What Is Nutrient Density?
Nutrient Density refers to the nutrients per gram of the food that you are eating. Studies have shown that when eating nutrient dense foods, people ultimately consume less food and report lower feelings of hunger. This results in greater overall health, lower levels of disease and lower obesity.
Standard American diets are generally energy dense but nutrient poor, so the calorie value is high (usually from sugars) but the vitamins, minerals and essential nutrient content is low, far too low! These are considered foods with a low nutrient density. As a result, the body needs to ask for more nutrients. When the gut detects a low level of nutrients in the food it has digested, it sends messages to your brain telling it that more nutrients are needed, and your brain then signals your hunger mechanism to turn on again…… and therefore more calories are consumed.
If you are eating nutrient dense foods, your gut will be satisfied and it will relay this message to your brain, your brain will then send out signals that will inhibit your feelings of hunger.
Nutrients are the components of food that your body uses in order to survive, repair, perform general functions and be healthy. Without essential nutrients your body cannot detoxify as well as it should, digest, repair issue damage and eliminate waste. For this reason, food is so much more than just energy. Food is medicine.
The food that you eat should be as free from toxins as possible, and as nutrient dense as possible. In order to achieve this, one should look for organic produce and free range grass fed meat and dairy.
Nutrient dense foods are often more expensive, but they will lessen the need for dietary supplements, and lower your healthcare bill as your body will be in a better state to repair itself. Also, as they will satisfy your hunger you will find that you actually eat less. For better health, look for nutrient density in the foods that you eat.
Resources:
Changing perceptions of hunger on a nutrient dense diet.
Concept of a nutritious food: toward a nutrient density score