Start Eating Nutrient-Dense Food for a Healthier Lifestyle
What is Nutrient-Dense Food?
Nutrient-dense foods have more nutrients per calorie. They are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Examples of nutrient-dense foods are fruits, whole grains, beans, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, low fat dairy, poultry, fish, and seafood. The opposite of nutrient-dense foods are empty-calorie foods. They have more calories and less nutrients or food value. Sodas, sweets, potato chips, fried foods, and French fries are empty-calorie foods.
People will lose weight if they eat only nutrient-dense food. What’s really great about nutrient-dense food is that it’s more satisfying. A 300-calorie breakfast of two slices of white toast, butter, and jam will not stay by you. Within an hour or two, you will be hungry. If you substitute that breakfast for a 300-calorie breakfast of steel-cut oatmeal cereal, low-fat milk, and strawberries, you will stay satisfied longer. The sugared donut at work won’t seem so tempting.
How Do You Change Your Eating Habits?
Changing your eating habits is not that difficult once you learn the values of food. Some substitutions are easy. Instead of cake for dessert, eat fruit. Avoid processed foods, foods high in fat, and foods high in sugar. Stick with natural foods. You can never go wrong with vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy, and lean meats. With practice and imagination, you can change your eating habits.
Nutrient-dense breakfast foods
Eggs, whole wheat toast, natural peanut butter, fruits, whole grain cereals such as oatmeal, low fat milk, yogurt
Nutrient-dense lunches
Salads, sandwiches made with whole wheat bread and lean meat, soups made with vegetables and legumes or lean meat
Nutrient-dense dinners
Lean meats, vegetables, potato, sweet potato, fish, seafood, poultry, salads
Snacks
Whole grain crackers and low fat cheese, string cheese, veggies with low fat dressing, fruit and yogurt, celery sticks with natural peanut butter, walnuts and almonds
These brief lists are just to get you started. The main idea is to avoid sugars and saturated fats. There are good fats. Instead of butter, substitute olive oil. If you must have sugar for your coffee, use it minimally.
How Much Can You Eat?
Even though there is no need to count calories to lose weight, it doesn’t mean that you stuff yourself at every meal. Nutrient-dense foods are a healthier choice, but like anything, too much is too much. Learn to eat until you feel satisfied. Eat slowly. Enjoy your food, so you will recognize when you’ve had enough. Dinnertime is the most likely time to overeat. Portion your food on your plate and do not go back for seconds. A few snacks are fine, but if you eat nutrient-dense food, you shouldn’t be hungry. Consider a mid-afternoon snack and possibly one in the evening.
Making wiser choices about food can make a world of difference when trying to lose weight. Dieting should not be something you do for a short period and then you return to your regular eating habits. Don’t think of it as dieting; think of it as your new diet for life.
This post is part of the series: Nutrient-dense Food for a Healthy Life
Learning to pick nutrient-dense foods, eating until you are satisfied, and choosing healthy snacks can mean a healthy life without dieting. All it takes is food planning, learning about nutrients, and learning to read labels. You can even eat out at your favorite fast-food restaurant.