It’s not just The Calories – Quality also Counts.

“A calorie is a calorie,” right?  It’s not just The Calories – Quality also Counts.

They are a measure of the amount of energy in food. Knowing how many calories are in our food, can help us balance the energy we put into our bodies; with the energy, we use (calories in vs calories out). Rather than focusing on calories alone; research shows that quality is in fact very important in determining what we should eat to achieve and maintain a healthy body, which goes to prove “a calorie is a calorie” does not tell the whole story. Don’t get me wrong, calories do matter but focusing on food quality is an equally important part of preventing weight gain and promoting weight loss.

2000 calories of junk is not the same as 2000 calories of healthy nutritious foods

Rather than choosing foods based only on caloric value, think about choosing high-quality, healthy foods, and minimizing low-quality foods. Consider quality, not just calories.

High-quality, healthy foods; include unrefined, minimally processed foods such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, healthy fats and healthy sources of protein, are associated with weight loss.

Lower-quality foods include highly processed snacks and foods high in starch, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined (white) grains, refined sugar, fried foods, foods high in saturated and trans fats, and high-glycemic foods. This leads to weight gain.

I am not discounting the importance of calories, instead, am suggesting that choosing high-quality foods and focusing on eating them in controlled portions (and decreasing consumption of lower-quality foods) is an important factor in helping individuals consume fewer calories and maintain a healthy weight.

What you eat is important, but behavioral, psychological, and social factors are also important for weight loss.

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