A Nutrient Rich Diet is guided by the Nutritarian Food Pyramid created by Joel Fuhrman M.D., the leader in high nutrient density nutritional research and education.

A Nutrient Rich diet is based primarily on real, whole natural foods of plant origin. In our current market most of the foods sold are packaged as “natural” when they are in fact inherently not natural, nor nutrient rich, and while animal foods are arguably considered “whole foods” in the market, they are not considered “nutrient rich” either. Ref: The Food Class System.

A Nutrient Rich diet includes raw and cooked foods with a smaller percentage of cooked foods, but can be raw or high-raw if you want it to be. Some foods can increase in nutritional value when cooked conservatively and substantial nutrients are neither lost or destroyed. (Example: Soups)

A Nutrient Rich diet can include small amounts of animal products – ideally wild, grass fed or farm-raised – if you eat them. Many people feel better eating small amounts of animal products in their diet for a variety of reasons, although this is not essential for healthy eating.

A Nutrient Rich diet can include processed foods where the nutrient value and integrity are maintained. (Example: smoothies, hummus and chopped salads…)

A Nutrient Rich diet eliminates and/or limits refined foods where the nutrients are stripped out and pleasure stimulating chemicals are either left in or added which can cause addiction, over consumption and rapid increase of insulin levels and disease potential.

A Nutrient Rich diet is able to creatively duplicate the same pleasing effects of traditional junk food without the harmful result of overly refined products. You can actually have your cake and eat it too; although this is technically not “natural” even if made from whole natural, nutrient dense foods that are processed and the nutrient value and integrity are maintained.

A Nutrient Rich diet can be customized to the individual based on their genetic predisposition, blood tests, and prior conditions with the help of a qualified health care practitioner. Environment, present situation, preferences and goals also play a big role. Supplementation may be essential, even though you are eating a nutrient-rich diet.

A Nutrient Rich diet is a lifestyle decision that works with your body’s natural systems.

A Nutrient Rich diet is the cornerstone of a successful lifestyle that is health promoting. 

The consumption of nutrient-dense foods and beverages, which would ultimately be identified by a scientifically validated nutrient density profiling system, should be instituted as a nutrition platform in the Dietary Guidelines as a part of a larger educational effort to help people choose more nutrient-dense foods and as the guiding principle for consumers to plan healthful diets. By consciously choosing more nutrient-dense foods and beverages, Americans will be in a better position to meet their nutrient requirements without over consuming energy. An objective, science-based, and validated nutrient density profiling system is needed to characterize foods based on their nutrient composition and this concept should be integrated into the Dietary Guidelines.

This article sets forth guiding principles for the development and implementation of a nutrient density profiling system based on the current knowledge of diet and health and recommends that the development of a nutrient density profiling system include testing for effectiveness against accepted measures of diet quality, such as the Healthy Eating Index, and measurable public health markers, such as blood lipids and blood pressure.

Here’s where you can read the full abstract.