Nutritious means full of the substances your body needs to grow, stay healthy, and have energy. When food is nutritious, it contains things like vitamins, minerals, protein, and other nutrients that help your muscles get stronger, your brain work better, and your immune system fight off illness.

A bowl of oatmeal with fruit is nutritious because it provides fiber, vitamins, and sustained energy for your morning. Fresh vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, eggs, and nuts are all nutritious foods. They give your body what it actually needs: the fuel and building blocks for growth and health, rather than temporary sugar rushes or empty calories.

The opposite of nutritious food isn't necessarily bad-tasting food. Candy might taste delicious, but it's not nutritious because it offers mostly sugar and very little of what your body can use to build and repair itself. Meanwhile, a nutritious meal like grilled chicken with brown rice and broccoli gives your body the fuel and building blocks it needs.

Scientists measure how nutritious something is by looking at its nutritional value: what useful substances it contains per serving. When you see “Nutrition Facts” labels on food packages, they show you how nutritious that food is. The more nutrients and the fewer empty calories, the more nutritious the food.