What are nutrient-dense foods? 

They are foods that have a lot of nutrients but relatively few calories. Look for foods that contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.

The plain and simple truth is “we are what we eat”.

Everything about our body depends on the foods that we eat.  Hundreds of research studies prove that nutrient deficiencies and imbalances adversely affect the way we think and feel.  After all, the brain and the nervous system are integral parts of our bodies and need to be nourished, just like the organs.  With a healthy body and brain, we can produce the endorphins and other biochemical compounds needed to feel optimistic, thankful, joyful, balanced and focused.

These feel good chemicals not only equip us to become high functioning individuals able to cope with the stresses of daily life, but also help those who’ve suffered psychological wounds and traumas.  In other words, a healthy gut leads to a healthy mind.

I got serious about my physical and mental health…

September of 2017 I started on my journey of a serious heart healthy way of life.  Did you notice I said NOTHING about a diet.  I did not start a diet, nor will I go on a diet.  I got serious about the amount of servings I was eating and what I was eating.  Although, I ate clean foods they weren’t as nutrient dense as as they should have been.  I’ve never understood the no fat/low fat diets or cutting out healthy fruits, grains, fats, proteins or vegetables.  In addition, I added raw goats milk to my diet.

I have included real butter in my heart healthy way of eating.  Butter contains many nutrients that protect against heart disease including vitamins A, D, K, and E, lecithin, iodine and selenium.

Here is a list of the top nutrient dense foods that you should incorporate into your daily diet.  Remember a serving is only 1/2c and for oils it is normally a tablespoon.

1. Salmon – Not all fish is created equal.  Salmon, and other fatty types of fish, contain the greatest amount of Omega-3s.
2. Kale – Of all the super healthy leafy greens, kale is the king
3. Seaweed – It is loaded with various bioactive compounds, including phycocyanins and carotenoids. Some of these substances are antioxidants with powerful anti-inflammatory activity.
4. Garlic – It really is an amazing ingredient.  Not only can it turn all sorts of bland dishes into delicious treats, it is also incredibly nutritious.
5. Shellfish – Out of all the wonderfully nutritious organisms found in the sea, shellfish may be the most nutritious of all.  Commonly consumed types of shellfish include clams, oysters and various others.
6. Potatoes – If there’s one high-carb food that people miss in a low-carb diet, it’s potatoes.  A single large potato contains lots of Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Copper and Manganese… with plenty of vitamin C and most of the B vitamins.
7. Liver – Out of all the organs, liver is by far the most nutritious.
8. Sardines – I’ve been eating sardines since I was a child with my Mom.  I love sardines. Given that the organs are usually the most nutritious parts of an animal, it is not surprising to see that whole sardines are incredibly nutritious. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient that the body needs and are pretty close to being perfect from a nutritional standpoint.
9. Blueberries – I did not like blueberries as a child.  The only time we had blueberries was in a pie.  I don’t really know why we did have fresh blueberries to eat, either that I just don’t remember them being on the counter.  I eat blueberries as an adult daily.  Blueberries are a superfood.
10. Egg Yolks –  Egg yolks have been unfairly demonized because of their cholesterol content.  But the studies actually show that dietary cholesterol isn’t something you need to worry about, because cholesterol in the diet doesn’t raise the “bad” cholesterol in the blood.  What we’re left with is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Whole eggs are so nutritious that they’re often referred to as “nature’s multivitamin.”
11. Dark Chocolate – Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.It is loaded with fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. But the biggest factor is its amazing range of antioxidants.
12. Meat – In particular beef since that is what I raise.  Beef has gotten a bad wrap because of people being told red meat causes high cholesterol.  Many studies show no relationship between diet and cholesterol levels; there is no evidence that saturated fat and cholesterol-rich food contribute to heart disease.  As Americans have cut back on saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods, rates of heart disease have gone up.  Consideration needs to be made when replacing meat in the diet with non-meat foods, because most non-meat foods contain only 20–60% protein density of meat.

According to Dr. Weston A. Price here are a list of cholesterol contributing factors that cause heart disease.

1.  deficiency in vitamins a and d.
2. deficiencies of vitamins b6, b12, and folate.
3. trans fatty acids
4. mineral deficiencies
5. milk pasteurization
6. stress

In conclusion:

When considering your nutrient dense diet add a variety of the foods from each food group every day.  Beef it’s what’s for Dinner is always on my dinner table.  Subscribe to my newsletter [mailerlite_form form_id=8]  to know when beef orders for the fall are being taken.  Don’t miss out on this staple at your dinner table.  Did you know that when you sign up for my newsletter your name is placed into a free monthly drawing for a bar of handmade goats milk soap made by Amanda.  Get signed up right now.  [mailerlite_form form_id=8]