Nutrient-dense foods are foods that have a lot of nutrients but relatively few calories.

Nutrient-dense foods and beverages contain: vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other beneficial substances that may have positive health effects.

They are also naturally lean or low in saturated fat, and have little or no added saturated fat, sugars, refined starches, and sodium.

Examples

Examples of common frugan nutrient dense foods are: beans and peas, fresh fruit, berries, nuts and seeds, vegetables, seaweed, quinoa, whole grains. Most fruitarian foods are nutrient-dense.

Foods with Highest Nutrient Density

Most nutrient-dense foods of all kinds are leafy vegetables: parsley, kale, swiss chard, watercress, spinach, mustard greens. Other such greens include dandelion, arugula, basil, collards, asparagus, and green onions.

Most nutrient-dense fruits are bell peppers. Others are goji, acai, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pumpkin, tomatoes, avocado.

Seeds: pepitas, flax, sunflower, chia, cacao.

Fruitarian foods with highest nutritional score: almonds, cherimoya, chia and pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, beet greens, watercress, tangerine, green peas, green onion, red cabbage, pink grapefruit, dandelion greens, chili, basil, collards, kale, romaine lettuce, apricots, parsley, spinach, walnuts, red cherries, cowpeas, plantain, navy beans, summer squash, red tomatoes, paprika, chives, arugula, kiwi, cayenne, leeks, green beans, kumquats, oranges, red currants, pomegranates, jalapeno, dried plums, cantaloupes, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, pumpkin, ginger, figs.