More Bang for Your Buck: Nutrient Density

Nutrient Density

An important concept in nutrition is the concept of nutrient density. Basically this means that for a certain amount of calories in foods, there is a variable amount of nutrients. For example, 100 calories of many different foods will have very different nutrient amounts even though the calorie or energy value remains the same. The nutrients to focus on are those that are useful for disease prevention and maintaining a healthy weight. These are typically low in the modern-American diet. These include the following:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fiber
• Antioxidants
• Phytochemicals (known and unknown)
• Essential fatty acids

For example, if we were to look at 100 calories of broccoli, mozzarella cheese and whole wheat bread, we would see a distinct difference in the nutrient density. Some foods have many more nutrients than others. It is interesting to look at the nutrients in cheese and bread as these foods make up a large proportion of Americans’ diets. Here is small sampling of nutrients found in these foods:

Clearly, the broccoli is the most nutrient dense food. Another thing to consider is the serving size and fiber content of the foods. People who have ever been on a diet know that despite the amount of calories in a food, whether the food fills them up so they are satisfied is what counts. Research shows us that the satiating effect of foods depends on the following in addition to the nutrient density:

1. water content
2. fiber

Here are 100 calories of the three foods again to see which would be most satiating:

Clearly, the amount of broccoli is much larger portion size, with more water, and contains much more fiber than the other 2 foods. In fact, as an example, 100 calories of broccoli would be about 13 ounce bag of frozen broccoli. That is a lot of food!

This rings true for most vegetables, legumes, and fruits. These are foods with the highest nutrient density, the most fiber, and the most water content. When making menu or meal choices, it would be good to imagine your plate and what portion of it you devote to low nutrient vs. high nutrient foods. A good rule of thumb: Aim to reserve 50-75% of your plate fruits and vegetables (some cooked and some raw).