A calorie is not a calorie - kind of!

TheAlexMarkov
TheAlexMarkov Posts: 23 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi,
there is this notion in the fitness community that a calorie is a calorie - which I guess is true on a macronutrient level but as I a fitness enthusiast and promoter I feel obliged to encourage people to eat nutritious foods.

So I will start posting some infographics like this one - please feel free to share opinions.

Thanking you much,
Alex

cdx83yml85sg.png

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Replies

  • TheAlexMarkov
    TheAlexMarkov Posts: 23 Member
    Yep for the molasses cookies - oh boy :)

    I will go educate myself now :D

    Alex



  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Well...I won't join the debate about a calorie is a calorie...it has grown old. Besides...as you will soon see there will be others that point out that a calorie is nothing more than a unit of measure.

    However...

    I did find it interesting concerning the nutritional value difference between molasses and honey. I rarely use molasses because of the strong taste that it has so I had not paid much attention to the mineral content.

    IMO...which some might not like...the comparison of the nutritional values of food could be helpful to some...especially those that are just beginning their weight loss and a change of their diet. I have certainly over time changed a few ingredients that I use based on that criteria.

    I think however when you compare foods that you also have to compare the calorie count. Most people here are trying to stay within a reduced calorie intake. One food might be better nutritionally but if that food throws them over their calorie goal is it worth the swap? This problem wouldn't apply to molasses vs honey since they are relatively the same. For other foods however it might.
  • TheAlexMarkov
    TheAlexMarkov Posts: 23 Member
    Hi Annie,
    agree with you - and I am glad you find that remotely helpful. I for one was using honey before but since molasses and honey have pretty much the same caloric and macronutrient composition but differ significantly on a micro level I switched to molasses.

    Thanks,
    Alex


  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited April 2017
    While I agree they have CONTEXT in terms of nutrient density etc.; it's JUST a unit of measurement. That's like saying 1" isn't 1" (I guess some guys would agree with you but you'd both be wrong lol)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Hmmm...whether I'd use molasses or honey would largely depend on the application.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    TheAlexMarkov wrote: »
    Hi Annie,
    agree with you - and I am glad you find that remotely helpful. I for one was using honey before but since molasses and honey have pretty much the same caloric and macronutrient composition but differ significantly on a micro level I switched to molasses.

    If you adjust for what's an actual serving size (depending on how you use them), they probably don't differ that much. A TBSP of either isn't going to have many nutrients.

    Anyway, curious how you use them, as they are both kind of rare for me. I know some like honey in tea, I don't sweeten tea although it's supposed to be good for a sore throat. Molasses doesn't seem to work for that, but since I don't do it am not an expert, of course. Mostly I use honey for recipes (occasional sauce) and again for the small amount I wouldn't sacrifice the specific taste of honey (which is amazing). Molasses is good in some specific baked goods, similarly (I rarely bake anymore, though). Those are pretty much the only ways I use either, so changing it up would make no difference nutritionally.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    TheAlexMarkov wrote: »
    Hi Annie,
    agree with you - and I am glad you find that remotely helpful. I for one was using honey before but since molasses and honey have pretty much the same caloric and macronutrient composition but differ significantly on a micro level I switched to molasses.

    If you adjust for what's an actual serving size (depending on how you use them), they probably don't differ that much. A TBSP of either isn't going to have many nutrients.

    Anyway, curious how you use them, as they are both kind of rare for me. I know some like honey in tea, I don't sweeten tea although it's supposed to be good for a sore throat. Molasses doesn't seem to work for that, but since I don't do it am not an expert, of course. Mostly I use honey for recipes (occasional sauce) and again for the small amount I wouldn't sacrifice the specific taste of honey (which is amazing). Molasses is good in some specific baked goods, similarly (I rarely bake anymore, though). Those are pretty much the only ways I use either, so changing it up would make no difference nutritionally.

    I think that some people use molasses on pancakes/waffles. Other than that I would think that baking or some sauces would be the most common usage. When I am adhering to my sodium restrictions I make a soy sauce substitute that uses molasses. By itself it doesn't taste so much like soy sauce but in the recipe it only changes the taste minimally. I am lazy about making it so instead I just found a tamari that is 50% less sodium than soy sauce.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited April 2017
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    TheAlexMarkov wrote: »
    Hi Annie,
    agree with you - and I am glad you find that remotely helpful. I for one was using honey before but since molasses and honey have pretty much the same caloric and macronutrient composition but differ significantly on a micro level I switched to molasses.

    If you adjust for what's an actual serving size (depending on how you use them), they probably don't differ that much. A TBSP of either isn't going to have many nutrients.

    Anyway, curious how you use them, as they are both kind of rare for me. I know some like honey in tea, I don't sweeten tea although it's supposed to be good for a sore throat. Molasses doesn't seem to work for that, but since I don't do it am not an expert, of course. Mostly I use honey for recipes (occasional sauce) and again for the small amount I wouldn't sacrifice the specific taste of honey (which is amazing). Molasses is good in some specific baked goods, similarly (I rarely bake anymore, though). Those are pretty much the only ways I use either, so changing it up would make no difference nutritionally.

    I think that some people use molasses on pancakes/waffles. Other than that I would think that baking or some sauces would be the most common usage. When I am adhering to my sodium restrictions I make a soy sauce substitute that uses molasses. By itself it doesn't taste so much like soy sauce but in the recipe it only changes the taste minimally. I am lazy about making it so instead I just found a tamari that is 50% less sodium than soy sauce.

    Interesting. (I use maple syrup on pancakes/waffles, like God intended. (Kidding. Sort of.) Or sometimes I just add microwaved frozen berries, which makes a nice covering, or do a rhubarb/strawberry sauce, which is delicious. I also don't have them that often, so what I put on them doesn't matter much, but molasses on them seems weird. I defer to the diversity of taste, though!)

    Curious if people really do use these so often and in such amounts that the nutritional differences in the first post (for 100 g) would make a difference to them. I'm snobby about honey even though I don't use it that much and enjoy trying different ones from the green market (and the slight differences based on the plants the bees were near), so can't imagine replacing it with molasses, although I agree there are things that are good baked with molasses and I use it occasionally too.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I think you are trying to compare apples and oranges....
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I think I have a homemade barbecue sauce that uses molasses...
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    jessiferrrb wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    I think you are trying to compare apples and oranges....

    is there an info-graphic for that?

    LOL
    Looks like someone posted one.
  • comeonnow142857
    comeonnow142857 Posts: 310 Member
    edited April 2017
    A calorie isn't a calorie if you mean by "calorie" the stuff that isn't calories, but that's a confused way to have a conversation.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    And you added to the "muddiness" LOL

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