8 minute read
The lowdown on Nutrient Density
Written by Peter Šmanjak • 082 923 6552 • mailto:info@petersmanjak.com • https://petersmanjak.com
Focus on nutrients rather than calories Lots of people talk about eating high nutrient foods, but few people understand what nutrient density means: leveraging its power to optimise weight loss, muscle building and overall health.
Advertisement
Nutrient density is simply the number of nutrients per calorie in a food.
While calories have been used as the yardstick, it is the best we have to allow us to see how much food is consumed per day. However, comparing the nutrients contained in a food or a group of foods eaten in a day to another group of foods or meals with similar energy content is far more beneficial to our health.
When our goal is simply to identify foods that provide more or less of the nutrients we need without having to consume excessive amounts of food, we don’t need perfect accuracy.
The importance of nutrient density
Essential micronutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids) are critical to the biochemical processes that power your mitochondria and drive all the functions in your body.
Prioritising foods with a higher nutrient value will ensure you get enough vitamins, minerals and fatty acids from the food you eat without having to consume too many calories.
In the early years, there was no need to worry about nutrient density. The food we ate contained plenty of the nutrients in the right ratios. However, these days, due to changes in the way food is mass produced, more quickly and cheaply, the number of essential nutrients in our food has declined significantly.
Our food system has changed as we have increased our use of chemical fertilisers and grown more reliant on large scale farming and food manufacturing. Add to this the impact of GMO foods.
Today, more and more of the foods we consume are a mix of cheap vegetable oils and refined starch with added sugars flavours and colours to make them look and taste nutritious. Finding the chemical sweet spot for the average person.
In 2010, 62% of the energy consumed by Americans came from added fats and oils (23%), flours and cereals (23%) and added sugars (15%). While cheap to produce, these foods are inferior sources of micronutrients. While most nutritional advice today is focused on what you should avoid (e.g. too much fat, carbs, protein, saturated fat, sugar, etc.), focusing on high nutrient foods ensures you get what you need from food. Once you learn to fill your plate with nutrientdense diverse foods, you probably won’t have room or cravings for the ‘junk foods’ that are nutrient-poor and easy to overeat.
Fat loss
While we all need enough nutrients, prioritising nutrient density is even more important when you are trying to lose weight or the opposite, build muscle. Even though you are eating fewer calories, you still require enough nutrients. Simply trying to eat a lower quantity of nutrient-poor foods will leave you with cravings that typically lead to increased nutrient hunger for the nutrients you need and eventual rebound binges and fat gain. There is no mystery or secret to weight-loss. Simply find a way to get more nutrients per calorie in the food you consume. Sure, there are other significant factors such as genetics, hormones, age and more, but the starting place is understanding the nutrient richness of what you eat. Once your non-beneficial food habits have been replaced with high nutrient habits, your body will let you know which nutrients you need in order to thrive. The Protein Leverage Hypothesis suggests that we keep eating food until we get the protein we need to maintain our muscles.
However, it seems that a similar thing occurs with all micronutrients. The studies that have been done suggest that a nutrient-dense diet causes people to eat less and reduce their sensation of hunger.
Prioritising nutrient-dense foods will help you reduce your cravings and switch off your cravings once you get enough of the correct nutrients.
People who focus on maximising their nutrient density find that they are full with fewer calories. Nutrient-dense foods tend to contain plenty of protein and fibre and have less fat and starch, so they are typically more satiating and harder to overeat. The chart below of nutrient density vs satiety score shows that nutrient-dense foods are generally satiating. The foods toward the top right of this chart will provide you with plenty of nutrients and help you manage your appetite. In contrast, the foods toward the bottom left will drive hunger and overeating to obtain adequate nutrients.
Micronutrient deficiencies
Rather than comparing your nutrient intake against the ideal nutrient targets, in our work we consider a client’s health symptoms and prioritise the nutrients that are typically deficient when these conditions are present. The example image below reveals the Spectracell Nutrient Wheels showing the nutrients associated with depression. There are numerous conditions that can be attributed to such nutrient deficiencies. We would develop the optimal foods required to boost the nutrients that are associated with the most serious conditions.
Important to know what the nutrients do?
The functions and interactions of micronutrients in our body are complex, and no one condition can be treated without getting in the multitude of other nutrients required. Our observation is most people, eat the same foods on a weekly basis. This creates the exposure to be deficient in nutrients not provided by the foods eaten, and possibly the medication taken which causes untold deficiencies not being highlighted by the medical fraternity.
Vitamin C protects from cardiovascular diseases, cancers, joint diseases, cataracts, and the common cold; aids in collagen and elastin synthesis, both necessary elements in the bone matrix, skin, tooth dentin, blood vessels, and tendons. Protects against oxygen-based damage to cells (free radicals); required for fat synthesis; has antiviral and detoxifying properties. Calcium is needed for bone and tooth formation, muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve transmission; reduces the risk of colon cancer; prevents hypertension. Chromium assists with insulin function, increases fertility, is required for carbohydrate/fat metabolism, essential for fetal growth and development, helps lower elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides. Copper is necessary for bone formation, energy production, hair and skin colouring, and taste sensitivity; involved in the healing process; aids in iron transport; helps metabolise several fatty acids. Magnesium is involved in 300 essential metabolic reactions; necessary for muscle activity and nerve impulses; regulates temperature and blood pressure; essential for detoxification; aids in creating strong bones and teeth. Choline is vital for lipid and cholesterol transport and metabolism of methyl groups. Choline may improve cognitive function and memory. Potassium is the major cation of intracellular fluid and an almost constant component of lean body tissues. The movement of potassium out of cells and sodium into cells changes the electrical potential during depolarisation and repolarisation of nerve and muscle cells.
Selenium is an antioxidant and in redox reactions and thyroid metabolism. Phosphorous is the second-most abundant inorganic element in the body. Phosphorus as phosphate is a significant buffer and helps to protect blood systemic acid/base balance. Vitamin B12 is required for the synthesis of fatty acids in myelin and, in conjunction with folate, for DNA synthesis. Adequate intake of vitamin B12 is essential for healthy blood function and neurological function. Sodium has an essential role in the maintenance of critical physiological activities such as extracellular fluid volume and cellular membrane potential.
Nutrient Density on a Budget
The average person thinks that the most nutritious foods are unaffordable.
However after ten years of teaching, consulting and following a high nutrient dense eating program, I find it far more cost effective than eating fast foods and many of the animal products available. An example would be for the same amount of protein per serving, eating an animal based meal could cost between R40-65 while eating the same amount of protein from legumes, could cost between R5-R10.
What nutrients are you missing?
To help you understand what nutrients you need to focus on jot down what you eat over 7 days. Thereafter analyse these foods for their various nutrients and from this you will see what is missing. You may be surprised that the supplements you take may not be necessary while others will be.
If you require help to understand your nutrient deficiencies, we used an advanced programme to highlight what is lacking across 41 different nutrients. From this analysis you quickly realise how deficient our bodies are which consequentially results in the conditions we may suffer from and potentially end up taking chronic or other medication.
