Nutrient density is a newer way to look at the health enhancing properties of your food. Most of us are familiar with the "Macro Nutrients" that are present in the food such as "Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins". However, science has proved that this information alone can no longer help us deal with our health issues (as we know that not all carbs, proteins or fats are similar in their health enhancing properties). The science is now pointing towards understanding "Micronutrients" and their ability to restore our health.
Understanding micronutrients!
The science is still far from identifying all the micronutrients that are beneficial to our health. Those which are identified include vitamins such as (Vitamin B 1, B 2, B 3, B 6 B 12, folate, Vitamin C, D & E and beta carotene (precursor to Vitamin A). It also includes trace minerals & elements such as zinc, selenium, manganese, copper, iron etc. Most of these our human body needs in relatively smaller amounts. However, their impact on health is anything but small. A deficiency in one or more of the micronutrients can potentially result in imbalance which in turn can manifest or trigger many types of serious diseases.
Here is the best part, almost all of the micro nutrients (other Vitamin D and B 12) are found in abundance in the plant kingdom (fruits and vegetables). When one eats a diet that is abundant in fruits and vegetables (not cooked in oil), one can get plenty of these micro-nutrients. The key is to include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman is the creator of (ANDI) "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index". This index calculates the nutrients per calorie of various foods.
How is it related to weight loss & recovering from chronic conditions such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver, arthritis/joint pain etc?
The higher the amount of micronutrients in a particular food, the higher is the beneficial effects on your health. Micronutrients have high antioxidant properties that help fight against various types of cancers and auto-immune disorders. According to "ANDI" score, the highest amount of nutrients per calorie are present in dark leafy green vegetables, followed by other vegetables and fruits. The oils, dairy and other animal derived products sits at the bottom of the score in terms of their nutrient profile. We know that vegetables (especially leafy green vegetables) and fruits contains lowest amount of calories by weight, due to their inherent high water content. This means, the more you eat from these two categories, the better your health would be and the more weight loss you will experience.
Take a look at Dr. Fuhrman's ANDI Chart for nutrient density.
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