You Are What You Eat
By: Alysa King
Nutrient Dense
What is Nutrient Density?
Nutrient Density is a way of evaluating the nutritional quality of a food by comparing the amount of nutrients supplied in relation to the amount of calories supplied. Eating a healthy, balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods provides many nutrients that are required to maintain health. This means planning meals that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free milk and dairy products.. These foods provide fewer calories but are excellent sources of nutrients.
Kale
Kale would be an example of nutrient density because it has 0g total fat. It is also filled with vitamins, including 206% of vitamin A and 134% vitamin C. It also has the necessary needs of calcium and iron, containing 9% calcium and 6% iron.
Strawberries
Strawberries are a great example nutrient density. Strawberries have no total fat and sodium. They are high in potassium. They are also high in vitamin C, with 11%.
Green Peppers
Green peppers are also an example. The have over 159% vitamin C. Green peppers are also very high in dietary fiber. They only contain very little sugar, 2.9g.
Empty Calories
What are Empty Calories?
Most empty-calorie foods are highly processed foods that contain added fat and sugar. Unlike nutrient-dense foods, empty-calorie foods or energy-dense foods are nutritionally poor food choices, as they contain more calories than nutrients. A high intake of empty-calorie foods may cause weight gain.
Cupcakes
Cupcakes are empty calories. Cupcakes are very high in sodium, with 178 mg. They are very low in many important vitamins and nutrients including, vitamins A & C, calcium, and iron.
Donuts
Donuts are proven to be empty calories in many ways. These ways including, they are over 30% saturated fat and have 1 mg of caffeine. They are also very high in sodium, with 140 mg.
Pizza
Pizza is also empty calories. Pizza has over 640 mg of sodium in it. Pizza is also very greasy causing the saturated fat level to be 4.8 grams.