The importance of choosing nutrient rich foods

A food is often seen as healthy if it doesn’t contain high levels of undesirable nutrients such as saturated fat, sugar and salt.1 However, many researchers and health professionals are now beginning to classify certain foods as being healthy based on the amount of important nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein they contain relative to how much energy (kilojoules) the food has. If a food is relatively low in kilojoules but high in vitamins and minerals it is classified as ‘nutrient dense’ and therefore a healthy inclusion in a balanced diet.2

Why is it important to eat nutrient rich foods?

Having a balanced diet significantly impacts on a person’s health and wellbeing. In the long-term, eating plenty of nutrient rich foods will assist with the prevention of chronic diseases, as well as having benefits for general health and wellbeing in the short term.

What foods are nutrient dense?

Foods in each of the major food groups contribute unique nutrients to the diet, so the concept of nutrient density is useful to help people make healthier food choices within each of the major food groups. This in turn makes a significant difference to how many nutrients a meal or snack contains.

Higher nutrient dense foods from each of the major food groups include:

  • Vegetables – Broccoli, carrot, spinach, beans, capsicum, tomato, pumpkin, red cabbage
  • Meats – Beef, prawns, oysters, lentils, pork, salmon
  • Breads, cereals and starchy vegetables groups – Wholegrain bread, oats, potato, corn, sweet potato
  • Fruits – Berries, oranges, passionfruit, kiwifruit
  • Dairy – Low fat yoghurt, cheddar cheese, soy milk, low fat milk

    • Including these foods in a healthy balanced eating plan can help ensure adequate nutrient intakes without exceeding recommend kilojoule levels.

    New! Healthy Choice Plus meals have been specially designed to provide a source of fibre, iron and other important vitamins and minerals, plus protein.

     

    Healthy Choice Plus meals contain nutritious ingredients including spinach, tomato, carrot, beans, capsicum, broccoli, corn and potato to help you meet your daily vegetable intake. Healthy Choice Plus Creamy Chicken Pasta, Prawn Fettuccine and Semi-dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta also contain beta-glucan, a grain-based substance that helps lower cholesterol re-absorption.

     

    References:

      1.      Drewnowski, A., Concept of a nutritious food: toward a nutrient density score. Am J Clin Nutr 82 (4), 721-732 (2005).
      2.      Backstrand, J.R., Quantitative approaches to nutrient density for public health nutrition. Public Health Nutr 6 (8), 829-837 (2003).
      3.      National Health and Medical Research Council, Food for Health - Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults.  (2003).