| Course | NS105 Fundamentals of Nutrition |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 8 |
| Paper type | Nutrient density comparison |
| Length | About 850 words, 6 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Nutrition Science |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NS105 Unit 8
Per 100 Kilocalories, Then the Fine Print: A Unit 8 Nutrient Density Comparison of Four Afternoon Snacks
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
NS105: Fundamentals of Nutrition
Unit 8 Nutrient Density Comparison
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The four snacks are composite products with typical values rounded from standard tables; the nutrient density research cited is real.
Why Per 100 Kilocalories
Serving sizes are set differently for different foods, so comparing snacks per serving mostly compares portions. Nutrient density expresses nutrients relative to energy, here per 100 kilocalories, which asks how much of each nutrient a food supplies for the energy it costs. Researchers have built composite scores on this idea, such as the Nutrient Rich Foods index, which credits nutrients to encourage and penalizes those to limit (Drewnowski, 2005; Fulgoni et al., 2009). This comparison uses five individual nutrients rather than a composite score so that each can be seen.
The Four Snacks
Values are rounded from USDA FoodData Central and typical package labels (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2019).
1. Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 6 ounces: 100 kcal; protein 17 g; fiber 0 g; calcium 190 mg; potassium 240 mg; added sugars 0 g.
2. Baby carrots, 1 cup with 2 tablespoons hummus: 115 kcal; protein 3.5 g; fiber 5 g; calcium 50 mg; potassium 400 mg; added sugars 0 g.
3. Almonds, 1 ounce: 165 kcal; protein 6 g; fiber 3.5 g; calcium 75 mg; potassium 210 mg; added sugars 0 g.
4. Chocolate granola bar, 1 bar: 190 kcal; protein 3 g; fiber 2 g; calcium 20 mg; potassium 110 mg; added sugars 12 g.
Restated Per 100 Kilocalories
Each figure is divided by the snack's energy and multiplied by 100.
1. Yogurt: protein 17.0 g; fiber 0 g; calcium 190 mg; potassium 240 mg; added sugars 0 g.
2. Carrots with hummus: protein 3.0 g; fiber 4.3 g; calcium 43 mg; potassium 348 mg; added sugars 0 g.
3. Almonds: protein 3.6 g; fiber 2.1 g; calcium 45 mg; potassium 127 mg; added sugars 0 g.
4. Granola bar: protein 1.6 g; fiber 1.1 g; calcium 11 mg; potassium 58 mg; added sugars 6.3 g.
Rankings by Nutrient
1. Protein: yogurt first by far, then almonds, carrots with hummus, granola bar.
2. Fiber: carrots with hummus first, then almonds, granola bar, yogurt.
3. Calcium: yogurt first, then almonds and carrots with hummus nearly tied, granola bar last.
4. Potassium: carrots with hummus first, then yogurt, almonds, granola bar.
5. Added sugars, lower is better: yogurt, carrots and almonds tied at zero; granola bar last.
No single snack wins every nutrient: the yogurt leads on protein and calcium, the carrots on fiber and potassium, and the only clear conclusion across all five nutrients is that the granola bar ranks last or near last on every one.
What the Rankings Show
Per 100 kilocalories, three of the snacks supply useful amounts of different nutrients, and the granola bar supplies little of any nutrient while adding sugar. The comparison turns "healthier" into specific claims: the yogurt is the densest source of protein and calcium among the four; the carrots with hummus are the densest source of fiber and potassium.
Where the Ranking Stops Being Fair
Nutrient density per 100 kilocalories has limits, and three apply here.
Portion and fullness. People do not eat 100 kilocalories of almonds; they eat a handful, which is about 165. Almonds rank in the middle per 100 kilocalories, but a typical portion supplies more of each nutrient than the 100-kilocalorie figures suggest. Density says nothing about how much of a food people actually eat or how full it keeps them.
Nutrients not counted. The comparison leaves out nutrients where the rankings would change. Almonds supply vitamin E and magnesium, and unsaturated fat, which this comparison ignored. Yogurt supplies vitamin B12; carrots supply vitamin A. A different set of five nutrients would produce a different order, which is why composite indexes take care in choosing their nutrient lists (Drewnowski, 2005).
Very low energy foods. Foods with very few kilocalories, such as plain vegetables, can score extremely high per 100 kilocalories even though a normal portion supplies modest amounts. Carrots with hummus benefit from this effect.
A Fairer Statement
A fair summary is that the yogurt, the carrots with hummus and the almonds are all nutrient-dense snacks with different strengths, and that a person choosing among them could pick by which nutrient they most need. The granola bar is the least nutrient-dense by every measure used here. Calling any one of the first three "the healthiest" would depend on which nutrients matter most to the person and how much of the snack they eat.
How This Connects to the Record
Gloria's three-day record, from Unit 7, includes vending machine crackers, a cola and hotel cookies during her overnight shifts. Applied to those snacks, the same method would show low density on nearly every nutrient. The comparison suggests substitutions she could consider, such as yogurt or carrots with hummus brought from home, which later units can test against the guidelines.
References
Drewnowski, A. (2005). Concept of a nutritious food: Toward a nutrient density score. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(4), 721-732. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/82.4.721
Fulgoni, V. L., Keast, D. R., & Drewnowski, A. (2009). Development and validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods index: A tool to measure nutritional quality of foods. The Journal of Nutrition, 139(8), 1549-1554. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.108.101360
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2019). FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
NS105 Unit 8 instructions, in plain terms
The nutrient density unit asks students to compare foods by the nutrients they supply relative to energy. Prompts usually expect several foods, their nutrient values restated per 100 kilocalories, rankings by nutrient and an interpretation, often with discussion of the method's limits. Choose foods people might actually choose between. Explain why per 100 kilocalories is used instead of per serving. Show the restated figures and rank each nutrient separately. Avoid declaring a single winner if the rankings disagree. Name the limits of the method specifically, including portion size and the choice of nutrients. Cite research on nutrient density scoring. Connect the findings to a person or diet where possible. Three to four pages is typical.
How the NS 105 Unit 8 example is put together
The comparison opens by explaining why energy is the denominator, citing work on nutrient density scoring. Values for the four snacks are given as served, then restated per 100 kilocalories. Five rankings follow, one per nutrient. The highlighted sentence states that no snack wins everything and only the granola bar ranks consistently low. A section interprets the rankings as specific claims. Three named limits follow: almonds' portion, nutrients left out such as vitamin E and the advantage very low energy foods enjoy. A fairer statement closes the analysis, and a final section applies the method to the overnight clerk's snacks from the food record.
Where the points sit in the NS105 Unit 8 rubric
NS105 nutrient density rubrics usually reward correct calculations, sensible food choices and critical interpretation. Accurate restatement per 100 kilocalories and correct rankings earn the calculation points. Interpretation is judged by whether the student draws specific conclusions rather than a single verdict. Discussion of the method's limits is a major criterion and often separates top papers from adequate ones. Citing nutrient density research and connecting results to a real diet earn credit for evidence and application. Clear tables or lists complete the rubric. A paper that ranks foods per serving, or crowns one food the healthiest without qualification, tends to lose points. Applying the comparison to a real person's snacks is frequently rewarded as application.
Common NS105 Unit 8 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Density comparisons often compare foods per serving, which mostly measures portion size. Another weakness is choosing foods so different that the comparison means little. Students sometimes declare a single best food when the rankings point in different directions. Limits of the method are frequently omitted, or stated vaguely. The choice of nutrients is rarely justified, though it determines the result. Findings are seldom linked to anyone's actual diet. If you have chosen foods and need to restate and rank them, gather the nutrition values, and from those figures a writer can help you work the comparison and its limits. Naming exactly which nutrients were counted, and why, makes the method's choices visible to a grader.
Get an NS105 Unit 8 example written to your instructions
List the foods the Unit 8 assignment wants compared, or leave the pick to the writer where that is allowed, and send the instructions and rubric. The comparison is worked per 100 kilocalories, or on whatever basis your section names, with a sourced table and ranking. Turnaround is 24-48h, and a first sample carries no fee. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
More NS105 papers and BS in Nutrition Science samples
- NS105 Unit 1: Nutrient Definition Post
- NS105 Unit 2: Digestion Summary
- NS105 Unit 3: Energy Calculation Set
- NS105 Unit 4: Carbohydrate Profile
- NS105 Unit 5: Fat and Protein Comparison
- NS105 Unit 6: Seminar Reflection
- NS105 Unit 7: Three-Day Food Record
- NS105 Unit 9: Dietary Guidance Analysis
- NS105 Unit 10: Nutrition Case Summary
NS105 Unit 8 questions, answered
Why per 100 kilocalories instead of per serving?
Because serving sizes are set differently for different foods, a per-serving comparison mostly measures portion. Expressing nutrients per 100 kilocalories puts every food on the same energy footing and asks what each one delivers for the energy it costs. Some prompts use per 1,000 kilocalories instead; the logic is the same, and your paper should use whatever basis the prompt names.
Which nutrients should I compare?
Whatever the prompt specifies. If the prompt is silent, pick nutrients that the foods plausibly supply and that matter in general dietary guidance, such as fiber, potassium, calcium or vitamin A, and include at least one nutrient to limit. Choosing nutrients that only one of the foods contains makes the ranking one-sided before any calculation starts.
Can a food rank high on density and still be a poor choice?
Density alone cannot decide that, which is why the limits section matters. A food can be dense in one nutrient and high in sodium, or dense but eaten in tiny amounts. Your paper can say what the index shows and what it cannot, without ruling on anyone's snack, and that restraint tends to read as the stronger analysis.
Where can I find a free NS105 Unit 8 sample paper?
This page presents a complete Unit 8 nutrient density comparison of four snacks per 100 kilocalories, with rankings, limits, margin notes and APA references.
Why compare per 100 kilocalories instead of per serving?
Serving sizes differ between foods, so a per-serving comparison mostly compares portions. Per 100 kilocalories asks how much of each nutrient a food delivers for the energy it costs.