Nutrient-dense foods are foods that are very healthy and you can typically eat more of these foods than calorie-dense foods. Calories give energy, whereas nutrients give you other things your body needs to survive such as protein, iron, etc. Some calorie-dense foods are extremely healthy, and some calorie-dense foods, like meat, is very unhealthy. Spinach, which is very healthy, is very nutrient-dense because it is made up of 49% protein. Steak, which is unhealthy, is very calorie-dense and fattening. Not all calorie-dense foods are unhealthy or healthy, because not all calories are created equal.
<u>Sample Response</u>: Calorie-dense foods are essentially junk foods that are high in calories and high in fat, sugars, or salts. They have little nutritional value and are often called empty calories. Examples of calorie-dense food, or junk food, include soda, cake, pepperoni pizza, and frosted cereals. Nutrient-dense foods have a lot of nutrients for the amount of energy it provides. Nutrient-dense foods include items such as veggie pizza, fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, and oatmeal.
