According to the American Heart Association research has shown that the typical American diet lacks nutrients but is high in calories. We eat lots of empty calories with seemingly no nutritional value. Nutrient-dense foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other things that are important for maintaining your health without including sugars, saturated fat, and other unhealthy add-ons. Looking at the number of calories that are consumed in a food versus the amount of nutrients contained in the food is what the nutrient density of the food is. Here are some tips to add more nutrient dense foods to your diet to make it healthier:

Make it about the fiber!  Complex Carbohydrates

• Quinoa, Brown Rice, Wheat Barley, Oatmeal, etc.
• Increase vegetables including starch vegetables such as potatoes.

Eat whole food.

• Switch from processed deli meat to sliced roasted chicken.
• Better yet, focus on beans and legumes.
• Replace sugary drinks with water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee.  Eliminate or greatly reduce your juice consumption.

Enjoy your favorite foods with healthier options. 

• Try this pizza!  You can completely delete the cheese and it is still delicious.
• Black Bean Brownies

Snack on vegetables and fruits instead of chips and candy.  Your taste preferences will change.

The picture below depicts calorie density in several foods with the one’s on the left being more nutrient-dense foods and less calories. Choosing more nutrient dense foods for your diet will help you in many ways including eating less calories as well as obtaining beneficial nutrients at the same time. Switching some of your daily habits can make big impacts when substituting more nutrient dense foods. You can make these substitutions in both snacks and meals to help for an all-around healthier diet.

Nutrient-Dense Foods

Being mindful of what you are putting on your plate will help in many ways, picking one of these plates and consciously building your plate to look like it will begin to lead you to a healthier lifestyle. By choosing one of these plates, you will also be actively choosing more nutrient-dense foods. The good part is, it is still your choice, you are in control and get to pick from a variety of foods to eat!