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Suzanimal
06-06-2014, 11:04 AM
I'm very surprised by these results, I thought Blueberries would be near the top but they didn't even make the cut.



Item Nutrient Density Score
Watercress 100.00
Chinese cabbage 91.99
Chard 89.27
Beet green 87.08
Spinach 86.43
Chicory 73.36
Leaf lettuce 70.73
Parsley 65.59
Romaine lettuce 63.48
Collard green 62.49
Turnip green 62.12
Mustard green 61.39
Endive 60.44
Chive 54.80
Kale 49.07
Dandelion green 46.34
Red pepper 41.26
Arugula 37.65
Broccoli 34.89
Pumpkin 33.82
Brussels sprout 32.23
Scallion 27.35
Kohlrabi 25.92
Cauliflower 25.13
Cabbage 24.51
Carrot 22.60
Tomato 20.37
Lemon 18.72
Iceberg lettuce 18.28
Strawberry 17.59
Radish 16.91
Winter squash (all varieties) 13.89
Orange 12.91
Lime 12.23
Grapefruit (pink and red) 11.64
Rutabaga 11.58
Turnip 11.43
Blackberry 11.39
Leek 10.69
Sweet potato 10.51
Grapefruit (white) 10.47

Of 47 foods studied, all but 6 (raspberry, tangerine, cranberry, garlic, onion, and blueberry) satisfied the powerhouse criterion (Table 2). Nutrient density scores ranged from 10.47 to 122.68 (median score = 32.23) and were moderately correlated with powerhouse group (ρ = 0.49, P = .001). The classification scheme was robust with respect to nutrients protective against chronic disease (97% of foods classified as PFV were separately classified as such on the basis of 8 nutrients protective against cancer and heart disease). For ease of interpretation, scores above 100 were capped at 100 (indicating that the food provides, on average, 100% DV of the qualifying nutrients per 100 kcal). Items in cruciferous (watercress, Chinese cabbage, collard green, kale, arugula) and green leafy (chard, beet green, spinach, chicory, leaf lettuce) groups were concentrated in the top half of the distribution of scores (Table 2) whereas items belonging to yellow/orange (carrot, tomato, winter squash, sweet potato), allium (scallion, leek), citrus (lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit), and berry (strawberry, blackberry) groups were concentrated in the bottom half (4–7).

http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm

amy31416
06-06-2014, 12:21 PM
Good info. Some of these things have to be cooked to release their nutrients--like spinach for instance.

Anybody have any great recipes using lots of these things?

torchbearer
06-06-2014, 12:26 PM
Good info. Some of these things have to be cooked to release their nutrients--like spinach for instance.

Anybody have any great recipes using lots of these things?


raw spinach no good?
i haz a sad.

amy31416
06-06-2014, 12:30 PM
raw spinach no good?
i haz a sad.

It's not that it's "no good," it's just that more nutrients are available when it's cooked. Tomatoes are similar, but I still eat both of those things raw.

helmuth_hubener
06-06-2014, 12:36 PM
It's not that it's "no good," it's just that more nutrients are available when it's cooked. Tomatoes are similar, but I still eat both of those things raw.

I had this impression that cooking tends to kill nutrients. Is that not true? Or, more likely, I am guessing that it's true for some things/nutrients and not othes, and that in spinich's case more nutrients are activated than killed?

Suzanimal
06-06-2014, 12:36 PM
raw spinach no good?
i haz a sad.

:( I pretty much only eat them raw.

donnay
06-06-2014, 12:37 PM
Raw spinach contains chemicals that block the production of thyroid hormone in your body.

Some raw foods are not necessarily healthy.

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/think-raw-veggies-are-best-think-again/
http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/goitrogens-thyroid-inhibiting-foods-you-should-avoid/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/517183-how-raw-cabbage-affects-your-thyroid/
http://www.naturalfertilityandwellness.com/how-to-eat-your-veggies/

torchbearer
06-06-2014, 12:38 PM
good to know.

donnay
06-06-2014, 12:44 PM
good to know.

I love cole slaw, I love raw broccoli and cauliflower. I used to make big salads with spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, white mushrooms...and I wound up with a goiter and couldn't understand why. Unfortunately I learned the hard way. :( I have reversed it with nascent iodine, thank God.

Uriah
06-06-2014, 01:02 PM
This article describes a classification scheme defining PFV on the basis of 17 nutrients of public health importance per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Institute of Medicine (ie, potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K)

There is more to nutrition than the above listed nutrients such as antioxidant power. Nice list but don't avoid blueberries because they "fall short" on this list.

Uriah
06-06-2014, 01:06 PM
I like this site. You can enter foods and see a matrix of data on how nutritious they are. http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Suzanimal
06-06-2014, 01:10 PM
There is more to nutrition than the above listed nutrients such as antioxidant power. Nice list but don't avoid blueberries because they "fall short" on this list.

Oh I wouldn't avoid anything just because it wasn't on this list. I was also surprised iceberg lettuce ranked so high, I always just considered it a vehicle for salad dressing.

amy31416
06-06-2014, 01:28 PM
I had this impression that cooking tends to kill nutrients. Is that not true? Or, more likely, I am guessing that it's true for some things/nutrients and not othes, and that in spinich's case more nutrients are activated than killed?

Case by case basis. It's not killed or activated, really, it's just more available when cooked in some cases.

amy31416
06-06-2014, 01:30 PM
I like this site. You can enter foods and see a matrix of data on how nutritious they are. http://nutritiondata.self.com/

I use that site quite often, especially when I first started the paleo diet.

Suzanimal
06-06-2014, 01:31 PM
I like this site. You can enter foods and see a matrix of data on how nutritious they are. http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Very cool.

Suzanimal
06-06-2014, 01:35 PM
I love cole slaw, I love raw broccoli and cauliflower. I used to make big salads with spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, white mushrooms...and I wound up with a goiter and couldn't understand why. Unfortunately I learned the hard way. :( I have reversed it with nascent iodine, thank God.

:(
Yeah, I cut out the fluoride, I'm taking the vitamins and I've cut back on the goiter foods. I was eating raw spinach every single day.:eek: