The 11 most nutritious foods on the planet according to science

One food even achieved a final score of 100%. The perfect food exists!

If you’re interested in finding out which are the most nutritious superfoods on the planet, this article is for you. If you hate fruit and vegetables (especially the green variety) we have bad news for you: they’re all over this list. But look on the bright side – these foods are so nutrient rich that a relatively small amount will give you all the nutrients you need.

Professor Jennifer Di Noia from William Paterson University led the investigation, reporting her results via the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). She and her team calculated the nutrient density of each food in relation to the body’s daily needs.

They also considered the amount of energy provided by each food, awarding higher scores to those containing a significant quantity of the 17 most essential nutrients: potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K.

Here are the top 11 vegetable foods with the highest density of nutrients: all important to good health and to lowering risk of heart disease and cancer. In case you were wondering, the superfoods with the lowest nutritional density of those analysed were white grapefruit and sweet potato. Now take your pick from the following powerhouse foods. If this list doesn’t encourage you to eat your greens, nothing will…

11. Turnip green: 62.12% nutrient density

10. Collard green: 62.49% nutrient density

9. Romaine lettuce: 63.48% nutrient density

8. Parsley: 65.59% nutrient density

7. Leaf lettuce: 70.73% nutrient density

6. Chicory: 73.36% nutrient density

5. Spinach: 86.43% nutrient density

4. Beet green: 87.08% nutrient density

3. Chard: 89.27% nutrient density

2. Chinese cabbage: 91.99% nutrient density

1. Watercress: 100.00% nutrient density – the perfect food.