![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Nutrient-Dense-Foods.grains.600.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nMost healthy living advice boils down to a few basic tenets: Exercise, stay hydrated, and eat nutrient-dense foods.<\/p>\n
Physical activity recommendations\u00a0are readily available, and eight glasses of water a day is the universally accepted standard.<\/p>\n
But amid competing philosophies on nutrition and endless menu options, how do we know which foods are nutrient-dense foods?<\/p>\n
\u201cNutrient-dense foods are foods that are rich in nutrients in relation to the number of calories they contain,\u201d says Rima Kleiner, M.S., R.D., and blogger at\u00a0Dish on Fish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn other words, nutrient-dense foods provide a lot of nutrient bang \u2014 vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fiber \u2014 for a low-calorie buck,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
For example, both\u00a0an apple and a handful of jelly beans\u00a0clock in at about 100 calories.<\/p>\n
Calorically speaking, they\u2019re quite similar.<\/p>\n
But while the jelly beans offer carbohydrates in the form of sugar (and not much else), the apple, a nutrient-dense food, contains carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.<\/p>\n
Our bodies need nutrients like these to function properly and maintain our immune systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, most whole foods that have been minimally-processed are typically nutrient-dense foods,\u201d Kleiner says. \u201cWhile it\u2019s easy to get hung up on specific foods or nutrients, we should aim to get a variety of nutrients from a variety of whole foods.\u201d<\/p>\n
To ensure your diet is healthy and balanced, fill your plate with an assortment of these nutrient-dense foods.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, fruits and vegetables top the list of nutrient-dense foods you need to maintain a healthy diet.<\/p>\n
In addition to essential vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are packed with\u00a0antioxidants.<\/p>\n
Antioxidants help counteract unstable molecules called free radicals, which can cause damage to the body\u2019s cells through a process called oxidative stress.<\/p>\n
A fruit or vegetable\u2019s color is actually a sign of its antioxidant properties, says Quyen Vu, M.S.<\/p>\n
\u201cRed is an indicator of lycopene, which is found in tomatoes,\u201d she says. \u201cYellow or orange means beta carotene, found in carrots. And blue or purple signifies anthocyanins, which are found in blueberries.<\/p>\n
This is why it\u2019s important to \u201ceat the rainbow.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Oats, brown rice, whole wheat, and barley are all nutrient-dense foods that fall under the category of whole grains.<\/p>\n
According to Kleiner, you should aim to fill a quarter of your plate with these nutrient-dense foods, which are rich in B vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber (including prebiotics).<\/p>\n
Looking to drop a few pounds or just maintain a healthy weight? Don\u2019t skip whole grains.<\/p>\n
The fiber content of this nutrient-dense food group can help you\u00a0feel fuller for longer periods of time, which could make it easier to resist\u00a0cravings and extra snacks.<\/p>\n
![\"Chicken](\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-Nutrient-Dense-Foods.protein.600.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Lean meat is a nutrient-dense food that offers protein without excess fat.<\/p>\n
\u201cLean protein, like skinless poultry, is a complete protein, so it contains all essential amino acids that we need in the diet,\u201d says Amanda A. Kostro Miller, R.D., L.D.N.<\/p>\n
Essential amino acids, which are crucial to muscle growth and repair, cannot be produced by the body and, therefore, must be provided through food.<\/p>\n
Fish and shellfish, also nutrient-dense foods that provide plenty of protein, contain \u201cB vitamins, selenium, calcium, vitamin D, and antioxidants,\u201d says Kleiner.<\/p>\n
Based on the\u00a0Dietary Guidelines for Americans, she recommends eating 2-3 servings of seafood every week.<\/p>\n
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are considered nutrient-dense foods, but Miller recommends their low-fat varieties.<\/p>\n
\u201cLow-fat and non-fat milk contain protein without all the fat of 2% and whole milk,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Milk also contains calcium and phosphorus, Miller adds, which are essential to bone health.<\/p>\n
\u201cNuts, healthy oil, and seeds are nutrient-dense foods, but they pack in substantial calories per serving,\u201d says Miller.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because fat (even the healthy varieties) contains more calories per gram than protein and carbohydrates.<\/p>\n
However,\u00a0your body needs the fat\u00a0in nutrient-dense foods for energy, brain health, and many critical functions, like vitamin absorption.<\/p>\n
The key is to enjoy these high-fat, nutrient-dense foods but remain mindful of portion control.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Most healthy living advice boils down to a few basic tenets: Exercise, stay hydrated, and eat nutrient-dense foods. Physical activity recommendations\u00a0are readily available, and eight glasses of water a day is the universally accepted standard. But amid competing philosophies on nutrition and endless menu options, how do we know which foods are nutrient-dense foods? What […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}