Why a calorie isn’t just a calorie

Count the calories. Watch the carbs. No, just the fat. Actually, pay attention to the protein instead. Scratch that. Go back to what we said before. Just count the calories.

Confused?  I sure am.  This could be why I am so focused on diet in a blog about curing Death.

…does it matter if you skip the healthy meal and go straight to dessert? Or if you choose two apples over a Hostess Twinkie for a little 150-calorie pick-me-up, are you really better off?

Common Sense tells me yes!

This article from the Boston Globe expands on Common Sense with a bit more Science – http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/05/13/why_a_calorie_isnt_just_a_calorie/?page=2

Barbara J. Rolls, professor and Guthrie Chair of Nutrition at Penn State University – her work focuses on the water content of food. Apples are a better snack choice than Twinkies not because your mother said so, but because fruits and vegetables have a higher water content, or lower energy density, than high-fat, high-sugar foods. Energy density is a measure of the calories per gram of food.

Research shows that people tend to eat about the same weight of food each day. If you choose water-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, soups, and nonfat milk, you will feel more full with fewer calories for the same weight of food.

Common Sense, right?  Easier said than done though…


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