Most nutrition per calorie
Most Nutrient-Dense Foods
The foods that pack the most vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber into every calorie — ranked by our nutrient-density score.
"Nutrient density" describes how much nourishment a food gives you relative to its calories. The most nutrient-dense foods deliver a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber for very little energy — which is exactly what you want the bulk of your diet to be built from.
Each food below is rated 0–100 by our nutrient-density score, which sums the share of your daily needs it covers across two dozen beneficial nutrients (per 100 calories), then trims points for saturated fat and sodium. Leafy greens and other vegetables top the list, but colorful fruit, fish, eggs and legumes all score well.
17 of the best nutrient-dense foods
Ranked by our 0–100 nutrient-density score — the most nourishment per calorie. Tap any food for its full nutrition label and a custom serving size.
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Spinach, rawA multivitamin in leaf form.
84Excellent
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Kale, rawOff-the-charts vitamins K, A and C.
79Excellent
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Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, rawNature’s multivitamin — unrivaled B12, vitamin A, copper and iron. So concentrated it’s best in small, occasional servings.
77Excellent
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Watercress, rawA peppery green that tops nutrient-density rankings.
71Excellent
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Chard, swiss, rawLoaded with vitamins K, A and magnesium.
71Excellent
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Broccoli, rawVitamin C, K, folate and fiber.
64Excellent
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Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, rawTiny but mighty — extraordinary zinc, B12 and selenium per calorie.
61Excellent
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Brussels sprouts, rawVitamin C and K in a tidy package.
57Excellent
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Peppers, sweet, red, rawMore vitamin C than an orange.
57Excellent
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Fish, salmon, chum, rawProtein, omega-3s, B12 and vitamin D.
46Very good
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Strawberries, rawVitamin C and polyphenols, few calories.
44Very good
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Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with boneOmega-3s, calcium and B12 in one tin.
42Very good
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Oranges, raw, navelsJuicy vitamin C and folate.
40Very good
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Lentils, rawPlant protein, fiber, folate and iron.
39Very good
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Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfatHigh-protein dairy rich in calcium.
39Very good
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Egg, yolk, raw, freshCholine, B12, vitamin D and complete protein.
35Good
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Blueberries, rawAntioxidant-dense little berries.
31Good
Scores are computed per 100 calories across 24 beneficial nutrients, minus saturated fat and sodium.
Frequently asked questions
What does "nutrient-dense" mean?
A nutrient-dense food gives you a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber for relatively few calories. The opposite — "empty calories" — describes foods high in energy but low in nutrients, like sugary drinks or refined snacks.
What are the most nutrient-dense foods?
Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, watercress, chard) top almost every ranking, followed by other vegetables, organ meats like liver, shellfish such as oysters, colorful fruit, fish, eggs and legumes. Per calorie, vegetables are hard to beat.
How is the nutrient-density score calculated?
It averages how much of your daily needs a food covers across two dozen vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber (measured per 100 calories), then subtracts points for saturated fat and sodium, scaling the result to a friendly 0–100. Each nutrient is capped at 100% of a day's value, so a food can't win on one megadose alone — which is why an all-rounder like spinach edges out liver despite liver's sky-high vitamin A.