Nutrient-dense
adj.resilient, capableprofessional
What it means
Providing many beneficial nutrients relative to its amount.
Reach for it when describing food that supplies substantial nutrients relative to energy or amount
Beans are nutrient-dense and affordable enough for weekly meals.
Choose between these
6- everyday
broad health-supporting food quality is enough
not when Nutritious does not state density or comparison.
- warm
abundance of useful nutrients deserves emphasis
not when Rich does not identify the denominator.
- warm
minimally processed satisfying food is being praised
not when Wholesome is culturally loaded and scientifically vague.
- professional
high-nutrient
measured nutrient content is the point
not when The phrase needs the nutrients and serving named.
- professional
micronutrient-rich
vitamins and minerals specifically are abundant
not when The term overlooks protein and other macronutrients.
- literary
sustaining benefit suits human-centered prose
not when Nourishing can be figurative or subjective.
Said against
3- nutrient-poor
- empty-calorie
- nutritionally sparse
It naturally appears in
3- nutrient-dense food
Beans are a nutrient-dense food that stores well.
- nutrient-dense meal
The kitchen served a nutrient-dense meal after training.
- choose nutrient-dense options
The guide helps families choose nutrient-dense options within budget.
Where this comes from
Nutrient density depends on the chosen nutrients, serving, energy basis, and dietary need; it is not a complete verdict on a food.
Nutrient-dense is not a headword in the dictionaries below. The sense was checked against their entries for nutrient and dense, and the definition and example here are written for Nutrient-dense itself.
- wiktionary, the entry for nutrient, English noun, nourishing substance sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
- wiktionary, the entry for dense, English adjective, closely concentrated sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.