106 Nutrition & Wellness for Life Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. People sometimes use terms such as health food or junk food to describe a food’s quality. As you begin to analyze foods, you will find there is no such thing as a perfect food. Likewise, few foods supply absolutely no nutrients. Therefore, health food and junk food are less useful than the terms high nutrient density and low nutrient density. Limit Calories from Added Sugars and Saturated Fats and Reduce Sodium Foods that are high in solid fats and/or added sugars, also referred to as SoFAS, should be limited or avoided. An eating pattern that includes excess SoFAS may result in calorie imbalance, weight gain, and other negative health consequences. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that no more than 10 percent of your daily calories come from added sugars. Salty snacks and processed food prod- ucts that are high in sodium comprise (make up) a significant portion of many teen and adult diets. Choose these foods less often to achieve a healthier eating pattern. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods Individuals must consume a limited number of calories if they want to avoid unhealthy weight gain. Therefore, you should choose foods that supply the nutrients you need for health, but which contain few additional calories from unnecessary solid fats and added sugars. In other words— choose nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Unfortunately, many Americans choose foods that are not nutrient dense. You do not have to give up your favorite foods, just choose the more nutrient-dense form of your favorite food. Which food would you choose? 1 cup French fried potatoes or 1 small baked potato 1 cup sweetened applesauce or 1 large apple 3 ounces grilled chicken breast or 3 ounces fried chicken strips Top row: nito/Shutterstock.com Joe Gough/Shutterstock.com Middle row: Moving Moment/Shutterstock.com Tim UR/Shutterstock.com Bottom row: amenic181/Shutterstock.com koss13/Shutterstock.com Check mark: Fine Art/Shutterstock.com