Not all calories are created equal??
cmcollins001
Posts: 3,472 Member
A friend and coworker is a big Atkins fan and has been trying to convience me that not all calories are created equal. While I'm not of that school of thought, he continues to send me articles upon occasion to "prove his point" and as a point of conversation. Here is the latest article he sent me.
http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20120626/all-calories-not-created-equal-study-suggests?page=1
Opinions?
http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20120626/all-calories-not-created-equal-study-suggests?page=1
Opinions?
0
Replies
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I agree with that concept. Sure weight loss is just calories in minus calories burned, but different foods have different effects on your body and metabolism.0
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No matter whether you are low, moderate, or average carb - there is such thing as too many carbs. High insulin levels no only promote weight gain (as insulins job is to convert blood sugar to fat), but also make it harder to loose weight. With (an estimated) 40-50% of the population either pre diabetic or diabetic, following a reduced carb diet is generally a good place to start for any one. (Getting diet and weight under control can reverse insulin resistance and in some cases type 2 diabetes).0
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a calorie is a calorie, but how your body gains energy from metabolising different kinds of food does change depending on what kind of food it is. A sugary food is definitely not the same as a protein rich food is not the same as a starchy food, and even different sugars and starches metabolise at different rates and different ways.0
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Weight loss is about calories. I had a long response, but I'm scared to even touch this subject.0
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ugh i hate people that try to prove their point to that extent. i reckon do what is right for you, thank him, and ask him to just let you try things this way before you go changing things up. From what i've heard of Atkins it doesn't seem that great....0
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two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?0 -
two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
While I understand where you're going with this analogy, unless there are several concrete studies to back up this theory, it's still strictly speculation. There are plenty of fit people who eat tons of ice cream and pizza and look just as ripped and fit as someone who eats "clean."0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
While I understand where you're going with this analogy, unless there are several concrete studies to back up this theory, it's still strictly speculation. There are plenty of fit people who eat tons of ice cream and pizza and look just as ripped and fit as someone who eats "clean."
But looking ripped isn't all there is to health.0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different0 -
A calorie is a unit of measurement, they are equal.
However the conversion of the macros to energy and/or fat is not identical.
Protein loses 25-30% of its value if it has to be converted to energy. Carbs 6-8% and fat 2-3%.
So depends how you look at it.0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different
A calorie is a calorie - I agree its a measurement unit. Different bodies respond differently to different foods - I completely agree.
On the indentically twins comment, I guess it depends why you are losing weight.... To look good and to be thin or to be healthy and hopefully look good and thin. I would love to look good but how I feel or my health being the quality of my life and longevity of my life is most important. I choose to make every calorie count towards health. As an added bonus, when you eat healthy its usaully better for our environment too!0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different
Excluded middle.
If twin A ate 80% raw and the other ate 20% raw, I bet you couldn't tell them apart.
Yes, at extreme diets ends function of calories differ because transport systems are effected. For the majority of people, in the majority of situations a calorie is a calorie is sufficient for weight loss.
1) Calories - to a limit
2) Macro nutrients to assure sufficient fat and protein
3) Variety for micro nutrients
Everything else is ju-ju. It really depends on what helps you remain successful.0 -
This is called the study of thermo-genics. Protein is the least able to be stored as fat because it has to be metabolically broken down. Next is fat then carbohydrates.0
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as posted earlier
insulin affects weight gain
the macros you eat affect your metabolism for example so if you eat high protein it actually takes a little more energy to use those calories promoting weight loss.
but as long as you eat sensible and are in a manageable caloric deficit your good to go.
food for thought
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2092071/Stacey-Irvine-17-collapses-eating-McDonalds-chicken-nuggets-age-2.html0 -
Meh. At the highest level, weight loss is about calories, period. Individually, different types of food may affect different people in different ways. Find out which way your own body reacts to different foods, and leave everyone else alone to find their own way. YMMV.
/end0 -
But looking ripped isn't all there is to health.
blasphemy!!!!
apparently someone has never been to Hollywood!0 -
that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.
Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.
If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different
Yup, I would go so far as to say the real world differences would be negligible.0 -
A calorie is a unit of measurement, they are equal.
I'm glad someone said this. A "calorie" is a "calorie" in the same way that if a = a, then a = a, and also vice versa, and inverse 1/a = 1/a and squared and rooted and so on.
Now, drinking 1,000 calories of lemon juice might feel different than 1,000 calories of apple juice . . .
eta: (turns out to be 16 cups of lemon juice vs 8 cups of apple juice. Yum!)0 -
Depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are just going for weight loss, then just eat whatever and stay at a deficit. For body recomposition, then you will have to eat at a deficit and monitor macro intake.
However, as long as your are making sensible choices of nutrient dense foods consistently, then you can treat yourself as long as it still fits into your day.0 -
(as insulins job is to convert blood sugar to fat),
Ummm, yeah, no.0 -
Studies like this have been done over and over, and the message is always the same: Over the long term, there's no difference in fat loss when protein intake is matched.0
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two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
No. They will not look different. No, their vitals will not be different either.
Nice try tho0 -
A friend and coworker is a big Atkins fan and has been trying to convience me that not all calories are created equal. While I'm not of that school of thought, he continues to send me articles upon occasion to "prove his point" and as a point of conversation. Here is the latest article he sent me.
http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20120626/all-calories-not-created-equal-study-suggests?page=1
Opinions?
Dude! You lost 55lb! You obviously are doing something right. How much weight has this knowledgeable friend lost? Keep doing what your doing it's working so far. I still think portion control and eating your veggies and drinking your water is a good technique, at least for me.
Tell you friend thanks for the info and drop it.0 -
two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
No. They will not look different. No, their vitals will not be different either.
Nice try tho
This whole premise is laughable. No they won't look different or have significnatly different vitals. Another orthorexia thread in the making?0 -
and even the bees need variety, as in nectar from different plants. The big bee die-off a few years back was believed to be due to beekeepers restricting the bees to one plant, thus not enabling the bees to get all the amino acids necessary0
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As far as weight loss is concerned, all calories are almost –but not quite- equal. The effect of food in the body is not only supplying energy. Different foods also trigger different hormonal responses and activate different metabolic pathways. Protein also has a higher thermic effect than carbs and fat. So the type of food consumed actually changes the “calories out” side of the equation.
Most importantly, the study only looks at how food composition changes energy expenditure. That is not the only important thing when you consider a real world scenario. Think of the other effects of what you’ll eat*, how easy the diet is to follow, variety of foods, micronutrients, digestive issues, etc. All things considered, I think a balanced diet is the best bet for most people, and the (very simplified) model of cals in vs cals out is good enough for weight control (again, for most people).
*The article itself mentions how a very low carb diet could increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.0 -
Just an example... if you eat 1500 cals a day that is all starch/carbs, you will be at risk for diabetes, even if you are thin and are at a caloric deficit. However, eating 1500 cals in protein would mean more to build muscles with, so perhaps you might be more ripped--but you also might deal with constipation and possibly ammonia in your bloodstream. 1500 cals of fat, and your cholesterol would likely be through the roof. But it would be difficult to find someone who only eats one specific macro all day long. So I agree that different foods offer different nutrients, both macro and micro, and because of THAT, the calories in them are not created equal (in that, nutritionally speaking, and many times in regards to portion, 100 cals of protein looks different than 100 cals of carbs or 100 cals of fat. Or even within the same macro - 100 cals of fish looks different than 100 cals of beef, and 100 cals of honey looks different than 100 cals of potatoes). That's why we have to get a variety of foods so that we meet all of our nutritional needs (macros, vitamins, minerals, hydration, etc.).As far as weight loss is concerned, all calories are almost –but not quite- equal. The effect of food in the body is not only supplying energy. Different foods also trigger different hormonal responses and activate different metabolic pathways. Protein also has a higher thermic effect than carbs and fat. So the type of food consumed actually changes the “calories out” side of the equation.
Most importantly, the study only looks at how food composition changes energy expenditure. That is not the only important thing when you consider a real world scenario. Think of the other effects of what you’ll eat*, how easy the diet is to follow, variety of foods, micronutrients, digestive issues, etc. All things considered, I think a balanced diet is the best bet for most people, and the (very simplified) model of cals in vs cals out is good enough for weight control (again, for most people).
*The article itself mentions how a very low carb diet could increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
Well said!0 -
two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.
do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?
No. They will not look different. No, their vitals will not be different either.
Nice try tho
Well, perhaps they would look similar, but the vitals, if we are only considering BP, Temp and pulse would differ at least due to the salt content. Maybe not for you spring chickens, but for me who is a bit older, what I eat dramatically affects my blood pressure. If we consider cholesterol, then you will see even more differences. This is not a theory, I have the lab work that proves it to me, which is why I try to eat as healthy as I can. Progress, not perfection!0
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