The Truth Behind Calories

Calories are basically a measure of the overall energy contained in food. Caloric values of food do not take into account the macro-nutrients that make up those calories. All calories are not created equal and if you only use calories to plan your diet, you probably won't reach your weight-loss goals.

Common misconceptions about calories:

1. Less calories are better


Just because there are less calories in a particular food, does not mean that it is necessarily better for you or your diet. Often, less nutritious foods will have less calories, but will also have less nutrients.

Low calorie foods can also leave you feeling hungry and empty. This will ultimately lead you to having more cravings for unhealthy foods.


2. Zero calorie drinks are good for dieting


Just because a drink does not contain any calories, does not mean that it will not have any effect on your body. Often, zero calorie drinks will contain carbohydrates, which are processed by your body and, if not used, stored as fat.

When a flavored beverage has zero calories, it most likely has artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that can be worse for you than consuming a full-calorie drink. Your body cannot process most artificial sweeteners and they are stored as the dangerous fat around your vital organs.


3. A calorie is a calorie


Not all calories are created equal. Calories can come from carbohydrates, fats or proteins and each of these nutrient groups are processed differently by the body.

For example, consuming 100 calories in sugar (simple carbohydrate) will have extremely different outcomes to consuming 100 calories in chicken (protein).


4. Calories are the most important thing to consider when making nutrition decisions


When making nutrition decisions, I do not even consider calories. I completely ignore the calorie count of any of the foods I eat.

The most important thing to consider is the macro-nutrient values and where those values come from. Also, it is important to look at the ingredients of the foods you are consuming and how processed they are, in both cases, less is best.

Calories are, however, useful to determine how much of each macro-nutrient you need to consumer each day.


I believe that calories are one of the most misunderstood nutritional measures available today. This confusion stems from the unnecessary emphasis placed on them when it comes to dieting. Too many people and diets claim that calorie counting is the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Although calories are important to identify your base metabolic rate (amount of energy your body is burning at rest), they are not the most important consideration when you are deciding what to eat. Even though diets that involve counting calories may work in the short run, they are not the most sustainable and satisfying diets for long term health and wellbeing.

 By Danica L Burnett


Article Source:  The Truth Behind Calories