What is a “nutrient-rich” food?
A nutrient-rich food contains many vitamins and minerals (also called
micronutrients) but not very many calories. Vitamins and minerals
nourish your body and help to keep you healthy and reduce your risk for
chronic diseases. You can get these micronutrients through a variety of
healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, low-fat and fat-free dairy
products, and lean meats and fish. Getting vitamins and minerals through
food ensures that your body is able to absorb them properly.
What happens if I don’t get enough nutrient-rich foods in my daily diet?
If you don’t eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods, you may not be
getting all the micronutrients your body needs. In fact, Americans tend
to eat foods that are high in calories and low in micronutrients. These
foods often also contain added sugar, sodium (salt), saturated fat or
trans fat. Choosing these high-calorie, low-nutrient foods contributes
to weight gain and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat. They add flavor,
nutrients and variety to your diet. Look for colorful fruits and
vegetables, especially dark green and orange vegetables. If you can,
choose organically grown produce and fruit, as it can be more nutritious
and should be free of pesticides.
Fish
Fresh fish should
have a clear color, a moist look, a clean smell and firm, springy flesh.
If good-quality fresh fish isn't available, choose frozen or low-salt
canned fish. Poaching, steaming, baking and broiling are the healthiest
ways to prepare fish. Wild-caught oily fish, such as salmon, tuna,
mackerel and sardines, are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, but
all fish contain some amount of this healthy fatty acid.
Poultry
Remove skin and visible fat before cooking. Chicken breasts are a good
choice because they are low in fat and high in protein. Baking, broiling
and roasting are the healthiest ways to prepare poultry.
Beans and other non-meat sources
Nutrient-rich, non-meat sources of protein can also satisfy the protein
recommendations. A quarter-cup of beans, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds counts as an ounce toward your protein
needs.
Beef, Pork, Veal and Lamb
Choose low-fat, lean cuts
of beef or pork. Trim outside fat before cooking. Trim any inside,
separable fat before eating. Lean beef and veal cuts have the word
“loin” or “round” in their names. Lean pork cuts have the word “loin” or
“leg” in their names. Baking, broiling and roasting are the healthiest
ways to prepare meat. It is best to limit how often you eat beef, pork,
veal and lamb, because even lean cuts contain a lot of fat and
cholesterol when compared to other protein sources.
