The Science Behind the Nutrient Rich Foods Approach

Nutrient Density Concept

Nutrient Density History & Support – Find answers to these questions: Why nutrient density? Why now? Who supports an approach based on nutrient density? What is being done to help people understand and apply the nutrient density concept?

Nutrient Density Key Definitions – Understand the differences between a variety of nutrient density terms

The Scientific Process

The Nutrient Rich Foods approach helps people evaluate choices in a balanced way, based on the content of nine nutrients to encourage: protein, fiber, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and three nutrients to limit: saturated fat, added sugars, sodium, contained in 100 calories of a food or beverage.

All foods and beverages can be evaluated using the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalitions’ scientifically valid definition of nutrient density. To translate the definition and science into a system for ranking foods and beverages, scientists developed a formula – primarily based on nine nutrients to encourage and three nutrients to limit. Applying this formula to foods and beverages resulted in the Nutrient Rich Foods Index.

Nutrition profiling of foods is defined as the science of ranking or classifying foods based on their nutrient composition⁵. Adam Drewnowski, PhD of the University of Washington, and Victor Fulgoni, PhD of Nutrition Impact, LLC, defined six guiding principles to develop and evaluate nutrient profiling systems, based on their work published in Nutrition Reviews ⁵. The principles include:

1. Objective: Based on accepted nutrition science and labeling practices.
2. Simple: Based on published daily values and meaningful amounts of food.
3. Balanced: Based on nutrients to encourage and nutrients to limit.
4. Validated: Tested against an objective measure of a healthful diet.
5. Transparent: Based on published formulas and open-source data.
6. Consumer-driven: Based on consumer research to help guide better food choices and help people build more healthful diets.

Published Research

Review the extensive scientific research studies and reports in support of the Nutrient Rich Foods approach that have been published in peer-reviewed journals

Nutrition Experts Support the Nutrient Rich Foods Approach

View videos and presentations from experts who support the Nutrient Rich Foods approach and participated in the 2008 Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition Scientific Forum and the 2009 “Achieve Better Health with Nutrient Rich Foods Symposium”