Since calorie is a measure of energy, so what does it mean when, for example, alcohol, having “empty calories”? What kind of energy is being measured here?
In: 1389
Basically, food all has different things it can give you when you digest it. For example, watermelon would give you hydration, fiber, sugar, and some vitamins. A piece of chicken would give you protein and some vitamins as well. Foods with more protein and fiber are usually more filling than things that are just starches and sugars. If you ate a serving of grilled chicken, broccoli, baked potato, you would probably feel more full than if you ate a serving of pizza (usually 2 slices in terms of carbs).
All of the things we get from eating food contribute to fueling our bodies’ needs. That’s why balanced meals are important, so we get everything we need for our body to run. Each type of macronutrient also affects us differently. Fats, proteins, and fibers are for long-term energy. They take longer to digest, which means they keep us more full for longer. Sugars and starches are for fast energy. We break them down quickly and they are used up by our body sooner.
All macronutrients are NECESSARY. You can’t cut one out completely and expect that to solve your problems. Cutting out carbs can and probably will put your body into starvation mode, and you will actually gain more weight because your body is trying to keep you alive, especially if you’re doing very demanding exercise. You NEED sugars. You NEED fiber. They are essential. Carbs include sugars, starches (complicated sugars), and fiber. Sugars and starches affect blood sugar, but fibers don’t really. (Btw, “net carbs” are bullshit and doesn’t actually mean anything. It still has the same amount of carbs, they just want to charge you more money for the special magic words they slapped on the box). It’s also important to eat all nutrients in moderation, because they can make us very sick. For example, an average fit male can handle maybe 80-90 carbs at once. If he were to eat more than that, it doesn’t matter how much insulin his body releases in that hour, the leftover carbs won’t go anywhere.
Just because all macronutrients are necessary doesn’t mean the kind of food you eat doesn’t matter. Some foods are considered “empty calories.” They are foods that are high in carbs (and sometimes fats), but the benefit we get from eating those foods is incredibly insignificant. The calories from the sugars and fats are an excessive amount, and they outweigh the nutrients found in the food.
When we eat “empty calories,” we are eating something that gives us calories, but it can’t fuel our bodies. Sometimes it can’t even be properly used by our bodies.
Here’s a good example:
In general, males should consume 60g carbs per meal, and females should consume around 45g carbs.
A 20oz Mountain Dew (which is considered one serving) has 78g carbs, 0g fat, 0g protein, and 170 calories. **77g of those carbs are sugars.** So when you drink a 20oz Mountain Dew, you are consuming more than one meal’s worth of carbs, and it doesn’t give you anything else. It won’t even make you feel satiated, because the high sugar content will just make you more thirsty. You have drank 78g carbs, and you are still hungry, still thirsty, and have gained no valuable nutrition from it.
You could have a 3oz(85g) grilled chicken breast, 1.5 cups(≈255g) of steamed broccoli, and a 4oz(113g) baked potato, all for only 40g carbs. You get 282 calories, over 26g protein, 12g fiber, and tons of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your health. It’s a balanced meal with caloric value.
Source: I am a T1 Diabetic and see a nutritionist 4 times a year. My A1C is 5.3 now!!! (Used to be 12.6)
Latest Answers