Nutrient-Dense Foods
According to the American Heart Association research shows 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 a food is the nutrient density of the food. This message is filled with several recipe links! Try one or two this week.
Here are some tips to add more nutrient dense foods for a healthier diet:
1. Make it about the fiber! Complex Carbohydrates
- - Quinoa, Brown Rice, Wheat Barley, Oatmeal, etc.
- - Increase vegetables including starch vegetables such as potatoes.
1. 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, eat the fruit…or infuse water.
1. 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. Kale Chips! Your taste preferences will change.