Fruits and vegetables provide the best nutrition
Fruits and vegetables provide high levels of nutrition at a fair price while sweets and desserts are the worst in nutrient-per-price ratio, say scientists.
05/12/05 According to a report in the December issue of Journal of the American Dietetic Association, lean meats and dairy products run a close second to fruits and vegetables.
Grains, all meats, and composite dishes like pizza and spaghetti and meatballs did not do that well, said Nicole Darmon, of the Institut Scientifique et Technique de la Nutrition et de l'Alimentation at Paris.
The researchers studied 129 fruits and vegetables and 508 other foods. The fruits and vegetables ranged from processed and canned products, but excluded dried fruits and potatoes, the health portal MedPage Today reported.
The researchers found energy density and nutrient density scores were negatively correlated, showing that high-calorie foods are also the ones with the lowest nutrient content.
Sugar is the cheapest food, the authors said, this is only true when looking at their calorie-per-price ratio. But when evaluating the nutritional value of sweets and desserts, they did poorly on a nutrient-per-price scale.
The nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables were associated with higher food costs per 100 grams, however, the authors said these foods still provided the best nutrient content for their listed prices.
They say that high daily consumption of low calories; nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables have been associated with reduced risks for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and several other chronic illnesses.
