True or False? A Calorie is a Calorie is a Calorie.

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  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,986 Member
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    Hit and run comment...

    Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!

    Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.

    The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.

    The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.

    Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.

    Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.

    I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.

    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.

    Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!

    These are your opinions about nutrition. They do not impact on whether a calorie, as a unit of measurement, is a constant unit of measurement

  • alittlemopo
    alittlemopo Posts: 91 Member
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    porscheMD wrote: »
    sucrose(s), carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids (proteins), will eventually be used to create energy for the body. They undergo different process, but when the body needs it, it will take it. Sugar > carbs > lipids > amino acids is the order in which the easiest way your body will obtain energy from. That's why when you eat a candy bar, you immediately feel the energy, because it's easy to break down.

    I am currently taking Anatomy and we are in a metabolism unit, we were just taught that our body is actually the most efficient at breaking down lipids first, then carbs, then proteins (amino acids).

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Hit and run comment...

    Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
    um no- meat, veggies- ice cream, oreos, beer, pizza, chocolate, cake-cup cakes- ALL delicious. To me. Everyone has their own opinion on what TASTES good. But tasting good- doesn't imply inherent value. Unless we are talking about kale-which is gross- and useless.
    Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
    organic eggs? get over yourself. they aren't any better tahn regular eggs.

    and bacon is bacon is bacon- unless it's turkey bacon- in which case that's not bacon. Get off your high horse
    The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
    First- sometimes the trade off is worth it- but yes I would normally agree pickign something leaves you feeling full and fueled is better than a quicky snack that you're going to burn through much quickly and be hungry sooner- but that doesn't make one inferior to the other- they both serve a purpose. Secondly: good lord- food doesn't make you lean and strong- working out appropriately does.
    Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
    omg no. extra calories makes you fat. not carbs. not fats. no proteins. not veggies. not meants. not greens. not candy bars. not sodas.

    to much caloric intake makes you fat. period.
    Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
    which is why you have to weigh your options carefully and figure out what you need and what you are willing to sacrifice or not. Sometimes I sacrifice dinner for ice cream. not.sorry.
    sometimes I sacrifice dessert for more meat on my plate. sometimes a little sorry- but you gotta do what you gotta do.
    I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
    there is no right or wrong way to eat- and even if you eat all the most "clean healthy right- not bad foods" you could still get fat.
    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
    BAW HA HA H HA HA H AHA HA A
    Paleo?
    backed by science.

    BAW HA HA HA HA HA omgosh- thank you so much- i needed that laugh this morning. that was just... oh- so priceless.


  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    This thread is hilarious.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    In. Late, but in.
  • tracylbrown839
    tracylbrown839 Posts: 84 Member
    edited October 2014
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    celestlyn wrote: »
    My thought process was going more toward the likelihood that a sugar calorie will quickly be swept up into the bloodstream and used as 'brain food' rather than being stored, while the fat calorie will be stored unless there is a deficit. So I if I screw up and have my Reece's it will be brain fuel and not stored and if I screwed up and ate the pizza it would be more likely to be stored rather than immediately used. Just a thought. Nit-picking I'm sure, but it makes for interesting idea sharing. Thanks for your thoughts on both sides of the debate.

    No, not really. You are trying to make a process thermogenesis simple, when the truth is that the biochemical reactions that take place in order to convert what you eat into fuel that your body can use is tremendously complex. (I mean really complex)


    From this respect, the process of breaking down and digesting a nut, for example, requires more "work and energy" than say, digesting some rice. In other words, the process of digesting and processing food itself requires energy and some foods are processed more easily than others. In this respect, a calorie is not quite a calorie - although be cautious here because as someone else mentioned, a calorie is "a specific unit of measurement"

    As for how your brain is fuelled, thinking that eating sugar might fuel the brain best, here you are mistaken. This is a good basic article to help you understand this better.

    http://learn.fi.edu/learn/brain/carbs.html


    I will also try to look up a good article on "is a calorie a calorie", if I can find it. But your initial post is sort of mixing two things together, and mixing them up a bit.

    I couldn't find the article that I was looking for, sorry. But basically, some food requires "more energy" to digest ( the thermogentic effect of food) - specifically, protein has a higher thermogentic effect than fats, for example.

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_dynamic_action


    Then, in addition, different foods may be procesed at a faster or slower rate - ie simple sugars (a candy bar)burn faster than say a complex carbohydrate - say oats.

    And lastly, some foods are not completely broken down and all their energy extracted from them - think corn. (Although not a totally pleasant thought not all calories are converted and some "energy" show up in fecies.)

    Hope this helps a bit.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Hit and run comment...


    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.

    Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!

    Wrong. Over eating and no exercise makes you fat. Not grains, bread, wheat and pasta.
    but BUT PALEO IS SCIENCE!!!!!!!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    In, for paleo "science"!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    Hit and run comment...

    Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!

    Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.

    The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.

    The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.

    Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.

    Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.

    I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.

    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.

    Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!

    I would like to know where you have seen carby bacon? Is it infused with bread or something?

    Personally, I prefer chickfila over DD. Something about chicken, egg and cheese is just so good!!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Hit and run comment...

    Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!

    Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.

    The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.

    The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.

    Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.

    Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.

    I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.

    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.

    Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!

    Dafuq?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    kamurray6 wrote: »
    I'm no expert, but there are so many recent books and studies that suggest that a calorie is not a calorie. So it's open for discussion.

    Except on this site, where suggesting that a calorie may not be a calorie will be responded to with hostility, vitriol, ridicule and incredulity.

    You aren't kidding. So many here think they are experts and have the worst attitudes. I hope none of these people are actual professional teachers. Maybe they're so bitchy because despite being diet/nutrition/fitness experts they are still fat like a lot of us regular folks.

    These aren't crack pots writing the books and releasing these studies. These are well qualified professionals who have done research, and do not believe a calorie is not a calories. Again, I do not have a definitive opinion. But if God almighty announced that a calorie is not a calorie, it would be dismissed by most posters here.
    Crackpots no. Good salesmen who know how to manipulate what actual data they use to support their stance, yes.
    And if one is an Atheist, the god thing doesn't work.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    Just stopping in to say...paleo science? LMFAO!
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    kgeyser wrote: »
    I used to agree that a calorie was a calorie. So I bought a box of sweet cereal. I weighed and measured as always and that week I was up 2 lbs. My only gain in over 160 days. There was no other excuse for that weight gain except for the lucky charms.

    Or a normal weight fluctuation.

    I'll hazard a guess at increased water weight due to additional glycogen.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    celestlyn wrote: »

    So it begs the question, is excess sugar calories better than excess fat calories? Or does the end result make no difference? I'm only asking because I wondered if there is less risk if I blow the diet and eat a candy bar instead of an extra slice of pizza. Not that I'm planning to do either one.
    Don't call it a sugar calorie, call it a carb calorie. Candy bars have fat, so that's comparing bad to worse. Is a carb calorie better than a fat calorie? That depends. If it's bad fat (bacon) you risk high cholesterol. But there is good fat in lean chicken and nuts. If it's refined sugar (soda) you risk diabetes. But there is good sugar in fruit. It's all about the choices you make!

    cnxgolb3cqzy.jpg


  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I've no idea. I would say the pizza would be healthier than the candy bar, as it probably has some veg on it in some way or the other. Although it would have unhealthy fat, I think unhealthy unnatural sugar would be worse. It's not substantial. But trust, even if you ate over your maintenance with it, you would not gain weight with just one single item of food.

    please define "unnatural" sugar…

    as far as I am aware all sugars are the same at the molecular level ...
  • tracylbrown839
    tracylbrown839 Posts: 84 Member
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    Rather than yet another conversation about diet styles and Paleo, how about what the op asked about.... is a calorie always a calorie. Yes, a calorie is a unit of measurement.

    How different food types, cooking styles, and "how" the body processes food, however, is far, far more complex. People would like really simple answers but it's really not quite so simple as everyone would like to believe. Your body is a very, very complex living organism and many complex chemical reactions take place to turn food into the fuel that your body uses.

    Here is an article about why a "calorie counts are wrong". Video and article below.

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/why-calorie-counts-are-wrong2013-08-20/

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/science-reveals-why-calorie-counts-are-all-wrong/



  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Hit and run comment...

    Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!

    Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.

    The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.

    The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.

    Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.

    Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.

    I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.

    A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.

    Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!

    actually, overeating makes you fat …

    second - dunkin donuts is "fake" food, really?

    I sometimes have an egg muffin sandwich and hash browns from mcdonalds and it fits into my macro and calorie goal for the day and I have no issues with my afternoon work out or bloat….

    so does my n=1 trump your n=1?????