Nutrient Dense vs. Nutrient Poor ( part IV)

No doubt calories give you energy, but the wrong foods can be nothing but empty calories that end up in the wrong places.

Nutrient density gives you the most nutrients for the least amount of calories. Simply put, the ratio of nutrients to calories.

Nutrient-dense foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants – and are low in calories.

For the best guideline refer to the “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index”.  ANDI is a scoring system that rates foods on scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content.

The higher the score, the more nutrient-dense and healthy the food.

Just to give you an idea Kale & Swiss Chard top the chart with 1000 points.
Spinach 707
Cauliflower 315
Basil 518
Blackberries 171
Apples 53
Salmon 34
Ground beef (85%) lean  21
Cola  1 measley point – why bother

No foods are more nutrient dense than whole, organically-grown foods. The reason is simple: nothing is contained in a fresh, whole organic food that doesn’t need to be there.

Energy dense & nutrient poor aka junk food = empty calories

The secret is …eat the greatest quantity of the foods with the highest micronutrient scores, and lesser amounts of foods with lower scores.

It seems the Veggies would give you the most power for your punch!

So you can see, it’s not just about calories but what’s in those calories that makes the difference.

Are you getting the whole picture yet?

Stay tuned for another tip …

GO for Life!

In peace, health & with much love,

Joycelyn Bejar
Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer