Nutrient-Dense
Diet
Nutrient-dense diet is a traditional diet composed of whole foods grown naturally in healthy soils and prepared by ancestral methods. Traditional diets focus on nutrient dense foods that have the highest quantity as well as the most bioavailable source of nutrients and are not built around restricted calories or unnatural eating patterns.
Foods rich in nutrient density are abundant in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that play crucial roles in supporting bodily functions and are more digestible, which help us to build strong and healthy bodies, sustainably over generations.
Achieving a Nutrient-dense Diet
One of the primary benefits of nutrient-rich foods is their ability to promote optimal digestion and nutrient absorption.
Whole, unprocessed foods are naturally rich in fiber, enzymes, and other digestive aids that support a healthy gut microbiome and facilitate efficient nutrient breakdown and absorption.
This can lead to improved digestion, reduced bloating, and enhanced nutrient utilisation by the body.
Consuming nutrient-rich foods can also contribute to improved energy levels and mental clarity.
These foods provide a steady supply of essential nutrients, including complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins, which are the building blocks for energy production and brain function.
By nourishing our bodies with these vital nutrients, we can experience increased energy, improved cognitive function, and enhanced overall mental well-being.
In addition to their direct health benefits, nutrient-rich foods are often associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. Research has shown that diets rich in whole, unprocessed foods can help prevent conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
The diverse array of nutrients found in these foods work synergistically to support a healthy immune system, reduce inflammation, and promote optimal cellular function.
Some food classes are more nutrient dense than others.
To achieve a nutrient dense diet we need to avoid foods with little nutrient density like white flour, white sugar and vegetable oils.
Some foods are rich in nutrients but they are not easily bioavailable because they are blocked by phytates, oxalates, and other factors.
Some groups of the same kind of food can be much more nutrient dense than others.
These differences can be due to genetics, but usually have more to do with the soil on which the foods were grown and sometimes at what stage of maturity they were harvested.
Nutrients content of organic foods can range up to almost 50% higher than conventional produce.
Some foods have been devitalised, in other words, processed so as to reduce their nutrient content.
Most of industrialised processed food can be at this category. Again, foods like white flour and refined vegetable oils, but also margarines and industrialised soy products are also very good glaring examples.
The Most Nutrient-dense Foods
Foods grown in healthy soils and naturally prepared like: butter, cream, whole raw milk; organ meats, pasture-fed meats, dairy and eggs; wild fish, shellfish and fish roe; organic vegetables and fruits; traditional lacto-fermented foods; homemade bone broths; properly prepared whole grains; unrefined salt.
