What are empty calories?

Stephen PaulNUTRITION & FOOD

We have all heard of the calorie concept at least once.  But did you know that there are different types of calories? What are empty calories? In which foods are they found and why when we ingest a lot of them do they go hand in hand with weight gain? This is what we are going to explain to you in this article.

What is an empty calorie?

A little reminder in case you forget: a calorie is a unit that is used to measure the energy provided to our body by the food we eat . How can you tell the difference between empty calories and so-called ‘full’ calories? Well, it’s very simple: these are calories that don’t provide our body with the nutrients it needs to function properly . In other words, these calories have no or very little nutritional value, unlike so-called high nutrient density foods. Thus, if an individual eats food mostly composed of empty calories, he may become  malnourished and have deficiencies  even if he eats his fill. Indeed, the foods that make up his diet arepoor in vitamins and minerals .

What are empty calorie foods to avoid?

All foods low in nutrients and high in fat or  refined sugars .

  • For drinks , this includes soda or juices, which although they are made of fruit are often too sweet. But also alcohol, poor in nutrients and rich in sugar, it is part of the empty calorie food.
  • In terms of foods , industrial meals, pizzas, hamburgers, sweets, crisps and others are the foods with the highest empty calories. More surprisingly, bread and white rice are also found in the list. It is therefore very important to watch what you eat. This helps to avoid deficiencies and maintain a healthy  weight .

Full- calorie foods can help you stay healthy. Full calories are found in  raw foods  like fresh fruits and vegetables. Whole foods also contain it, especially wholemeal bread or rice made from whole or semi-whole grains.

However, all nutritionists will say it: you can eat everything, but in moderation. So don’t overlook pizzas and other fast food, provided they are not your staple diet. Forbidding yourself these foods could frustrate you. Eventually, this may lead you to crack and eat much more than necessary. However, pay attention to the number of ingredients contained in the products you consume. Some consider that if a food has five or more ingredients, it means the product is high in empty calories. Now you are equipped to stay healthy!

Stephen
Website |  + posts

Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.

Related Posts

According to ANSES, nutritional labeling still needs to be improved

NUTRITION & FOOD

Too much alcohol leads to too much food

NUTRITION & FOOD
↑