When “Being Dense” is a Good Thing
A Look at the Impact of ‘Typical’ vs. ‘Nutrient Dense’ Food Choices
By Morgan Davis, RD, LDN
According to the 2010 Dietary guidelines a person consuming a 2,000 calorie diet should be eating:
- 6 ounces grains (at least half whole grains)
- 2 ½ cup vegetables (variety of colors)
- 2 cups fruit (whole fruits instead of juice)
- 3 cups dairy (fat-free or low-fat)
- 5 ½ ounces lean protein
- 6 teaspoons oil (unsaturated fat)
There is even a little wiggle room; the recommended meal pattern allots for 260 calories a day to come from solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS)2.
Eating the above amount of foods from each food group will result in a 2,000 intake, but ONLY if you are choosing the most ‘nutrient dense’ forms of most of the foods you eat. Meeting those recommendations for each food group by choosing ‘typical’ foods (foods chosen more often in the average American diet) will result in a much larger amount of SoFAS and a total intake of 2350-2450 calories daily1. That is 15-30% higher than the target amount- if those extra calories aren’t expended through physical activity, it equates to about 3lb wt gain per month!
So why am I throwing around this term, ‘nutrient dense’ and what does it mean? Why should we include more of these types of foods?
Nutrient dense refers to lean or low-fat foods that do not have added sugar or salt. In other words, the healthy components and nutrients of a food have not been diluted by the extra sugars, fats and salts that don’t offer a nutritional benefit. This is the difference between a cup of skim milk vs a cup of whole milk, or the difference in 3 ounces baked chicken breast vs 3 ounces fried chicken.
Way too often, the foods Americans typically choose are not in the nutrient dense form. A new study by Britten et al1 identified the impact of choosing ‘nutrient dense’ foods vs. ‘typical’ foods that are prevalent in American eating patterns.
Researchers conducted 24-hour dietary recalls with participants and used food-pattern modeling analysis to determine the average foods consumed by Americans, or the ‘typical’ foods. Nutrient profiles were used to determine energy and nutrient content in the typical vs. the recommended nutrient-dense forms of foods. Researchers found that calorie goals were not met when people chose typical foods in the amount allowed for each food group in the USDA food patterns. Energy (calories), total fat, and saturated fat all exceeded recommended limits.
The USDA food patterns are created to guide consumers in getting an adequate level of nutrients. To accomplish this, consumers should consume the amount of foods allowed, while avoiding added fats, sugars and sodium. By continuing to consume the recommended quantity of foods from each food group, but not choosing the most nutrient dense forms, the goals of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will not be met.
Nobody’s perfect, and reflecting the USDA’s recommended intake every day would be quite the feat. However, everyone can make a difference by choosing a more nutrient dense form of 1 or 2 foods each day. Pick a few of the following substitutions to stay within your desired calorie range:
| Typical Food Choice | Nutrient-Dense Substitution |
| 1 cup frosted shredded wheat (200calories, 45 calories from SoFAS) | 1 cup plain shredded wheat(169 calories, 0 SoFAS) |
| 1 cup 2% Milk(122 calories, 37 calories from SoFAS) | 1 cup skim milk(83 calories, 0 SoFAS) |
| 6oz fruit flavored, non-fat Greek Yogurt(140 calories, 49 calories from SoFAS) | 6oz plain, non-fat Greek yogurt PLUS 1 tsp honey(121 calories, 21 calories from SoFAS) |
| 1 cup canned pineapple, in syrup(198calories, 84 calories from SoFAS) | 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks(78 calories, 0 SoFAS) |
| 1 oz regular cheddar cheese(114 calories, 75 calories from SoFAS) | 1 oz low-fat cheddar cheese(49 calories, 16 calories from SoFAS) |
| 1 cup broccoli and cheese sauce(242 calories, 118 calories from SoFAS) | 1 cup steamed broccoli florets(34 calories, 0 SoFAS) |
| 3oz fried chicken breast with skin, breaded(221 calories, 1 cal from SoFAS) | 3 oz baked chicken breast, skinless(138 calories, 0 SoFAS) |
| 1 cup water(0 calories, 0 SoFAS) | 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail(109 calories, 78 calories from SoFAS) |
Typical vs. Nutrient-Dense Foods3
By being a little more dense (nutrient-dense that is), we can all improve the nutritional qualities of our diets. Change can me as easy as making simple food substitutions. What nutrient-dense food choices will you make today?
Sources
1- Britten, P; Cleveland, L; Koegel, K; Kuczynski, K; Nickols, S. Impact of Typical Rather than Nutrient-Dense Food Choices in the US Department of Agriculture Food Patterns. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112:1560-1569.
2- USDA, Center for Nutrition and Policy Promotion. Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010. Jan. 31, 2011. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm
3- 3 USDA Super Tracker. Food-A-Pedia. https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/foodapedia.aspx