Are all calories equal?

Happyme2009 · February 2013

So my question is easy.... and I would like a straight answer... are really all calories equal? because I was told ( by my mom ) that they are not.
It is not the same thing if you over eat by having a chocolate bar ( worth let's say 500cals) or if you eat 6 big apples ( worth 500cals). It is not the same if you eat bacon ( worth 300 cals let's say) or if you eat a bawl of grapes ( worth 300 cals ).
What is your opinion on this?
I am not talking about nutritional value, or how well those calories will keep me full.
Simply I am asking about the calories themselves, because we are all counting calories here...
And I am a volume eater so small amounts don't satisfy me.

ChrisR0128 · February 2013

Good question, same with sugars are sugars from fruit the same as from processed candy for example?????

neanderthin · February 2013

A calorie is a unit of energy and in that respect they are equal. The source of those calories make a difference though, and is more than likely what your mother was talking about.

Happyme2009 · February 2013

A calorie is a unit of energy and in that respect they are equal. The source of those calories make a difference though, and is more than likely what your mother was talking about.

Fair enough but will they fatten me up equally?

neanderthin · February 2013

A calorie is a unit of energy and in that respect they are equal. The source of those calories make a difference though, and is more than likely what your mother was talking about.

Fair enough but will they fatten me up equally?

Pretty much. When adequate protein is consumed the difference in body composition is fairly small when mucking around with fat and carbs. Insulin sensitivity, exercise routine, metabolic dysfunction, body fat percentages will also factor into how fat and muscle is lost or gained.

mahanaibu · February 2013

You mom is functionally correct. That is to say, all calories are alike when measured the way they typically are measured, which is to be burned in a caloriemeter. But recent research has shown that the body doesn't act like a calorimeter and treats calories from different sources somewhat differently. So calories from white bread would, in the body, count for more calories than what you see on the label, but calories from nuts are lower. You can find out a lot mkore detail on this online by googling whether calories are equal.

NYCNika · February 2013

Here is the article in the Wall Street Journal titled "Not all calories are equal".

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304458604577490943279845790.html

Besides the useful info here, think about it, when you reduce the amount of food you are getting, it is more important than ever to make sure that the calories you are eating are not "emply" and pack maximum amount of nutrition your body needs.

In addition, "net" calories have difference too. For example, eating 1,600 calories and running 300 callories off at your target heart rate or eating 1,300 and not exercising at all is not the same. It is not a wash! Eating 1,600 and running will make you loose more weight. It will keep your metabolism from slowing down and keep body burning fat for hours.

Happyme2009 · February 2013

Very interesting

I should have googled it but I guess I wanted to hear opinions person to person from experience...
thank you!

NYCNika · February 2013

Very interesting
I should have googled it but I guess I wanted to hear opinions person to person from experience...
thank you!

My personal experience with this theory -- I've been doing this for 21 days now and I lost 10lb. According to MFP my weekly calorie deficit is only 1,600 calories. So I should be loosing only 0.5lb per week, not 3+. But body is more complex than calorie in/calorie out.

I've been eating mostly healthy home made foods everything fresh, not processed, no frozen dinners or such cr8p), plenty of protein and I did cardio almost every day. 20 minutes minimum stretch of intense for me cardio. I feel amazing! Not only do my pants button now, but I feel light and fit.

ekaustin7 · February 2013

I've always said that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. No matter where it comes from, your body sees it the same way. Obviously 100 calories from an apple are better than 100 calories from chocolate because the apple has higher nutrient density (amount of bioavailable nutrients per calorie), but when it all comes down to it, your body doesn't "know" where those calories came from, only that they're there and that it can use them for energy production.

mahanaibu · February 2013

I found this article to be helpful...it goes into the calorimeter vs. body explanation. Almonds, for example, have 32% fewer calories in terms of what we digest! A lot of the oil isn't digested by the body.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html

mahanaibu · February 2013

I've always said that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. No matter where it comes from, your body sees it the same way. Obviously 100 calories from an apple are better than 100 calories from chocolate because the apple has higher nutrient density (amount of bioavailable nutrients per calorie), but when it all comes down to it, your body doesn't "know" where those calories came from, only that they're there and that it can use them for energy production.

I said the same thing for many years. But it's time to do the research and throw out old ways of thinking that are not based on science. The body is not a calorimeter and it doesn't burn all the calories in all foods.

Ailorn · February 2013

Effectively yes a calorie is a calorie as far as weight loss goes. Ultimately if you eat at a calorie deficit you will lose weight regardless of what you eat. However if you eat more processed foods you will probably be more hungry for the same amount of calories eating more natrual. Personally I use my calories as a guideline and dont get hung up on absolutely only healthy stuff. I try and increase the amount of healthy stuff im eating but I still eat less nutrient dense foods too. I still eat pizza and bacon and burgers along with my fruits and veggies. I'm not going out of my way to only eat clean and I'm still losing weight. What I think matters is making sure this change fits in with your life style so that you can keep the change not use it as a crash diet that you cant maintain.

oh_em_gee · February 2013

Yes and no. As a unit of energy, a calorie is a calorie. But, I feel so different when I eat junk vs healthier food. I get headaches from junk and feel so tired. So, to me, 100 calories of salmon or Greek yogurt is far superior to 100 calories of cake or cookies.

JAE1775 · July 2013

Good question, same with sugars are sugars from fruit the same as from processed candy for example?????

Recently saw this on the forum - Sugar: The Bitter Truth

http://youtu.be/dBnniua6-oM

Natural vs processed sugar

taso42 · July 2013

So my question is easy.... and I would like a straight answer...

yes.

1 calorie = 1 calorie.

taso42 · July 2013

Good question, same with sugars are sugars from fruit the same as from processed candy for example?????

Recently saw this on the forum - Sugar: The Bitter Truth

http://youtu.be/dBnniua6-oM

Natural vs processed sugar

The Bitter Truth About Fructose Alarmism
http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

Factual vs Fear-mongering video

chrisdavey · July 2013

yes

However your examples are not equal macronutrients so not that comparable.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/hormonal-responses-to-a-fast-food-meal-compared-with-nutritionally-comparable-meals-of-different-composition-research-review.html This should clear it up.

Are all calories equal?

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