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5 Underrated Foods That Give You The Most Nutritional Bang For Your Buck
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There is so much nutrition information out there. You can name every fad diet under the sun, and yet, we don't actually have a set definition for nutrient-dense. "We've been throwing out this word 'nutrient-dense' a lot without having an agreed-upon definition or any kind of consistent way to identify nutrient-dense foods," Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D., says on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast.
She calculates all the nutrients our bodies need from the foods we eat and gives each food a score based on its scientific literature.
It's sustainable, easy to follow, and fascinating—you'll surely be surprised by some of the highest-scoring staples below!
Strawberries
"The highest-scoring fruit is strawberries," says Ballantyne. Not blueberries—strawberries. "Blueberries have the best PR team of all fruit," she quips regarding all the research and news stories surrounding those tiny blues. "I'm not saying blueberries are bad, but strawberries have almost double the nutrient density of blueberries," she adds. Who knew?
Specifically, strawberries earn a Nutrivore score of 762, and blueberries have a score of 396. Again, nothing against blueberries—they're great!—but don't ignore the other berries in the bunch. According to Ballantyne, strawberries are notably rich in vitamin C, polyphenols and phytosterols, manganese, and vitamin B7.
Lentils
"Legumes are the most nutrient-dense starchy food," says Ballantyne. "I would have thought starchy root vegetables like sweet potatoes would beat out legumes…but on average, legumes are more so."
They have a score of 489, according to her website, and they're packed with minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols. "Lentils are king in the legume world," Ballantyne adds. Here, find the best ways to cook them.
Coffee
Coffee lovers, lean in: Your favorite beverage earns a Nutrivore score of 7036, which according to Ballantyne, makes it one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
"Coffee earns its very high Nutrivore score thanks to being such a concentrated source of polyphenols, and for only 2 calories per cup if you're drinking it black," she notes. In addition to those polyphenols, it contains quite a significant amount of B vitamins and a bit of fiber too.
"I don't think people realize they're getting B vitamins from a cup of coffee," Ballantyne adds. "How cool? I mean, coffee is objectively the best." Ballantyne, we're with you 100%.
Bulgur
When it comes to the highest-scoring grains, bulgur comes out on top. Bulgur is a type of pseudograin, which earns a Nutrivore score of 297.
It contains a higher amount of nutrients like fiber and protein than rice (if you are going to compare the two), mainly because "you're really eating the whole grain," says Ballantyne. "The nutrients tend to be concentrated in the germ and the hull; as soon as you start doing any kind of processing of grains, you're removing some nutrients," she adds. Here, find more nutrition facts and the best way to prepare this healthy grain.
Chocolate
Cocoa powder has a Nutrivore score of 1,036, says Ballantyne, namely thanks to its polyphenol content. "It has really high minerals. It's quite very high fiber as well," she notes. It's no wonder dark chocolate has been associated with many health benefits, such as reducing high blood pressure risk.
"The darker the chocolate the better in terms of nutrient density, but chocolate actually has a lot of valuable nutrition," Ballantyne adds. Our favorite recipes as of late? These chocolate walnut bars and this nutty chocolate smoothie.
The takeaway
Take Ballantyne's Nutrivore system not as hard-and-fast rules but as suggestions on how to fill up a nutrient-dense plate. Add these five staples to your grocery list—plus more she shares in the episode!—and you'll surely get the most nutritional bang for your buck.
We hope you enjoy this episode! And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube!
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