You can eat only a limited amount of food in a single day.
To maximize the amount of nutrients you take in, it makes sense to spend your calorie budget wisely by choosing the foods that carry the greatest amount and variety of nutrients.
Here are the 11 most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
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Not all fish are created equal.
Salmon and other fatty types of fish contain the most omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3s are extremely important for the optimal functioning of your body. They’re linked to improved well-being and a lower risk of many serious diseases.
Although salmon is mainly prized for its beneficial composition of fatty acids, it also packs massive amounts of other nutrients.
A 100-gram serving of wild Atlantic salmon contains about 2.2 grams of omega-3s, along with lots of high-quality animal protein and ample vitamins and minerals, including large amounts of magnesium, potassium, selenium, and B vitamins.
It’s a good idea to eat fatty fish at least once or twice a week to get all the omega-3s your body needs.
Studies show that people who eat fatty fish regularly have a lower risk of heart disease, dementia, depression, and many other common health conditions.
Salmon tastes good and is fairly simple to prepare. It also tends to make you feel full with relatively few calories.
If you can, choose wild salmon instead of farmed. It is more nutritious, has a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, and is less likely to contain contaminants.
Summary: Fatty fish like salmon are loaded with beneficial fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a good idea to eat fatty fish at least once a week.
2. Kale
Of all the leafy greens, kale is the king.
It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and various bioactive compounds.
Kale is especially high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K1. It also contains large amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, and manganese. A one-cup serving has only 9 calories.
Kale may be even healthier than spinach. Both are very nutritious, but kale is lower in oxalates, substances that can bind minerals like calcium in your intestine, preventing them from being absorbed.
Kale and other greens are also high in various bioactive compounds, including isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol, which have been shown to fight cancer in test-tube and animal studies.
Summary: Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can eat, containing large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and potentially cancer-fighting compounds.
3. Seaweed
The sea has more than just fish. It also contains massive amounts of vegetation.
There are thousands of different plant species in the ocean, some of which are very nutritious. Usually, they are referred to collectively as seaweed.
Seaweed is popular in dishes such as sushi. Many sushi dishes include a type of seaweed known as nori, which is used as an edible wrapping.
In many cases, seaweed is even more nutritious than land vegetables. It’s particularly high in minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
It’s also loaded with various bioactive compounds, including phycocyanins and carotenoids. Some of these substances are antioxidants with powerful anti-inflammatory capacities.
But seaweed shines in its high content of iodine, a mineral your body uses to make thyroid hormones.
Just eating a high iodine seaweed like kelp a few times per month can give your body all the iodine it needs.
If you don’t like the taste of seaweed, you can also take it in supplement form. Dried kelp tablets are very cheap and loaded with iodine.
Suggested read: 12 healthy foods that are high in iron
Summary: Sea vegetables are highly nutritious but rarely eaten in the West. They are particularly high in iodine, which is essential for optimal thyroid function.
4. Garlic
Garlic really is an amazing ingredient.
It can turn all sorts of bland dishes delicious, and it’s very nutritious.
It’s high in vitamins C, B1, and B6, as well as calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium.
Garlic is also high in beneficial sulfur compounds such as allicin.
Many studies suggest that allicin and garlic may lower blood pressure as well as total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. It also helps raise HDL (good) cholesterol, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease down the line.
Garlic also has various cancer-fighting properties. Some older studies suggest that people who eat a lot of garlic have a much lower risk of several common cancers, especially cancers of the colon and stomach.
Raw garlic also has significant antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Summary: Garlic is both tasty and healthy. It’s highly nutritious and contains bioactive compounds that have confirmed disease-fighting properties.
5. Shellfish
Many sea animals are high in nutrients, but shellfish may be among the most nutritious of all.
Clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels are commonly consumed types of shellfish.
Clams are among the best sources of vitamin B12 in existence, with 100 grams of clams supplying more than 16 times the recommended daily intake. They are also loaded with vitamin C, various B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and iron.
Oysters are also very nutritious. Only 100 grams supply 600% of the recommended daily intake for zinc, 200% of the recommended daily intake for copper, and large amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and several other nutrients.
Suggested read: 6 reasons why eggs are the healthiest food on the planet
Though shellfish are among the world’s most nutritious foods, most people rarely consume them.
Summary: Shellfish are some of the most nutritious animals found in the sea. They’re very high in important nutrients like vitamin B12 and zinc.
6. Potatoes
Potatoes are high in potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese. They also contain vitamin C and most B vitamins.
They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. There are accounts of people living on nothing but potatoes for a long time.
Potatoes are also one of the most filling foods. When researchers compared the satiety values of different foods, boiled potatoes scored higher than any other food measured.
If you allow potatoes to cool after cooking, they also form resistant starch, a fiber-like substance with many powerful health benefits.
Summary: Potatoes contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. They are incredibly filling and can provide large amounts of resistant starch.
7. Liver
Humans and our remote ancestors have been eating animals for millions of years.
However, the modern Western diet has prioritized muscle meat over organ meats. Compared to the organs, muscle meat is nutritionally poor.
Out of all the organs, the liver is by far the most nutritious.
The liver is a remarkable organ with hundreds of functions related to metabolism. One of its functions is to store important nutrients for the rest of your body.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion of beef liver contains:
- Vitamin B12: 1,176% of the daily value
- Vitamin B5, vitamin B6, niacin, and folate: more than 50% of the daily value
- Vitamin B2: 201% of the daily value
- Vitamin A: 634% of the daily value
- Copper: 714% of the daily value
- Iron, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium: more than 30% of the daily value
- High-quality animal protein: 29 grams
Eating liver once per week is a good way to ensure that you get optimal amounts of these vital nutrients.
Summary: Liver is highly nutritious organ meat containing large amounts of B vitamins as well as other healthy substances.
8. Sardines
Sardines are small, oily fish that can be eaten whole.
Given that the organs are usually the most nutritious parts of an animal, it’s not surprising that whole sardines are very nourishing.
They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient your body needs.
Suggested read: 10 proven health benefits of kale
Like other fatty fish, they’re also very high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Summary: Small, oily fish like sardines are usually eaten whole, so you consume the organs, bones, and other nutritious parts. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need.
9. Blueberries
When it comes to the nutritional value of fruits, blueberries are in a league of their own.
Although not as high — calorie for calorie — in vitamins and minerals as vegetables, they’re packed with antioxidants.
They are loaded with powerful antioxidant substances, including anthocyanins and various other plant compounds, some of which can cross the blood-brain barrier and exert protective effects on your brain.
Several studies have examined the health effects of blueberries in humans.
One study found that blueberries improved memory in older adults.
Another study found that obese men and women with metabolic syndrome had a lowered blood pressure and reduced markers of oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol after adding blueberries to their diet.
This finding is in line with studies showing that blueberries increase the antioxidant value of your blood.
Multiple test-tube and animal studies also suggest that blueberries can help fight cancer.
Summary: Blueberries are very nutritious compared to most other fruits and are loaded with powerful antioxidants, some of which can increase the amount of antioxidants in your blood and safeguard your brain.
10. Egg yolks
Egg yolks have been unfairly demonized because of their cholesterol content.
However, studies suggest that dietary cholesterol isn’t something you generally need to worry about.
Eating moderate amounts of cholesterol doesn’t raise the LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood.
Egg yolks are therefore one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Whole eggs are so nutritious that they’re sometimes referred to as “nature’s multivitamin.”
Egg yolks are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and various powerful nutrients, including choline.
They’re high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that can protect your eyes and reduce your risk of eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration.
Eggs also contain high-quality protein and healthy fats. Several studies suggest that they can help with weight loss.
They are also cheap, flavorful, and easy to prepare.
If you can, buy eggs that come from pasture-raised hens and/or omega-3-enriched eggs. These types are more nutritious than most conventional supermarket eggs.
Summary: Whole eggs are so nutritious that they’re sometimes called “nature’s multivitamin.” The yolk is where almost all the nutrients are found.
11. Dark chocolate (cocoa)
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 its biggest benefit is its amazing range of antioxidants.
A study showed that cocoa and dark chocolate scored higher in antioxidants than any other food tested, including blueberries and acai berries.
Multiple studies in humans suggest that dark chocolate has powerful health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, reduced oxidized LDL cholesterol, and improved brain function.
One study found that people who consumed chocolate more than 5 times per week had a 57% lower risk of heart disease.
Given that heart disease is the most common cause of death worldwide, this finding could have implications for millions of people.
Make sure to get dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content. The best ones contain 85% cocoa or higher.
Eating a small square of quality dark chocolate every day may be one of the best ways to supplement your diet with additional antioxidants.
Summary: Dark chocolate and cocoa are very high in minerals and antioxidants. Eating them regularly may provide various health benefits.
Summary
If you want lots of nutrients without many calories, the most obvious strategy is to take dietary supplements.
Suggested read: 50 foods that are super healthy
However, supplements can hardly replace a healthy diet. A better way to get all the nutrients you need is to fill your meals with nutrient-dense foods.
Nutrient-dense foods are rich in nutrients relative to their calorie content. These include various healthy foods such as whole vegetables, fruits, cocoa, seafood, eggs, and liver.
Start adding the above foods to your diet today to reap their benefits.
