Calorie-dense foods pack many calories into small volumes; nutrient-dense foods deliver high nutrition relative to calories. Rolls’s volumetrics work describes people eating a fairly consistent weight of food, so lowering calorie density tends to mean more volume for fewer calories. Non-starchy vegetables are 0.1-0.5 calories per gram; oils are 9. The ideal: high nutrient density, low calorie density.
This companion covers both concepts, why calorie density matters, the optimal combination, and practical application for building meals. (4 min read)
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