Are All Calories The Same?

Are All Calories the Same?

What is a calorie, anyway?

A calorie is actually a unit of heat energy.

Your body sees calories as energy to produce the heat needed to fuel our body..

…just the same way that gasoline fuels your car’s energy.

Some people will still tell you,

“A calorie is a calorie is a calorie…”

meaning that they are equal.

They may even try to prove it with

something like this:

Or maybe even this:

Technically, they are correct.

The calorie amounts are the same in a clinical lab.

However, the body is a complex biochemical system with elaborate processes that regulate energy balance….

And the body doesn’t see these calories as being equal.

Not at all.

Calories are provided by fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

Different foods go through different biochemical pathways.

The foods we eat have a HUGE impact on our biological processes…ALL of them.

Imagine you are the owner of a brand-new Maserati.

It requires the highest grade oil and premium gasoline to run effectively and smoothly.

You run to the corner gas station and fill it up with the regular gasoline there.

And then drop it by Jiffy Lube for an oil change, and all they have is the standard 10W30 oil.

Will your Maserati still run?

Just like your car…It IS possible to put less-than-ideal fuel in your body and it will still run…

But it will eventually start to falter...

…start to add weight.

…start to deplete energy.

…start to have spikes and lows.

Back to the foodsThe body uses energy to digest, absorb, and metabolize food.

It requires a DIFFERENT amount of energy to process different energy-containing nutrients.

ProteinRequires the MOST energy from the body to digest, absorb and utilize.

MORE calories are burned in the body while processing proteins over any other macronutrient.

Because the MOST energy is used to process proteins, it also reduces your appetite.

If you start eating more protein at every meal, and yet your total calories do NOT change,

you will experience more satiety, which means you feel more full, even though the number of calories you are eating has stayed the same.

CarbohydratesPlay second fiddle to proteins, requiring a little less energy to process and assimilate.

Fiber is a form of carbohydrate that contributes to satiety without contributing calories, because it is not absorbed into the body.

Healthy FatsRequire the least amount of energy to absorb and utilize, but still uses a good deal of energy for processing.

Good versus BadHave you used those terms when it comes to food?

Good food vs Bad food?

Good calories vs Bad calories?

Good carbs vs Bad carbs?

Good fats vs Bad fats?

Even Good proteins vs Bad proteins?

One more reason…WHEN you eat also affects how efficiently calories are used for fuel.

It’s called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) –

Think about it like a Fire in Your Belly,

using your food for fuel & energy!

The Thermic Effect burns “hotter” in the mornings, and after workouts!

Let’s shift our thinkingPut “Good” and “Bad” aside for a moment.

When it comes to food, we need to think of it in terms of DENSITY.

[den-si-tee]

Noun

1. the state or quality of being dense; compactness; closely set or crowded condition.

Two types of food density

Calorie Density and Nutrient Density

Insert text here And here

Nutrient DensityThe higher the nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants) in a type of food, the more nutrient dense it is.

This is like the premium grade oil and gasoline for your Maserati….just what it needs.

Calorie DensityThis is like the corner store regular gasoline and standard grade oil for your Maserati. It will do the job of providing energy, but it also mucks up the workings of the machine.

Foods that are Nutrient DenseOn your notes page, generate a list of 12 foods that come to mind that would be Nutrient Dense foods.

Think of foods high in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Foods that are Calorie DenseOn your notes page, generate a list of 12 foods that come to mind that would be Calorie Dense foods.

Think of foods high in calories, with little to no nutritional value.

So, are all calories REALLY the same?

1575 nutrient calories 1575 calorie dense caloriesWhich is going to fuel YOUR body better?

1575 calories 1575 calories Which is going to fuel YOUR body better?

Your HomeworkAs you make your food selections this week…whether it is at the grocery store, a restaurant, or at a social gathering…let nutrient density guide you in the decisions you make.

Ask yourself:

Am I choosing food that will provide me with the highest amount of vitamins and minerals?

Is this food that will help my body to run MOST efficiently?

If I think of my body as a sports car, is this fuel going to help me to keep it in the BEST operating condition?

If you can answer YES to all of those questions, you are on the right track!

If you answer NO? Walk away. Regroup. Set your mind up for success and make the choices that will help you to reach your goals. Your overall health comes down to choices you make on a daily basis.

Bottom line for weight loss and health

All calories are NOT equal when it comes to how they are used as fuel for your body.

It’s not about how many calories, it’s really about the VALUE those calories provide to your body.

Your goal is to always choose foods that are the most NUTRIENT DENSE.

The more nutrient dense your food choices, the more efficient your body will be at fat-burning.