Nutrient Dense Foods!

Good morning!

I made it back from Europe in one piece. We had so much fun traveling from country to country. We went to Paris, Lucern, Switzerland, Munich, Salzburg, Austria, Venice, & Rome. I think my favorite stop was Rome, but I loved all the cities we went to. But...It is nice to be back and into my old routine.

So here we are, a new season, a new month, and we are all ready to get back on the horse. Lets dive right in!

Today, I will be talking about Nutrient Dense foods and why they are so important.

1. Nutrient Dense Foods - What are they? Nutrient Dense Foods are foods loaded with nutrients, but are still low in calories. An apple is a great example. Apples are low in calories, but high in fiber. Please see attached apple verses cheddar cheese picture. Both the apple and cheese are showing 200 calories. Look at how much food you are getting when you choose the apple over the cheese. Nutrient Dense Foods are whole foods found in the outside perimeter of the grocery store. They are non-processed, whole-food items.

2. Eating Nutrient Dense Foods Over Calorie Counting Benefits of focusing on nutrient dense foods over counting your calories Longer periods of feeling full (satiation) Very difficult to overeat. Easy to control calorie intake without having to count calories High intake of essential nutrients

3. Common Nutrient Dense Foods To Choose From Chicken Salmon Organic Grass Fed Beef Brussel Sprouts Broccoli Cabbage Bell Peppers Sweet Potatoes Apples Blueberries Avocado Strawberries Almonds Cashews Walnuts Quinoa Irish Oats

4. Replacement Meal Ideas Have nuts or seeds as your snack over cookies and chips (You're probably already doing this!)

Eat oatmeal instead of breakfast cereal

Have buckwheat pancakes over buttermilk

Have a baked sweet potato over a regular baked potato

5. Tips For Eating More Nutrient Dense Foods Stop eating filler foods like breads and rice. It will give you more room for foods that will give you more bang for your buck!

Add a veggie snack into your daily routine. One of my favorites is veggies with hummus! When you have a sweet tooth, use in-season fruit as your dessert. Fruits that are in season now: Asian pear, Barbados cherries, cranberries, date plum, grapes, guava, key limes, kumquats, passion fruit, pear, pineapple (this is one of my favorites), and pomegranate.

Load up your plate with 50% vegetables first. A good rule of thumb is to eat those first and then go for your lean protein and healthy grains.

Start with breakfast. Make a green smoothie and get those nutrient dense foods in right away! This will help you have more energy throughout your day. Double bonus!

Your plate should be colorful. If its not colorful than you're probably not having too much nutrient dense foods.

Try to have lean protein with every meal

Focus on goods fats: avocado, extra virgin olive oil, etc.

That does it for today. I hope you enjoyed this week's nutrition tips. As always, I'm here if you have any questions. Have a great and healthy weekend.

Your Favorite Trainer, Elizabeth Foster Davis