You’ve probably seen all kinds of literature on why you should eat “nutritiously” for your heart. But when’s the last time your doctor talked to you about nutrient density?
If the answer is “never,” you’re not alone.
Nutrient density is possibly the most preventive factor of death from cardiovascular disease, so it’s upsetting to think it’s likely one of the least discussed topics in the doctor’s office
Here’s a primer on the importance of balancing, managing, and improving the nutrient density of your diet.
First: a brief definition
We’ve had countless conflicting voices around the so-called “best” type of nutrition in the past several decades. This is likely one of the reasons why “nutrient density” isn’t well defined in most scientific research.
Yes, we have definitions from the American food pyramid, and from a few other sources dating back 10 to 15 years ago. But these are largely confusing and relatively outdated, such as demonizing salt and solid fats, for example.
Nutritionally-dense food is:
- Whole, real food. That means your grandma would recognize it as food. It also wouldn’t come from a factory with a large ingredients list.
- A direct contributor of necessary nutrients. This means macronutrients such as protein and fat, plus key vitamins and minerals.
- Absence of harmful compounds. By this, I mean few carbohydrates, seed oils, added sugar, or oxalates.
Delusions of Adequacy 