Top 10 Nutrient Dense Foods

We ALWAYS encourage our clients and patients to eat FOOD for a healthy lifestyle!! After-all, food IS the best medicine - right? Right......BUT not ALL foods are created equal and you have to eat A LOT of food to get the nutrients you need. This might lead to consuming too many calories, which defeats the purpose of eating healthy - because it leads to weight gain - which leads to a wealth of other health issues.

Sometimes it is confusing - what to eat to give you the MOST health benefit and still stay within a healthy caloric intake amount. First rule of thumb is that all of our foods SHOULD be natural, whole, nutrient dense foods. If we consume these types of foods, we get fuller quicker and stay fuller longer due to the amount of fiber we are consuming, the protein content and the actual volume of these foods.

Additionally, we want to consume enough macronutrients (Proteins, Carbs, Good Fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals our bodies need to function) - in the right amounts for optimal health. This is complicated because there are many factors that are involved when determining what your ideal macro and micro intake should be - including whether you're male or female, your age, weight, daily activity level, whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or maintain your weight and the list goes on. Then, we want to think about what we might need MORE of - those nutrients we might be deficient in (Vitamin D, CoQ10, Omega 3's,) or aren't getting enough of in our current diet.

Second Rule of thumb - eat the rainbow! Get ALL of the colors of vegetables and fruits that you can in a day. Source these fruits and veggies from local, organic farmers to get high quality nutrients - less affected by soil depletion, chemicals, processing, and transportation.

Third rule of thumb is to eliminate foods that aren’t good for you - like refined sugar and processed foods which contain chemicals, are high in calories and are proven to be responsible for many chronic diseases. It’s almost impossible to eliminate all foods with sugar - however, being aware of added sugar on labels is a step in the right direction. Life happens!!

That is why we decided to share with you a list of the most nutrient dense foods so that you can evolve into a healthier lifestyle, by making small healthy choices throughout the day to get more bang for your buck!! Eat these foods - and yes - cut the sugar and you will be getting so many of the nutrients (and less calories) you need to FEEL better, which is usually a catalyst to making healthier choices every day.

1) Salmon and Sardines

• Omega 3 fatty acids, Magnesium, Selenium, B Vitamins, Potassium and sardines contain almost every nutrient your body needs making them the almost perfect food

2) Kale

• Vitamin C, A, K, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium

3) Berries

• Vitamin C, K, Manganese, Copper, Folate, Phytonutrients

4) Cruciferous Vegetables

• (Broccoli, Cauliflower) Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Folate, Choline, Vitamin B12 and Dietary Fiber, Magnesium, Thiamine, Protein, Riboflavin

5) Egg Yolks

• Protein, healthy fats, choline, lutein, antioxidants

6) Garlic

• Vitamin B1, B6, Vitamin C, Manganese, Copper, Selenium, Calcium, Potassium and the anti-inflammatory allicin.

7) Grass Fed Beef and Chicken

• And organs like livers (much more nutritionally dense than muscle meat) - Vitamin B12, B6, B5, B2, Vitamin A, Folate, Niacin, Copper, Iron, Selenium, Zinc, Phosphorus and Protein.