in vitamin C and iron. As a general rule, opt for foods with high levels of multiple nutrients. Also take calories into consideration: if a food offers a variety of nutrients but contains hundreds of calories, its nutrient density may actually be low.
Choose fat-free foods when possible. This is not to say that all fat is unhealthy, but that cutting down on the fat content in foods will also reduce the caloric content, and consequently improve the ratio of nutrients to calories.
Processed foods are typically high in sodium and sugar, and generally have very low nutritional value and consequently low nutritional density.
Since you’ll be cutting back on meat for the purposes of enhancing nutrient density, you’ll need to find other ways to consume complete proteins so that your overall nutrition doesn’t suffer. Focus on eating beans (kidney beans are relatively nutrient rich), squash, and other high-protein vegetables.
Organic produce also has other health benefits, in that it has not been treated with pesticides. These health benefits apply to more than just produce, and include meat.
Organic foods are often among those shipped the greatest distances from their place of harvest to the place they’re sold. Before you purchase organic food in a grocery store, check the label: if it’s been imported from several states away, look for a more local option. A farmer’s market is a great location to find both organic and locally grown produce.
Fruits tend to be more sweet and slightly higher in calories, and consequently have lower nutrient densities. However, fruits like strawberries, apples, peaches, and blueberries are still relatively dense nutritionally.
