{"id":444,"date":"2018-12-06T10:27:10","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T23:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.168.99.8\/?p=444"},"modified":"2020-05-02T20:38:43","modified_gmt":"2020-05-02T10:38:43","slug":"444","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/2018\/12\/06\/444\/","title":{"rendered":"Calories are not create equal"},"content":{"rendered":"

6 Reasons Why a Calorie is NOT a Calorie<\/span><\/h2>\n

This post was written by Kris Gunnars from Authority Nutrition.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There are many ridiculous myths in nutrition.
\nThe \u201ccalorie myth\u201d is one of the most pervasive\u2026 and most damaging.
\nIt is the idea that calories are the most important part of the diet, that the sources of those calories don\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cA calorie is a calorie IS a calorie,\u201d they say\u2026 that it doesn\u2019t matter whether you eat a 100 calories of candy or broccoli, they will have the same effect on your weight.
\nIt is true that all \u201ccalories\u201d have the same amount of energy. One dietary Calorie contains 4184 Joules of energy. In that respect, a calorie IS a calorie.
\nBut when it comes to your body, things are not that simple.
\nThe human body is a highly complex biochemical system with elaborate processes that regulate energy balance.
\nDifferent foods go through different biochemical pathways, some of which are inefficient and cause energy (calories) to be lost as heat.
\nEven more important is the fact that different foods and macronutrients have a major effect on the hormones and brain centers that control hunger and eating behavior.
\nThe foods we eat can have a huge impact on the biological processes that govern when, what and how much we eat.<\/p>\n

Here are 6 proven examples of why a calorie is NOT a calorie.<\/strong>
\n1. Fructose vs Glucose<\/strong>
\nThe two main simple sugars in the diet are glucose and fructose.
\nThese two seem almost identical. They have the same chemical formula and weigh the exact same.
\nBut to your body, the two are completely different.
\nGlucose can be metabolized by all of the body\u2019s tissues, but fructose can only be metabolized by the liver in any significant amount.
\nHere are a few examples of why glucose calories are NOT the same as fructose calories:
\nGhrelin is the \u201chunger hormone.\u201d It goes up when we\u2019re hungry and down after we\u2019ve eaten. One study shows that fructose leads to higher ghrelin levels (more hunger) than glucose.
\nFructose does not stimulate the satiety centers in the brain in the same way as glucose, leading to reduced satiety.
\nA high consumption of fructose can cause insulin resistance, abdominal fat gain, increased triglycerides, blood sugar and small, dense LDL compared to the exact same number of calories from glucose.
\nSame number of calories, vastly different effects on hunger, hormones and metabolic health. Because a calorie is not a calorie.
\nKeep in mind that this applies to fructose from added sugars only, not the fructose from fruit. Fruits also have fiber, water and significant chewing resistance, which mitigate the negative effects of the fructose.
\nBottom Line: Even though fructose and glucose have the same chemical formula, fructose has much more negative effects on hormones, appetite and metabolic health.<\/p>\n

2. The Thermic Effect of Food<\/strong>
\nDifferent foods go through different metabolic pathways.
\nSome of these pathways are more \u201cefficient\u201d than others.
\nThe more \u201cefficient\u201d a metabolic pathway is, the more of the food energy is used for work and less is dissipated as heat.
\nThe metabolic pathways for protein are less efficient than the metabolic pathways for carbs and fat.
\nProtein contains 4 calories per gram, but a large part of the protein calories are lost as heat when it is metabolized by the body.
\nThe thermic effect of food is a measure of how much different foods increase energy expenditure, due to the energy required to digest, absorb and metabolize the nutrients.
\nThis is the thermic effect of different macronutrients:
\n\u2022 Fat: 2-3%.
\n\u2022 Carbs: 6-8%.
\n\u2022 Protein: 25-30%.
\nSources vary on the exact numbers, but it is clear that protein requires much more energy to metabolize than fat and carbs.
\nIf we go with a thermic effect of 25% for protein and 2% for fat, this would mean that a 100 calories of protein would end up as 75 calories, while a 100 calories of fat would end up as 98 calories.
\nStudies show that high protein diets boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day, compared to lower protein diets.
\nPut simply, high protein diets have a \u201cmetabolic advantage.\u201d
\nThere is also one study that compared two sandwich meals that had the same number of calories and macronutrients.
\nHowever, one sandwich was made with whole grains and cheddar cheese, while the other was made with refined grains and processed cheese.
\nThose who ate the whole grain sandwich burned twice as many calories digesting the meal.
\nBottom Line: Protein calories are less fattening than calories from carbs and fat, because protein takes more energy to metabolize. Whole foods also require more energy to digest than processed foods.<\/p>\n

3. Protein Kills Appetite and Makes You Eat Fewer Calories<\/strong>
\nThe protein story doesn\u2019t end with increased metabolism.
\nIt also leads to significantly reduced appetite, making you eat less calories automatically.
\nThe studies show that protein is the most fulfilling macronutrient, by far.
\nIf people increase their protein intake, they start losing weight without counting calories or controlling portions. Protein puts fat loss on autopilot.
\nIn one study, those who increased their protein intake to 30% of calories automatically started eating 441 fewer calories per day and lost 4.9 kg (11 lbs) in 12 weeks.
\nIf you don\u2019t want to go on a \u201cdiet\u201d but simply tip the metabolic scales in your favor, then adding more protein to your diet may be the simplest (and most delicious) way to cause \u201cautomatic\u201d weight loss.
\nIt is very clear that when it comes to metabolism and appetite regulation, a protein calorie is NOT the same as a carb calorie or a fat calorie.
\nBottom Line: Increased protein can lead to drastically reduced appetite and cause automatic weight loss without the need for calorie counting or portion control.<\/p>\n

4. The Satiety Index<\/strong>
\nDifferent foods have different effects on satiety.
\nIt is also much easier to overeat on some foods than others.
\nFor example, it may be quite easy to eat 500 calories (or more) of ice cream, while you\u2019d have to force feed yourself to eat 500 calories of eggs or broccoli.
\nThis is a key example of how the food choices you make can have a huge impact on the total calories you end up consuming.
\nThere are many factors that determine the satiety value of different foods, which is measured on a scale called the satiety index.
\nThe satiety index is a measure of the ability of foods to reduce hunger, increase feelings of fullness and reduce energy intake for the next few hours.
\nIf you eat foods that are low on the satiety index, then you will be hungrier and end up eating more. If you choose foods that are high on the satiety index, you will end up eating less and losing weight.
\nSome examples of foods with a high satiety index are boiled potatoes, beef, eggs, beans and fruits, while foods that are low on the satiety index include donuts and cake.
\nClearly\u2026 whether you choose fulfilling foods or not will have a major difference on energy balance over the long term. Because a calorie from a boiled potato is not the same as a calorie from a doughnut.
\nBottom Line: Different foods have different effects on satiety and how many calories we end up consuming in subsequent meals. This is measured on a scale called the Satiety Index.<\/p>\n

5. Low-Carb Diets Lead to Automatic Calorie Restriction<\/strong>
\nSince the year 2002, over 20 randomized controlled trials have compared low-carb and low-fat diets.
\nThe studies consistently show that low-carb diets lead to more weight loss, often 2-3 times as much.
\nOne of the main reasons for this is that low-carb diets lead to drastically reduced appetite. People start eating less calories without trying.
\nBut even when calories are matched between groups, the low-carb groups usually lose more weight, although it doesn\u2019t always reach statistical significance.
\nThe biggest reason for this is probably that low-carb diets also cause significant water loss. Excess bloat tends to go away in the first week or two.
\nAnother reason is that low-carb diets tend to include more protein than low-fat diets. Protein takes energy to metabolize and the body expends energy turning protein into glucose.
\nBottom Line: Low-carb diets consistently lead to more weight loss than low-fat diets, even when calories are matched between groups.<\/p>\n

6. The Glycemic Index<\/strong>
\nThere are many controversies in nutrition and the experts don\u2019t agree on many things.
\nBut one of the few things that almost everyone agrees on is that refined carbs are bad.
\nThis includes added sugars like sucrose and high fructose corn syrup, as well as refined grain products like white bread.
\nRefined carbohydrates tend to be low in fiber and they get digested and absorbed quickly, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar. They have a high glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar.
\nWhen we eat a food that spikes blood sugar fast, it tends to lead to a crash in blood sugar a few hours later\u2026 also known as the \u201cblood sugar roller coaster.\u201d When blood sugar crashes, we get cravings for another high-carb snack.
\nIn a study that served people milkshakes who were identical in every respect except that one had high GI carbs while the other had low GI carbs, the high GI milkshake caused increased hunger and cravings compared to the low GI shake.
\nAnother study found that teenage boys ate 81% more calories during a high GI meal compared to a low GI meal.
\nSo\u2026 the speed at which carb calories hit the system can have a dramatic effect on their potential to cause overeating and weight gain.
\nIf you\u2019re on high-carb diet, it is crucial to choose whole, unprocessed carb sources that contain fiber. The fiber can reduce the rate at which the glucose enters your system .
\nThe studies consistently show that people who eat the most high glycemic index foods are at the greatest risk of becoming obese and diabetic. Because not all carb calories are created equal.<\/p>\n

Bottom Line: Studies show that refined carbohydrates lead to faster and bigger spikes in blood sugar, which leads to cravings and increased food intake.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Take Home Message<\/strong>
\nDifferent calorie sources can have vastly different effects on hunger, hormones, energy expenditure and the brain regions that control food intake.
\nEven though calories are important, counting them or even being consciously aware of them is not at all necessary to lose weight.
\nIn many cases, simple changes in food selection can lead to the same (or better) results than calorie restriction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

6 Reasons Why a Calorie is NOT a Calorie This post was written by Kris Gunnars from Authority Nutrition. There are many ridiculous myths in nutrition. The \u201ccalorie myth\u201d is one of the most pervasive\u2026 and most damaging. It is the idea that calories are the most important part of the diet, that the sources<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":495,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444\/revisions\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthglo.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}