Adding more nutritious foods to your diet in place of processed junk food is one of the best decisions you can make. You see the benefits in the way your body changes from your healthier food choices, and you’ll be drastically cutting down your risk for many diseases.

The challenge is figuring out which healthy foods you should choose. Your best options are foods that are dense in nutrients your body needs. Here are four of the most nutritious foods you can eat, along with some other, similar options so that you can mix it up when you want.

Kale is part of the cabbage family. Although every vegetable has plenty of nutrients, kale is particularly nutrient-dense. One serving of green kale has all the vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K your body needs for the day, along with some vitamin B6, manganese, fiber, protein and calcium. It is full of antioxidants and can lower your cholesterol levels, which can then lower your heart disease risk.

You can eat kale as part of a salad, as a topping on a sandwich or you can blend it into a juice and drink it. Other great vegetables to incorporate into your diet include spinach, broccoli, carrots and peas.

Brown rice is a whole grain food, which means that it has very little fat but plenty of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Not only are those good for you, but they leave you feeling full, and because it takes time for your body to break down complex carbohydrates, that full feeling will last awhile.

Brown rice is easy to cook, as all you need to do is boil it in water. After that, you can eat it on its own with some soy sauce or mix it with other foods, such as vegetables and meats. Other whole grain options include steel-cut oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread and quinoa.

Meats are excellent sources of protein, which is important for everyone but is especially useful when you want to build muscle mass. Chicken breast is one of the best meats because it has a high protein content with very little fat, as long as you remove the skin before you eat it or get boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

You can eat chicken on its own or mixed with other foods, such as vegetables. Beef can also be a good protein source, although you should go for the lower fat varieties and limit how often you eat it. There are many types of fish that have fairly low fat content with high protein.

Cottage cheese is one of the most nutritious dairy products, containing a solid amount of protein along with some healthy fats. It has some vitamin A and vitamin D, and like most dairy products, it provides plenty of calcium. Calcium is important in keeping your bones strong.

You can eat cottage cheese on its own or add it to other foods, such as fruits or pastas. Another option is adding a few spoonfuls to a smoothie. It all depends on your taste preferences. Other good dairy products include milk and yogurt.

It’s worth giving these foods a try, because they will add plenty of essential nutrients to your diet. If you find you still need an extra boost, consider buying supplements from retailers like Xyngularor someone similar. Building those healthy eating habits is all about finding nutritious foods you like and developing an everyday eating plan around them.