“All calories are created equal”

Now some may dismiss this as a complete fabrication …

You'll say something like "Everyone knows that the calories from a piece of grass-fed steak are not the same as the calories from a chocolate bar".

But ACTUALLY, they sort of ARE

You see, a calorie is just a unit of energy. Like a litre is a unit of liquid volume.

A litre of soda IS the same as a litre of wine, and a litre of water. It's the same AMOUNT. A calorie is a certain amount of energy, and no matter where it comes from it's the same amount.

In both cases you would still be taking in 2000 calories of energy.

So am I saying that you can eat 2000 calories worth of chocolates per day and still be as healthy as if you ate 2000 calories of vegetables?

ABSOLUTLEY NOT!

This is where the plot thickens. In both cases you would still be taking in 2000 calories of energy. But that is where the similarities end.

Why?

Because certain foods contain USEFUL calories and others 'EMPTY' calories. [Tweet this]

A chocolate bar is essentially a bunch of simple sugar. Good for (almost) nothing. Foods like fruits and vegetables contain energy, but also large quantities of nutrients, vitamins, and fibre.

This allows your body to be able to use the 'real' food for something constructive like building muscle, feeding your brain cells, and maintaining your overall health.

While the 'junk' food is simply energy in one form. It may not all get used up, in which case it gets stored away.

So ARE all calories created equal?

Well, they are all of equal ENERGY value, but not all are of equal USEFULNESS and nutritional value for your body.

1. Prev:Eat barley to lose weight
2. Next:Tips for a balanced diet and weight loss plan: What are you teaching your kids?