Let's Consider "Essential Nutrient Density"

Mathieu Lalonde is a charismatic and intelligent chemist studying and teaching at Harvard.  He decided to analyze almost 8,000 foods based on their essential nutrients.  Let's go to the trusty Wiki for a definition:  

An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that either cannot be synthesized by the body at all, or cannot be synthesized in amounts adequate for good health (e.g. niacin, choline), and thus must be obtained from a dietary source.

So basically he set out to measure what foods are really important for us to be eating on a frequent basis.  Our bodies are amazing and we have many mechanisms for survival.  But we cannot survive let alone thrive without these nutrients only available to us via food.  So this talk can get very sciencey but he has an engaging way of presenting.  Enjoy.





I understand if you don't want to or have the time to watch the full presentation.  Skip to here for the "surprise" ending.  Bottom line is when food nutrition is analyzed in an intelligent and methodical manner, it appears that maybe we've been duped about nturient values for a long time.  It would be really interesting to see the result  of analyzing pasture raised animal products.  I seriously doubt the USDA data included that.

CP