Smart Food

As we head into Thanksgiving, there will definitely be a few family gatherings centered around some amazing foods this weekend. Although I am a strong supporter of eating smaller meals more frequently, this weekend may prove to be a little tricky. Instead, let’s take this holiday as the opportunity to dive into nutritionally dense food choices. In the most basic terms, the healthiest way to meet our nutritional needs is to simply eat a diet rich in whole foods. This type of diet will increase energy, reduce body fat, improve mental clarity and reduce sugary cravings.


To help us make these disease-preventing decisions, we can utilize the “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI)". An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content per calorie. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities. The Aggregate Nutrient Density Index was developed and patented by Eat Right America. In addition, this method has been adopted by Whole Foods Market grocery stores and you will see this index on some of their products.

GREEN VEGETABLES
Vegetable	ANDI Score
1. Mustard/Turnip/Collard Greens	1000
2. Kale	1000
3. Watercress	1000
4. Bok Choy/Baby Bok Choy	824
5. Spinach	739
6. Broccoli Rabe	715
7. Chinese/Napa Cabbage	704
8. Brussels Sprouts	672
9. Swiss Chard	670
10. Arugula	559
NON-GREEN VEGETABLES
Vegetable	ANDI Score
1. Radish	554
2. Bean Sprouts	444
3. Red Pepper	366
4. Radicchio	359
5. Turnip	337
6. Carrot	336
7. Cauliflower	295
8. Artichoke	244
9. Tomato	190
10. Butternut Squash	156

FRUIT Fruit ANDI Score 1. Strawberries 212 2. Blackberries 178 3. Plum 157 4. Raspberries 145 5. Blueberries 130 6. Papaya 118 7. Orange 109 8. Cantaloupe 100 9. Kiwi 97 10. Watermelon 91

BEANS
Vegetable	ANDI Score
1. Lentils	104
2. Red Kidney Beans	100
3. Great Northern Beans	94
4. Adzuki Beans	84
5. Black Beans	83
6. Black-Eyed Peas	82
7. Pinto Beans	61
8. Edamame	58
9. Split Peas	58
10. Chickpeas (Garbanzos)             57
NUTS & SEEDS
Nuts & Seeds	ANDI Score
1. Sunflower Seeds	78
2. Sesame Seeds	65
3. Flax Seeds	65
4. Pumpkin Seeds	52
5. Pistachios	48
6. Pecans	41
7. Almonds	38
8. Walnuts	34
9. Hazelnuts	32
10. Cashews	27
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole Grains	ANDI Score
1. Oats, old-fashioned	53
2. Barley, whole grain	43
3. Wild Brown Rice	43
4. Brown Rice	41
5. Barley, pearled	32
6. Wheat berries	25
7. Cornmeal, whole grain	22
8. Quinoa	21
9. Millet	19
10. Bulgar	17
MEAT
Meat	ANDI Score
1. Bison, top sirloin	39
2. Bison, chuck roast	36
3. Pork Tenderloin	34
4. Flank Steak	27
5. Chicken Breast	27
6. Turkey, light meat	25
7. Turkey, dark meat	24
8. Pork Chops	24
9. Ground Beef, 85% - 90% lean	20-23
10. Beef, top round	22
FISH
Fish	ANDI Score
1. Tuna*	46
2. Flounder	41
3. Sole	41
4. Salmon	39
5. Mahi Mahi	39
6. Shrimp	38
7. Swordfish*	38
8. Trout	36
9. Snapper	35
10. Haddock	35
*May contain high levels of mercury.
CHEESE
Cheese	ANDI Score
1. Feta	21
2. Cottage Cheese, low fat	18
3. Mozzarella, part skim	16
4. Ricotta, part skim	16
5. Swiss	15
6. Parmesan	15
7. Mozzarella, whole milk	14
8. Gouda	13
9. Provolone	13
10. Gruyere	13
Milk and Alternatives
Refrigerated Dairy Case	ANDI Score
1. Tofu	37
2. Nonfat Skim Milk	36
3. Soy Milk	33
4. Plain Nonfat Yogurt	30
5. Egg Substitute	30
6. Egg White	29
7. Low-fat 1% Milk	28
8. Egg	27
9. Hemp Milk	27
10. Tempeh	26

Enjoy and have a great Thanksgiving!

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.