The 10 Best Foods You Can Eat - Forbes

For all those who’ve sat at their desks wondering: What should I eat for lunch? What would be the healthiest, most nutritious food that is also good for the waistline? David Grotto, a registered dietician and author of the forthcoming book The Best Things You Can Eat, hopes to settle the question once and for all.

Using the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, he uncovered the top 10 best foods by their quantity and richness of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and macronutrients (fats and protein). They’re also low in calories per recommended serving size, and some may surprise you.

Beans
Grotto says all dry beans, including lentils, are incredibly nutrient-dense, and the best among them is the kidney bean. They’re full of vitamins and minerals that are good for the heart, bones and organ functioning, and will satiate hunger with a low number of calories.

Calories: 200 per cup
Nutrients: Rich in folate, vitamin B1 or thiamine, magnesium, molybdenum, soluble fiber, iron and potassium.

Yogurt or Kiefer
Plain, low-fat yogurt and kiefer, which is like a liquid yogurt, are full of healthy probiotics, vitamins and minerals. The pantothenic acid helps energy metabolism, and the high concentration of iodine is particularly good for the thyroid. Grotto says that Greek yogurt is also a good protein source.

Calories: 140 per cup
Nutrients: Rich in pantothenic acid, vitamin B2 or riboflavin, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and iodine.

Beef Liver
“This is the shocker,” says Grotto. “Beef liver is a gold mine of nutrition.” Because it’s full of iron, it is especially good for menstruating women. It also has choline for memory and chromium for regulating blood sugars. It’s low in fat but does have cholesterol, so he recommends eating it a couple times a week and not every day.

Calories: 137 per 3 ounces
Nutrients: Rich in iron, vitamin A, biotin, choline, vitamin B12, vitamin B3 or niacin, vitamin B6, chromium, copper and phosphorus.

Salmon
Tasty and low-cal, salmon has healthy omega-3 fatty acids that your body needs for brain function and development but can only get through certain foods. It’s also high in niacin, which works to lower cholesterol.

Calories: 157 per 3 ounces
Nutrients: Rich in biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin B3 or niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin D, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids and choline.