Eating a variety of foods fuels your body with nutrients important for health. Nutrient-dense foods can help by providing a high amount per calorie of vitamins, minerals, and other health- protective compounds. By contrast, highly processed “junk” or “empty calorie” foods provide a lot of calories without much nutritional value that may negatively impact health. A nutrient-dense eating pattern includes foods rich in beneficial nutrients that help support optimal performance and well-being as well as help lower risk of diseases, like Type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Follow a nutrient-dense dietary pattern that includes a variety of foods, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. These five are a nutritious and delicious way to start.

1. Eggs. Sometimes called the most perfect or healthiest food, just one large egg contains eight essential nutrients: protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, iodine, selenium, and choline — in just 50 calories. Omega-3 enriched eggs and pastured eggs contain even more of certain nutrients. Eggs are a versatile protein source that can be prepared in a range of ways.

2. Blueberries. Bursting with nutrition, blueberries pack a healthy punch of antioxidant vitamin C, heart-healthy vitamin K, bone supporting manganese, dietary fiber, and a powerful punch of health-protecting phytochemicals (plant compounds), including antioxidant anthocyanins, which give blueberries their beautiful color.

3. Kale. This dark leafy green vegetable is a brassica, a plant family known for its high vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content, such as sulforaphane, which has been associated with lowering cancer risk. Kale is rich in bone-protecting vitamin K, eye-protecting vitamin A, vitamin C, copper, manganese, and the antioxidant carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, plant compounds known to support eye health.

4. Salmon. Loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium, salmon is not only nutritious, it’s associated with protective heart health and cognitive function and reducing certain risk factors for diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

5. Almonds. One of the most nutritionally packed nuts, almonds are known for their heart healthy unsaturated fats and are one of the richest sources of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They are also a good source of manganese, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus. High in monounsaturated fats, consuming almonds is linked to lower risk of heart disease.

(Environmental Nutrition is the award-winning independent newsletter written by nutrition experts dedicated to providing readers up-to-date, accurate information about health and nutrition in clear, concise English. For more information, visit www.environmentalnutrition.com.)

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