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Nutrient Dense Foods

Food gives us

  1. Calories (energy)
  2. Nutrients that create structural components of our body (cells, tissue, bones etc) AND are vital for millions of chemical reactions happening in our bodies every moment of every day
[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Sarah Ballantyne” source_title=”Paleo Principles” full_quote=”We are made of nutrients, and our bodies need them to do even basic things like breath. Every tiny detail of every function of every part of the body requires nutrients, and it isn’t just the energy supplied by macronutrients – protein, fat and carbohydrates – that fuel the complex functions of life. Micronutrients – vitamins, mineral, phytochemicals and other compounds – are necessary resources that get used up too. Our micronutrient stores must be continuously topped up from the foods we eat. Being even slightly deficient in a single essential nutrient can have negative consequences for our health.” short_quote=”Being even slightly deficient in a single essential nutrient can have negative consequences for our health.”]

Calories (and nutrients) come from macronutrients:

  • carbohydrates
  • fats
  • proteins

Nutrient sufficiency comes from focusing on micronutrients:

  • vitamins
  • minerals
  • phytochemicals (naturally occurring plant chemicals)

Eating large quantities of nutrient dense foods leads to optimal health. Consuming foods rich in nutrients and fiber and low in calories also fills us up. This prevents us from overeating.

This concept of nutrient density comes from Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Nutrient density = more nutrient per calorie.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”Joel Fuhrman, MD, Eat to Live” full_quote=”Most vegetables contain more nutrients per calorie than any other food and are rich in all necessary amino acids. The higher percentage of nutrient-dense plant foods in the diet allows us to predict freedom from cancer, heart attacks, diabetes and excess body weight. Fruits, vegetables, and beans must be the base of your food pyramid.” short_quote=”Most vegetables contain more nutrients per calorie than any other food and are rich”]

The most nutrient dense foods come from plants because of their phytochemicals that are only now beginning to be understood. The concentration of phytochemicals is often highlighted by vibrant colors — purple, red, green, and orange. Eating a wide variety of these plant foods is the most beneficial. Each provides unique health benefits.

According to Dr. Fuhrman, the most nutrient dense foods are:

  • Greens vegetables (spinach, kale, romaine)
  • Beans (all kinds: peas, garbanzo, lentils etc)
  • Onions and garlic
  • Mushrooms
  • Berries
  • Seeds and nuts

They contain micronutrients that have profound protective effects.

  • Protect us from cancers, atherosclerosis and diabetes
  • Lower cholesterol
  • Reduce inflammatory response (inflammation is linked to disease)
  • Improve our defenses against environmental stresses
  • Delay the onset of late-life diseases
  • Enhance cellular repair mechanisms, including DNA repair enzymes, this strengthens our immune system
  • Suppress genetic alterations associated with aging, reduces “old-age” conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis etc.

Dietary patterns rich in nutrient dense foods lead to health. High-nutrient, low-calorie eating can increase lifespan as well as prevent chronic illnesses.

Raw vegetable consumption shows the strongest protective effect against cancer of any beneficial food. But less than 1 in 100 Americans consumes enough calories from plant foods to ensure this defense.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link source=”Joel Fuhrman, MD, Eat to Live” full_quote=”The diseases that afflict and eventually kill, almost all Americans can be avoided. You can live a high-quality, disease-free life and remain physically active and healthy. To achieve the results in preventing and reversing diseases and attaining a permanent healthy body weight, we must be concerned with the nutritional quality of our diet.” short_quote=”The diseases that afflict and eventually kill, almost all Americans can be avoided”]

In general Americans are nutrient-deficient because the Standard American Diet is high in calories and low in nutrition. Over 90% of calories consumed by Americans come from refined foods or animal products.

What to Do?

Increase consumption of nutrient-dense foods. Make them a key part of your meals on a regular basis. Sustainably-sourced red meat is also nutrient-dense. But that’s a subject for another blogpost.

  • Aim to get a variety of plant-foods into meals.
  • Breakfast: Adds spices, seeds, nuts into oatmeal and homemade granola, mix/layer with seasonal fruits and whole-milk Greek yogurt or coconut milk. If making pancakes/muffins, add chopped or shredded fruits or veggies, spices, nuts/seeds.  Smoothies is an easy way in increase variety: veggies, fruits, spices seeds, nuts.
  • Omnivore meals include animal protein as a part of the meal ,rather than the centerpiece of the meal.
  • Green (arugula, kale, spinach) based salad or cruciferous (shredded cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts) based-salads every day either for lunch or dinner
  • Nuts/seeds every day: in our oatmeal/granola/breakfast breads, in grains (quinoa, barly, rice) or salads.
  • Beans 3 – 4 times a week. Hummus/bean dips are a great way to eat more beans: sandwich or wrap spread, dip for veggies and/or seed crackers for a snack, a dollop on salad.

For More Health Empowerment:

Dr. Fuhrman: GBOMBS

An acronym to remember the most nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods on the planet: Greens Beans Onions Mushrooms Berries Seeds/Nuts These are the foods that we should eat every day, and they should make up a significant proportion of our diet. These foods are extremely effective at preventing chronic disease and promoting health and longevity.

Originally published October 2020

 

 

Nutrient-Density for Life

I get asked all the time about my workout routine and I’ve explained more times than I can remember that it’s not just about being active—even walking half an hour a day matters, but that’s a different conversation. Fundamental to my physical fitness is my eating lifestyle.

And it all boils down to choosing nutrient-density for life. Nutrient-dense foods are those that have the most nutrients per calorie. Making nutrient-dense foods the core of my food choices for me is a commitment for life, both in terms of lifestyle but most importantly for quality of life and longevity.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Eat To Live” full_quote=”

Our health is predicted by our nutrient intake divided by our intake of calories.

Health = Nutrients/Calories

This is a concept I call nutrient density of your diet. Food supplies us with both nutrients and calories (energy). All calories come from only three elements: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Nutrients are derived from non-caloric food factors—including vitamins, minerals, fibers and phytochemicals. These nutrients are vitally important for health. For both optimal health and weight loss, you must consume a diet with a high nutrient-per-calorie ratio.

” short_quote=”Our health is predicted by our nutrient intake divided by our intake of calories.”]

Recently I realized that in my twenties and thirties I exercised and ate to look good. Now it’s indisputably about feeling good, being healthy and aging well.

It’s devastating to witness the toll Parkinson has on my beloved, intelligent, athletic father. As I’ve shared before, it was his diagnosis that started me down the path to learn more about food and health. The sense of impotence is overwhelming in a disease like Parkinson’s that has no cure. Because I’ve always had a passion for food and healthy eating, food was a natural thing for me to grab onto as a means to help him. Food was something I could control. So I dove in, looking for ways that nutrition might slow down the advance of the disease.

Along the way I was astounded, and am continuously surprised anew, at the stunning link between our dietary/lifestyle choices and health.

Now its not only about helping my dad, it is critical to my health as well. And also to raise my daughter to be food/health literate. Teaching her to enjoy and choose a healthy food lifestyle is one of the best lessons I can give her and will serve her the rest of her life.

Our daily food choices have the power to deteriorate and even shorten our lives. And glory be! The reverse is also true: a high nutrient-lifestyle can lower our chances of developing serious diseases and add more years to our life. With the added benefits that along the way it will help us sleep better, feel better physically and emotionally and have more energy.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Eat To Live” full_quote=”

Eating large quantities of high-nutrient foods is the secret to optimal health. High-nutrient, low-calorie eating results in dramatic increases in life span as well as prevention of chronic illnesses. Food gives us energy and the building blocks to grow in the form of calories. The power is non-caloric micronutrients in food (vitamins, minerals and especially phytochemicals) that strengthen and support normal immune function.

Utilizing a combination of foods that are rich in powerful, immunity-strengthening phytochemicals and other micronutrients, it’s possible to prevent most common modern diseases. By maximizing the function and protective potential of the human immune system, we can protect our bodies against disease.

” short_quote=”Eating large quantities of high-nutrient foods is the secret to optimal health. High-nutrient, low-calorie eating results in dramatic increases in life span”]

This journey of food and health is incredibly empowering. It’s taught me that we have far more control in our health destiny than dire statistics seem to indicate.

So what to eat? As many plants as possible! Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Plant foods contain more nutrients per calorie than any other food on the planet. And within the plant kingdom, some are much higher in nutrients than plants. At the top of the list are GBOMBS: greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries and seeds. Those are the core of my weekly menus, but all plant foods make an appearance at different times. The beauty of eating locally and seasonally, is the way it changes the food we enjoy.

This doesn’t mean I’m vegetarian, but rather that I choose a plant-rich eating lifestyle. Meat is usually a condiment. And yes, on occasion I enjoy a delicious steak, just like I love a luscious piece of chocolate cake. But those are treats rather than the norm. For every day eating, I love the challenge of seeing how many plant foods I can pack into a meal.

How many plant foods do you average in your breakfast? On a given day?

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Eat To Live” full_quote=”The higher percentage of nutrient-dense plant foods in the diet allows us to predict freedom from cancer, heart attacks, diabetes and excess body weight. Fruits, vegetables, and beans must be the base of your food pyramid.” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Eat to Live” short_quote=”The higher percentage of nutrient-dense plant foods in the diet allows us to predict”]

For More Empowerment

Nutrient Dense Foods

SuperFoods: The backbone for a healthy life

Nutritionfacts.org

 

Books

Eat to Live, Joel Furhman MD

Super Immunity, Joel Fuhrman MD

How to Not Die, Michael Greger

Genius Foods, Max Lugavere

SuperFoods Rx, Steven G Pratt MD, Kathy Matthews

China Study, Thomas Campbell

White Bean and Kale Stew

I may be a little obsessed with nutrient-dense foods and repeating over and over again how greens, beans and onions are an immune-boosting power cocktail, but putting aside repetition, this soup is flavorful and sticks to the ribs.

Variations:

  • Add other vegetables (bell pepper, a turnip, maybe a cup of chopped broccoli or cauliflower) depending on what is in my refrigerator
  • Garbanzo beans or kidney beans if that was on hand
  • Add sausage (cook with the chopped onions)
  • Add leftover cooked chicken when adding the kale
  • Use other greens (spinach, swiss chard) instead of kale

Crimson Coleslaw

Visually delightful with its vibrant hues, this salad is super-charged with healthy benefits.

Cabbage is one of the most nutrient-dense foods that can boost our immune system and protect us from disease.

Although green cabbage is most common, red cabbage has added nutritional benefits. The rich red color of red cabbage providing unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Beets also have exceptional nutritional powers.

[su_expanding_quote_web alignment=”full” source_site=”World’s Healthiest Foods: Beets” source_url=”www.websitename.com” full_quote=”Beets contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.” short_quote=”Beets help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers”]

Variations:

  •  Add 1/3 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
  •  Add 1 cup grated carrots
  • Add thinly sliced fennel bulb
  • To change up the dressing, add 1 – 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt to balsamic vinaigrette

Recipes

White Bean and Kale Stew

I may be a little obsessed with nutrient-dense foods and repeating over and over again how greens, beans and onions are an immune-boosting power cocktail, but putting aside repetition, this soup is flavorful and sticks to the ribs.

Variations:

  • Add other vegetables (bell pepper, a turnip, maybe a cup of chopped broccoli or cauliflower) depending on what is in my refrigerator
  • Garbanzo beans or kidney beans if that was on hand
  • Add sausage (cook with the chopped onions)
  • Add leftover cooked chicken when adding the kale
  • Use other greens (spinach, swiss chard) instead of kale

Crimson Coleslaw

Visually delightful with its vibrant hues, this salad is super-charged with healthy benefits.

Cabbage is one of the most nutrient-dense foods that can boost our immune system and protect us from disease.

Although green cabbage is most common, red cabbage has added nutritional benefits. The rich red color of red cabbage providing unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Beets also have exceptional nutritional powers.

[su_expanding_quote_web alignment=”full” source_site=”World’s Healthiest Foods: Beets” source_url=”www.websitename.com” full_quote=”Beets contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.” short_quote=”Beets help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers”]

Variations:

  •  Add 1/3 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
  •  Add 1 cup grated carrots
  • Add thinly sliced fennel bulb
  • To change up the dressing, add 1 – 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt to balsamic vinaigrette