When we talk about nutrient density, it is actually a term to compare one food to another. You can say a food is nutrient dense, but there is no standard or definition for nutrient density. We are going to play the “eat this v.s. that” game, so let’s get started.
How Do We Compare Foods?
Before we begin, it is important to understand how we compare the nutrient densities of food. This used to be a pretty tedious task of looking up foods on different food databases and comparing the amount of vitamins, minerals and other compounds of different foods. Dr. Sarah Ballantyne has made our lives a lot easier with the Nutrivore Score. This score measures the total amount of nutrients per calorie of food. This was no easy task as many different food databases have incomplete data on nutrient profiles. Therefore, the nutrivore score includes 32 primary nutrients plus 1 bonus nutrient that includes the highest value available for 1 additional nutrient. This bonus nutrient could be glucosinolates, conjugated linoleic acid, taurine, or betaine, to name a few.
Now we have an unbiased calculation for nutrient density and can compare different foods with one easy metric. For this discussion, I am using the publicly available nutrivore scores listed on the nutrivore website.
Which Leafy Green is the Best?
Leafy greens are a fantastic vegetable that all tend to be nutrient dense because they are low in calories and high in nutrients. Eating leafy greens can actually protect against cancer, heart disease and cognitive decline. Watercress is a leafy green that is part of the mustard family, and it is also one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. It has a nutrivore score of 6929. Alternatively, rainbow chard is another super nutrient dense leafy green that is great to use in salads or as lettuce for wraps. The lowest nutrient dense leafy green is iceberg lettuce at 773, which is actually nutrient dense. So no, iceberg lettuce is not like eating water, you can still get a handful of nutrients from it.
What Beverages Give Us Nutrients?
Beverages always get a bad reputation for being high in calories and void of nutrients. But here’s a plot twist, brewed coffee is actually the most nutrient dense foods out there. It has a nutrivore score of 7036 because it is very low in calories and very high in polyphenols, vitamin B2 and B7. Espresso, my favorite, is slightly lower at 2304. Decaffeinated coffee is the lowest of the coffee drinks at 1826.
Other nutrient dense drinks include black and green tea, as well as oolong tea. The lowest unprocessed nutrient dense beverages are dairy based products, including whole milk (nutrivore score: 202) and sheep milk (nutrivore score 210).
What About Grains and Pseudograins?
I know grains are a bit controversial for this community, but they can offer a handful of important nutrients and protection from chronic illnesses like heart disease and all-cause mortality.
Quinoa is the most nutrient dense pseudograin listed on the nutrivore website, with a nutrivore score of 227. It is an excellent source of copper, magnesium folate and vitamin E. Oats are a close second at 208. Brown rice and wild rice both have a nutrivore score of 154.
White rice is the lowest of the grains listed, with a nutrivore score of 66. However, it still contains a good amount of manganese and resistant starch
What About Fruit?
I don’t know when fruit started getting a bad reputation. Fruit has numerous health benefits and some very high nutrient dense foods as well. Tomato is actually the highest, with a nutrivore score of 983. Strawberries and blackberries are next, both of which have high levels of vitamin C and polyphenols. Papaya is also very nutrient dense, as are asian pears. Surprisingly regular pears are one of the lowest nutrient dense foods, but they also contain ample amounts of fiber and polyphenols.
What Proteins Are Highest in Nutrients?
As far as protein goes, the most nutrient dense choice is beef liver, with a nutrivore score of 4021. If offal isn’t your thing, your next best option is Wild Eastern Oysters at 3049. For something a little more mainstream, king mackerel has a nutrivore score of 1242. The most nutrient dense legume is lentils with a nutrivore score of 489. Want to know the lowest nutrient dense protein? Hot dogs. Bacon is a close second to last place, unfortunately.
Eating a nutrient dense diet should not involve exclusion of the low nutrient dense foods. All foods fit into a healthy eating pattern. However, when making choices about different foods, please do consider their nutrient density. A good starting goal is to aim for at least 3 high nutrient dense foods per day. Most people do not even eat vegetables on a regular basis, so even including just one vegetable daily will increase the nutrient density of your diet. If you need more help making these dietary shifts, please contact me for help. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for more tips to improve your chronic conditions with diet and lifestyle.
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