nutrientdensity

Nutrient density is a measure of the nutritional value of a food relative to its energy content. It assesses how many essential nutrients a food delivers per unit of energy, typically expressed per 100 kilocalories, emphasizing vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds over calories alone.

Several quantitative approaches are used. One method adds the percent daily values of selected nutrients per 100 kcal to form a nutrient density score. The NRF indices (for example NRF9.3) balance beneficial nutrients against nutrients to limit, like added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. Higher scores reflect greater nutrient density, though selections of nutrients and weighting can vary by study or labeling system.

Examples and trends: leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains often have high nutrient density, while energy-dense, nutrient-poor products such as many processed snacks tend to score low. Density can change with cooking, processing, and moisture content, and may differ by variety and growing conditions.

Limitations: nutrient density is a simplification. It depends on which nutrients are included and on measurement methods; it does not consider bioavailability, food matrix effects, overall diet context, portion sizes, or consumer-specific needs.

See also energy density, nutrition labeling, and dietary quality.