Basing your diet on nutrient-dense foods is a smart way to spend calories.
It takes a variety of foods to provide the necessary macro and micro-nutrients for good overall health. If you can include even half or three-quarters of these top ten nutrient-dense foods in your diet regularly, you’ll get maximum returns for the effort.
Since “healthy” foods aren’t always what we think we’d enjoy eating the most, let’s start with a treat people have enjoyed for centuries.
1. Dark Chocolate
The Aztecs put such a high value on cocoa beans they were used as currency. (1)
Cocoa powder is made from the beans of a tropical plant, and is rich in minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium and iron. (2) It’s also an excellent source of fiber.
The range of antioxidants in cocoa powder tops blueberries and acai berries, which are among the top contenders. (3)
Chocolate can help create better heart health through improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure, as well as reducing the amount of oxidized LDL cholesterol. (4, 5, 6) These benefits can contribute to keeping those brain cells firing, too. (7)
A clinical trial showed people eating dark chocolate five times weekly dropped their risk of developing heart disease by 57%. (8)
Two things to remember: choose products containing at least 70% cocoa, and don’t overdo it. A small square daily is a good dose.
2. Blueberries
Even though chocolate beats out blueberries for antioxidant content, these little gems can also help ensure good brain function, since some of the phytochemicals and anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier. (9)
Studies with older adults showed better memory capacity after adding blueberries to the diet. (10) Men and women classified as obese experienced improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome through eating blueberries (11), and lab experiments suggest potential anti-cancer properties. (12)
Many fruits are rich in antioxidants, but blueberries are your most nutritious choice.
3. Salmon
Fatty fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and eating salmon regularly helps you get plenty of these important fatty acids to insure optimal body function and lower the risk of developing serious diseases. (13)
Middle-aged adults improved brain function by including fatty fish in their diets, and were also less likely to suffer from depression or dementia. (14)
A 4-ounce serving of wild salmon delivers more than 200% of the RDA for vitamin B-12, and also contains generous amounts of vitamin D and selenium. (15)
Farmed salmon won’t be as nutritious and may contain toxins, so stick with the good stuff. Try to eat this high quality protein at least twice weekly.
4. Garlic
Allicin is the miracle-worker in garlic, with positive effects on blood pressure and cholesterol, translating to a lower risk of developing heart disease. (16, 17)
Garlic discourages the growth of bacteria (18) and reduces your chances of being diagnosed with stomach or colon cancer. (19)
If you haven’t already experimented with using garlic to spice up your home cooking, give it a try. Powders are easy to incorporate in recipes, although fresh garlic yields more allicin.
5. Liver
Organ meats like liver aren’t eaten as often in modern times as they were ages ago. When our ancestors killed an animal, they used every part, and liver was prized as the most nutritious.
Liver is loaded with B vitamins, as well as zinc, iron, phosphorous and selenium; many people don’t get enough of these important nutrients. (20)
The liver functions as a storage place for nutrients needed by other parts of the body, and plays a vital role in metabolic function. Since it also processes toxins, you’re better off choosing an organic product if you can get it.
If you’re not a big fan of liver, try starting out with a small portion once weekly.
6. Kale
Leafy green vegetables are among the most nutritious choices you can include in your diet, and kale may be better than spinach because its oxalate content is lower. (21) With fewer oxalates, there is less binding of minerals like calcium in the colon, allowing more to be utilized by the body.
For a mere 50 calories, about a cup of kale delivers double the RDA of vitamin C, as well as 300% of vitamin A requirements as beta carotene. You’ll also get a full 1000% of the RDA for vitamin B1, and generous amounts of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and copper. (22)
Animal studies suggest the bioactive compounds in kale can help fight cancer (23), and it’s an abundant source of fiber.
7. Shellfish
Clams and oysters are powerhouses when it comes to providing nutritious calories in the diet; a single serving of clams contains more than 16 times the RDA of vitamin B12. Oysters are also a great choice for fulfilling your vitamin B12 needs, as well as delivering abundant copper and vitamin D. (24)
Shellfish have served as food staples for populations living near the ocean for centuries, but consumption has fallen off in modern times. By far the most popular shellfish consumed in America is shrimp, but unfortunately much of what’s available is farmed in Asia using pesticides and antibiotics (25), so choose wisely if you buy shrimp.
8. Egg Yolks
While conventional medical advice has discouraged egg consumption due to the high cholesterol content in yolks, new research shows dietary cholesterol doesn’t raise blood cholesterol. (26)
Eggs have been called a natural multi-vitamin because they’re packed with various nutrients our bodies require. They’re an excellent source of protein and may even help you lose weight. (27)
Choline is a brain nutrient 9 out of 10 people don’t get enough of (28), so eating eggs might help you think more clearly.
Eggs are a reasonably priced protein, and choosing the omega-3 enriched variety can improve the nutritional profile; they’re also high in antioxidants that protect against macular degeneration. (29)
9. Seaweed
It may not sound appetizing, but seaweed can be more nutritious than vegetables grown on land. Some of the bioactive compounds in seaweed are known for their anti-inflammatory qualities (30), which can help cut the risk of a whole range of modern diseases.
Iodine plays a vital role in thyroid health, and thyroid function impacts the entire endocrine system; seaweed is an ideal source to get the iodine your body needs.
Anyone who enjoys sushi will welcome another reason to eat it more often. Try sprinkling dried kelp over salad or casseroles.
Supplements are available if you can’t manage eating seaweed.
10. Sardines
Another jewel from the sea, sardines have a nutritional profile that could be considered almost perfect. (31) Since they’re eaten whole with skins and bones, sardines offer a range of goodies you won’t get when picking and choosing parts of other foods.
Rich in calcium, sardines are also known for preventing age-related macular degeneration, boosting the immune system and contributing to better heart health. (32)
Add sardines to the list of fatty fish that can bump up the nutrient density of your diet; they’re inexpensive, easy to store, and convenient to use.
Summary: Including as many nutrient-dense foods in your diet as possible is the best gift you can give yourself to build a stronger, healthier body, as well as increase the likelihood of aging gracefully.
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