Nutrient Density Matters
Healthy eating styles are based on choosing a variety of nutrient-dense foods across the food groups that contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other healthful nutrients or components while staying within appropriate calorie level limits. Nutrient-dense foods and beverages include vegetables, fruits, 100% vegetable/fruit juices, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry with little or no saturated fats, sodium, refined starches, and added sugars.
HEI and Density Scoring
Increasing Nutrient Density Results in Improved HEI Scores
The HEI captures the nutritional balance among the various food groups. It uncouples dietary quality from quantity by using a density approach, (ie, each of the components is scored per 1,000 calories, with the exception of fatty acids, which is a ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids).
Using a density approach for scoring allows the HEI to be used across food patterns of different calorie levels. Density standards are useful not only because they allow common standards to be used, but also because they are independent of an individual’s energy requirement.4
The USDA Food Patterns show recommended amounts of food from each food group at 12 calorie levels that meet the needs of individuals across the lifespan. Dietary recommendations vary by sex, age, and activity level.
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