Empty calories list....
ndj1979
Posts: 29,136 Member
Someone posted this link in another thread as a "definition for empty calories.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html
here is a snippet
Solid fats and added sugars can make a food or beverage more appealing, but they also can add a lot of calories. The foods and beverages that provide the most empty calories for Americans are:
picture of pepperoni pizza Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
Cheese (contains solid fat)
Pizza (contains solid fat)
Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)
I found the list totally ridiculous. I am not sure how pizza would be an empty calorie as it provides fat, protein, and carbs. Also, I don't see how any calorie can be empty as one calorie = one unit of energy ....
Feel free to discus....
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html
here is a snippet
Solid fats and added sugars can make a food or beverage more appealing, but they also can add a lot of calories. The foods and beverages that provide the most empty calories for Americans are:
picture of pepperoni pizza Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
Cheese (contains solid fat)
Pizza (contains solid fat)
Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)
I found the list totally ridiculous. I am not sure how pizza would be an empty calorie as it provides fat, protein, and carbs. Also, I don't see how any calorie can be empty as one calorie = one unit of energy ....
Feel free to discus....
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Replies
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Its so hard to believe anything any more..0
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Michael190lbs wrote: »Its so hard to believe anything any more..
LOL agree ...
so much garbage out there...0 -
Wow, what nonsense. Your body will use those calories just like any other calories, unless you are consuming too many, in which case they will be stored.
I'm not even sure what they are trying to say, I guess I would understand more if it were comparing to more nutrient dense foods, though the items listed don't have 0 nutritional value anyway. Whoever composed that page has very little understanding on nutrition.
But hey what can you expect from a government site anyway. I think I'll choose my own plate and not rely on their guidance.0 -
Someone posted this link in another thread as a "definition for empty calories.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html
here is a snippet
Solid fats and added sugars can make a food or beverage more appealing, but they also can add a lot of calories. The foods and beverages that provide the most empty calories for Americans are:
picture of pepperoni pizza Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
Cheese (contains solid fat)
Pizza (contains solid fat)
Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)
I found the list totally ridiculous. I am not sure how pizza would be an empty calorie as it provides fat, protein, and carbs. Also, I don't see how any calorie can be empty as one calorie = one unit of energy ....
Feel free to discus....
I just don't get how fat and carbs supposedly provide zero nutritional value.
And just saw that milk has "some" empty calories and should be limited. Yeah, eff that noise. I'd die without dairy.0 -
Since I drink diet soda, are those few calories in it considered empty?0
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So what do they eat? Air??
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"Empty calories" and "junk food" are loaded phrases meant to push a certain philosophy of food.0
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Wait, I'm confused... do people think empty calories are the same thing as zero calorie food? I do believe this is why waaaayyy before finding MFP, I thought calorie counting was a stupid way to lose weight... because of all this conflicting ideas people have.
I'm glad MFP makes it so easy...0 -
Only "empty calories" I know of are when they remove the center of a doughnut.....I mean that right there is an empty spot for calories!!!0
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They eat cauliflower pizzas topped with fat free cheese!strong_curves wrote: »So what do they eat? Air??
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I think the word "empty" is certainly misleading. But the website's definition that they "add calories to the food but few or no nutrients" could be helpful to someone who is trying to maximize volume, nutrients, and fullness on less calories. I think this is geared for people who are truly lost and don't know where to begin. Cutting back on calorie-dense food for a little while to navigate what works for you isn't the worst idea. For me, eating a donut for breakfast doesn't cut it. Even if it fits my calorie budget, it looks and feels small and sad to me, and leaves me hungry afterwards. But the same calories in oatmeal leave me full and happy. Someone else might prefer the donut, and that's fine. But I think knowing that some food will give you more nutrients per calories (such as the fiber in oatmeal) can be a helpful launch point.0
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And this crap right here is the reason our children starve in schools. Have any of you seen what a lot of schools are passing for meals now?0
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Lasmartchika wrote: »Wait, I'm confused... do people think empty calories are the same thing as zero calorie food? I do believe this is why waaaayyy before finding MFP, I thought calorie counting was a stupid way to lose weight... because of all this conflicting ideas people have.
I'm glad MFP makes it so easy...
no, it is a way to demonize certain food groups. If they are "empty" then you should not eat them because they provide no benefit....at least, I think that is the line of thought..
or maybe by empty they mean "zero nutrients"...but pizza definitely has micros..
eh, the whole food demonizing culture is too confusing...0 -
I think the word "empty" is certainly misleading. But the website's definition that they "add calories to the food but few or no nutrients" could be helpful to someone who is trying to maximize volume, nutrients, and fullness on less calories. I think this is geared for people who are truly lost and don't know where to begin. Cutting back on calorie-dense food for a little while to navigate what works for you isn't the worst idea. For me, eating a donut for breakfast doesn't cut it. Even if it fits my calorie budget, it looks and feels small and sad to me, and leaves me hungry afterwards. But the same calories in oatmeal leave me full and happy. Someone else might prefer the donut, and that's fine. But I think knowing that some food will give you more nutrients per calories (such as the fiber in oatmeal) can be a helpful launch point.
eh, I don't see how demonizing foods like pizza and ice cream is helping anyway. Pizza and ice cream can be a part of a healthy and nutritionally balance diet.
Does that mean that a vegetable pizza is empty, because fat?0 -
I think the word "empty" is certainly misleading. But the website's definition that they "add calories to the food but few or no nutrients" could be helpful to someone who is trying to maximize volume, nutrients, and fullness on less calories. I think this is geared for people who are truly lost and don't know where to begin. Cutting back on calorie-dense food for a little while to navigate what works for you isn't the worst idea. For me, eating a donut for breakfast doesn't cut it. Even if it fits my calorie budget, it looks and feels small and sad to me, and leaves me hungry afterwards. But the same calories in oatmeal leave me full and happy. Someone else might prefer the donut, and that's fine. But I think knowing that some food will give you more nutrients per calories (such as the fiber in oatmeal) can be a helpful launch point.
I see your point, but the whole idea of "empty calories" is factually incorrect and logically ridiculous. They are basically trying to say that things like pizza don't give you any sort of nutrition at all, which just isn't true. Sure, there are other, more nutrient-dense food options out there, but that doesn't negate the fact that pizza contains carbs, fat, and protein that can help many people reach their nutritional goals.
It plays into the idea that some foods are "good" and others are "bad" and should be avoided always, which is something I can't get behind.0 -
Fruits and veggies are empty calories because you could get the same amount of micro nutrition without all those nasty carbs if you ate a multivitamin!0
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I have a rough idea what they mean by empty, but cant say its something that gets me worked up.0
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It's a stupid term. If something has calories it provides energy so therefore is not empty.0
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Reads like "Oh, let's take all the flavour and fun out of eating." Are these foods still "empty" if made from scratch, or is it only the bought and boxed types?Someone posted this link in another thread as a "definition for empty calories.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html
here is a snippet
Solid fats and added sugars can make a food or beverage more appealing, but they also can add a lot of calories. The foods and beverages that provide the most empty calories for Americans are:
picture of pepperoni pizza Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
Cheese (contains solid fat)
Pizza (contains solid fat)
Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)
I found the list totally ridiculous. I am not sure how pizza would be an empty calorie as it provides fat, protein, and carbs. Also, I don't see how any calorie can be empty as one calorie = one unit of energy ....
Feel free to discus....
I don't get "empty" calories. It's like saying "empty" inches.
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madhatter2013 wrote: »And this crap right here is the reason our children starve in schools. Have any of you seen what a lot of schools are passing for meals now?
I saw some instagram pictures of some garbage they were serving in schools..it looked disgusting....0 -
I find the buzz phrase "empty calorie" to be so utterly annoying that I just can't. The government using it? Media-speak has reached critical mass.
This isn't helpful information, this is confusing information.0 -
Right, I understand. Pizza isn't necessarily bad. None of it is "bad" eaten in moderation. But that's the problem with most of our culture...no one actually knows what moderation is anymore. Someone who is used to downing 8 slices of pizza might need to take a break from it until he figures out what an appropriate portion is.
I'm not saying this is a perfect approach, but as evidenced by the growing obesity problem, most people really can't control themselves without going through a lot of education and change.0 -
Right, I understand. Pizza isn't necessarily bad. None of it is "bad" eaten in moderation. But that's the problem with most of our culture...no one actually knows what moderation is anymore. Someone who is used to downing 8 slices of pizza might need to take a break from it until he figures out what an appropriate portion is.
I'm not saying this is a perfect approach, but as evidenced by the growing obesity problem, most people really can't control themselves without going through a lot of education and change.
yes, but that is not a food issue, that is a self control issue.
You can get fat on a diet of "clean" foods too ....
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The only thing I can think of that might truly qualify for "empty" calorie status is alcohol, which I don't see them even addressing in this article (maybe I missed it?).
Also, I think it's sacrilege to put bacon on that list. Bacon is most certainly not empty calories. Bacon calories are delicious, wonderful calories.
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Rogiefreida wrote: »The only thing I can think of that might truly qualify for "empty" calorie status is alcohol, which I don't see them even addressing in this article (maybe I missed it?).
Also, I think it's sacrilege to put bacon on that list. Bacon is most certainly not empty calories. Bacon calories are delicious, wonderful calories.
even alcohol has some small amount of micros and contains carbs....0 -
I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.spacequiztime wrote: »
They eat cauliflower pizzas topped with fat free cheese!strong_curves wrote: »So what do they eat? Air??
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Right, I understand. Pizza isn't necessarily bad. None of it is "bad" eaten in moderation. But that's the problem with most of our culture...no one actually knows what moderation is anymore. Someone who is used to downing 8 slices of pizza might need to take a break from it until he figures out what an appropriate portion is.
I'm not saying this is a perfect approach, but as evidenced by the growing obesity problem, most people really can't control themselves without going through a lot of education and change.
yes, but that is not a food issue, that is a self control issue.
You can get fat on a diet of "clean" foods too ....
Yes, absolutely you can get fat on a diet of "clean" foods. If I had my way with avocado and nuts...what were we talking about?
But honestly, look around the next time you're out and about. *Most* people aren't fat from healthy food. With enough skills they could learn to eat those foods in moderation, but they need to start somewhere.
As a side note, it seems some people on MFP, and I'm not saying you, but some act is if eating anything as long as it fits (macros/calories) is a religion. Same for the clean eaters. It's not worth the craziness. Both have good points and neither need to be defended to the grave.0 -
Right, I understand. Pizza isn't necessarily bad. None of it is "bad" eaten in moderation. But that's the problem with most of our culture...no one actually knows what moderation is anymore. Someone who is used to downing 8 slices of pizza might need to take a break from it until he figures out what an appropriate portion is.
I'm not saying this is a perfect approach, but as evidenced by the growing obesity problem, most people really can't control themselves without going through a lot of education and change.
yes, but that is not a food issue, that is a self control issue.
You can get fat on a diet of "clean" foods too ....
Yes, absolutely you can get fat on a diet of "clean" foods. If I had my way with avocado and nuts...what were we talking about?
But honestly, look around the next time you're out and about. *Most* people aren't fat from healthy food. With enough skills they could learn to eat those foods in moderation, but they need to start somewhere.
As a side note, it seems some people on MFP, and I'm not saying you, but some act is if eating anything as long as it fits (macros/calories) is a religion. Same for the clean eaters. It's not worth the craziness. Both have good points and neither need to be defended to the grave.
however, one chooses to eat -IIFYM, low carb, clean, etc - it is just a tool to get into a calorie deficit. I say use whatever tool you want; however, I take exception when people start claiming that one tool is superior to another..
and yes I agree, most are not getting obese on healthy foods, but rather they are getting obese by consuming ALL foods...
and we were discussing the ridiculous - IMO - empty calorie list ...:)0 -
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