Busting Calorie Myths

Ever wonder what calorie means? Is calorie bad? How about the so-called “empty” calories? Here’s the deal on this obesity-related word:

Calorie measures the energy value in foods and how much the body needs. The calorie value may be derived from Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. The calories in these foods help us with our daily activities, both voluntary such as walking, talking, exercising etc. and involuntary body processes (breathing, blood circulation, etc.). So it is not true that calorie is bad. It only becomes the culprit for weight gain if there is an imbalance between the food intake and the expenditure. This only happens when we eat too much and skip our gym day.

So now we know that calorie is not bad. On the contrary there are certain calories is some food that are labeled as “empty”. This term is used by food and nutrition experts since such foods don’t have nutrients at all. Empty calories are often found in processed foods and snacks. They usually weight little, satisfy our appetite in a snap and make us one pound heavier every time. Many foods in today’s diet include empty calories from saturated fat, sugar and refined flours but that can be considered a big factor in weight changes.

It’s really important to be aware of the calorie content of the food we put inside our grocery bag, or the meal we prepare or order at the restaurant. There is really a big difference between an 8 oz orange juice and 12 oz soda — although both of them have 120 calories, the orange juice contains a lot of other vitamins and minerals compared to the soda with almost 1/8 cup of sugar and zero nutrient. And don’t be fooled by the term “light” or “diet”. We see these words often in advertisements and commercially available products but what do they really mean? Check below:

• Calorie Free: Fewer than 5 calories
• Low Calorie: 40 calories or fewer
• Reduced Calorie: At least 25% fewer calories than the regular food item has
• Fat Free: Less than 1/2 gram of fat
• Low Fat: 3 grams of fat or fewer
• Reduced Fat: At least 25% less fat than the regular food item has

These terms are used for one serving only, meaning that if you go overboard it may be double, triple or even quadruple of what you really need. A study that was published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association about gourmet coffees revealed that a cup of cafe mocha or latte adds 200 calories to our daily calorie intake. So imagine if your early trip to the coffee shop gives you 200 calories a day. Multiply it to the number of cups you buy in a week and you’ll get the answer to that additional weight.

In reality, 100 calories can make a difference in weight loss and weight gain. For undernourished individuals, a requirement of additional 500 calories a day from foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals is required by dietitians. On the other hand, this is not applicable for weight reduction, wherein 500 calories a day must be taken away from the diet. This is only happen if we cut down on unnecessary eating and increase physical activity.