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Is a calorie equal to a calorie?
Replies
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quiksylver296 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I have to say. I tried TimTams, because of @Carlos_421 's Oreo thread. They were not awesome.
I am partial to a TimTam but those are Antipodean. British biccies are magical.1 -
VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
lubiscuits.com/ checkmate, Oreo.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I’m starting to think Oreos available in Britain are sub-par to American Oreos. Too many Brits saying the same thing.
I'm an American and Oreos aren't my cup of tea either. It's a good thing the cookie aisle is so big!
Same here. Nothing on a really good homemade chocolate chip cookie, or Snickerdoodle, or peanut butter. I like cookies to be slightly moist (sorry, I know that's an awful word) throughout, and don't like the hard pieces, cream filling (or whatever you call it) combo that much. I don't hate them, but they aren't my favorite or anything I particular long for ever.
So SO SO glad @Carlos_421 is back!!!!
I love oreos- I'll eat the whole sleeve.
BUT a few things.
1.) if they are knock offs- they suck. they taste funny- they are soggy- the cream is wrong- whatever- WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.
2.) if there are plate of fresh homemade CC cookies- warm- and soft- they win over oreos.
3.) if no milk is available- I typically take off one side lick the cream and am done with that shenanigans. Oreos IMHO- require milk.
I haven't had an oreo thin- but considering I like double stuff and mega stuff- I'm not really holding my breath- I my head I imagine like they would be an inferior thin mint- minus the minty part.
Can someone please give me the proper "tastes like"? b/c I'm guessing not minty thin mints are... off base.
Honestly they taste to me like their regular Oreo parent. In addition to a thinner layer of cream, the cookies are thinner and I find them crisper. You also get more cookies for the calories - because duh they're smaller - but it makes me feel like I'm eating more. And while I agree a proper Oreo really needs milk, the thins can get away with a cup of tea or a glass of wine
.
The cream is my least favorite part of any Oreo, regardless of flavor. I've been known to peel it off and throw it away (as I run for cover now!
) I agree that the thins are crisper, and I too enjoy getting 'more' cookies per serving. I'd probably be disappointed by them if the filling was my favorite part, though. 0 -
cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »It's probably been mentioned (as I haven't read through all the pages)...but this reminds me of the thread where someone was very adamant that 1 lb of feathers was lighter than 1 lb of rocks.
ETA: OMG, the link was posted. WOW! I am seriously surprised that thread is still up!
Pika, you seriously underestimate the power of that thread and my memory for the absurd.
That thread was from back in the day when threads rolled at 500 posts and people were getting jostled (and apparently playing some drinking game) at the end. Remember those days?
Also, props to @WinoGelato for trying to get Bohemian Rhapsody going.
Things just don't get locked like they used to.
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VintageFeline wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I have to say. I tried TimTams, because of @Carlos_421 's Oreo thread. They were not awesome.
I am partial to a TimTam but those are Antipodean. British biccies are magical.
I had to Google. Thanks for a new vocabulary word!3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I’m starting to think Oreos available in Britain are sub-par to American Oreos. Too many Brits saying the same thing.
I'm an American and Oreos aren't my cup of tea either. It's a good thing the cookie aisle is so big!
Same here. Nothing on a really good homemade chocolate chip cookie, or Snickerdoodle, or peanut butter. I like cookies to be slightly moist (sorry, I know that's an awful word) throughout, and don't like the hard pieces, cream filling (or whatever you call it) combo that much. I don't hate them, but they aren't my favorite or anything I particular long for ever.
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PikaJoyJoy wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »It's probably been mentioned (as I haven't read through all the pages)...but this reminds me of the thread where someone was very adamant that 1 lb of feathers was lighter than 1 lb of rocks.
ETA: OMG, the link was posted. WOW! I am seriously surprised that thread is still up!
Pika, you seriously underestimate the power of that thread and my memory for the absurd.
That thread was from back in the day when threads rolled at 500 posts and people were getting jostled (and apparently playing some drinking game) at the end. Remember those days?
Also, props to @WinoGelato for trying to get Bohemian Rhapsody going. Things just don't get locked like they used to.
...also, you were seriously Joffed.
3 -
cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »It's probably been mentioned (as I haven't read through all the pages)...but this reminds me of the thread where someone was very adamant that 1 lb of feathers was lighter than 1 lb of rocks.
ETA: OMG, the link was posted. WOW! I am seriously surprised that thread is still up!
Pika, you seriously underestimate the power of that thread and my memory for the absurd.
That thread was from back in the day when threads rolled at 500 posts and people were getting jostled (and apparently playing some drinking game) at the end. Remember those days?
Also, props to @WinoGelato for trying to get Bohemian Rhapsody going. Things just don't get locked like they used to.
...also, you were seriously Joffed.
Deja vu. I did the cone of shame in that other thread too when I accidentally revived it way back when. LMAO.2 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
lubiscuits.com/ checkmate, Oreo.
This doesn't take me anywhere!0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
lubiscuits.com/ checkmate, Oreo.
This doesn't take me anywhere!
Hmmm, ok just copy an paste
www.lubiscuits.com
I'm sure you've seen them around. Lu is from France I think.0 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
lubiscuits.com/ checkmate, Oreo.
This doesn't take me anywhere!
Hmmm, ok just copy an paste
www.lubiscuits.com
I'm sure you've seen them around.
I needed to enable Flash, my bad.
I have indeed seen them.0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
lubiscuits.com/ checkmate, Oreo.
This doesn't take me anywhere!
Hmmm, ok just copy an paste
www.lubiscuits.com
I'm sure you've seen them around.
I needed to enable Flash, my bad.
I have indeed seen them.
Real European chocolate, or oil, sugar, and corn starch....hmmm, tough choice. 0 -
All I'm going to say is Hobnobs. And Chocolate Hobnobs. Bit dangerous for tea dunking though, need nerves of steel.3
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Thank you for your input. I think what I said was way misunderstood. The original post asked if a calorie equals a calorie and compared foods. That’s what I was responding to. I would say I eat a balanced diet including chocolate and an occasional trip to mc Donald’s for some chicken nuggets. So by no means did I try to judge anyone. There were some comments about calories are all the same and that you can live off junk food and still lose weight as long as you stay in your calorie allowance. And yes this is true for a lot of ppl but not for all.lemurcat12 wrote: »formybabies79 wrote: »A calorie is a calorie I think that has been clearly established by all the comments. What’s different are the nutrients. You can eat empty calories or you can fuel your body with the things you eat. You know the saying: you are what you eat. While eating a clean and nutritious diet you fuel your body to function right, have more energy and feel good. I liked that example of a mile being a mile... hey I rather take the mile with umbrella and drink at 75 degree weather than the crawling across glass. Same with your calories... make them count and let them make you feel good. Calories from fiber help you poop, calories from protein help build muscles, calories from orios give you a sugar crash and increase your sugar cravings and that in turn makes it harder to stick to your calorie goal.
I'm going to be pedantic, because I honesty think that there's a persistent misunderstanding that some have re "a calorie is a calorie" meaning that people don't understand that foods are different.
A "calorie" is NOT a synonym for food. It's a measure of the energy value in a food. Calories are fungible; there is no such thing as a "fiber calorie" that your body can distinguish from a "sugar calorie." However, of course your body can tell sugar from fiber.
Thus, when you say "calories from fiber help you poop," that is not correct (although fiber, or some types of fiber, is useful for that purpose for SOME people, depending on overall diet). The CALORIES from the food that contains fiber do not themselves do anything to help with digestive functions or BMs. Do you see the distinction that I am making?
And of course I agree with janejellyroll that eating an Oreo within the context of a healthy diet with adequate everything else will not give me a sugar crash or increase cravings (nor is an Oreo only sugar, it has fat too).
Bigger point is that overall diet is what matters for nutrition. Sure, for some individuals it may be difficult to have a healthy diet if they include certain foods because of individual food issues, but for the most part ANY healthy diet is going to have a mix of foods, some really nutrient dense, some less nutrient dense but providing some things the more nutrient dense food does not, some that help you enjoy a meal that includes lots of nutrient dense foods that happen to taste better when cooked with a little oil or butter, say, or a bit of sugar that makes the rhubarb sauce cook better or, of course, some salt that just adds to the taste of foods when used when cooking. An approach that would eliminate olive oil because it is not in itself nutrient dense and ignore the context and dosage or, similarly, say that a little chocolate is bad because it doesn't measure up to a vegetable when it comes to micros makes no sense to me.
I am curious if this is just misunderstanding or a genuinely different view of nutrition, so I'd actually appreciate some kind of reply here. I'm not just saying this for the sake of it, but hoping to have a conversation. You seem to think that you are disagreeing with people who have said nutrients don't matter, and I don't think anyone has said that, so I am confused by your apparent belief to the contrary.
I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS years ago and have been doing tons of research and support groups and you wouldn’t believe how many believe that all that matters is calorie count. I met some girls who didn’t eat over their allowance of calories never had energy and couldn’t lose weight until they cut out a good chunk of processed foods and got their insulin resistance under control.
Some replies said that calorie is a energy measurement and yes that is true but not everyone responds to those calories the same way. I highly believe in the CICO principal that’s why I’m using MFP to begin with but I also believe that our body is far more complex in using them. That’s just my personal opinion
My earlier comment was supposed to be on the funny side and was widely misunderstood and I’m sorry if I offended anyone
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PikaJoyJoy wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »It's probably been mentioned (as I haven't read through all the pages)...but this reminds me of the thread where someone was very adamant that 1 lb of feathers was lighter than 1 lb of rocks.
ETA: OMG, the link was posted. WOW! I am seriously surprised that thread is still up!
Pika, you seriously underestimate the power of that thread and my memory for the absurd.
That thread was from back in the day when threads rolled at 500 posts and people were getting jostled (and apparently playing some drinking game) at the end. Remember those days?
Also, props to @WinoGelato for trying to get Bohemian Rhapsody going. Things just don't get locked like they used to.
...also, you were seriously Joffed.
Deja vu. I did the cone of shame in that other thread too when I accidentally revived it way back when. LMAO.
I saw that when I read through the last few pages of that thread. Funny!1 -
PikaJoyJoy wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I’m starting to think Oreos available in Britain are sub-par to American Oreos. Too many Brits saying the same thing.
I'm an American and Oreos aren't my cup of tea either. It's a good thing the cookie aisle is so big!
Same here. Nothing on a really good homemade chocolate chip cookie, or Snickerdoodle, or peanut butter. I like cookies to be slightly moist (sorry, I know that's an awful word) throughout, and don't like the hard pieces, cream filling (or whatever you call it) combo that much. I don't hate them, but they aren't my favorite or anything I particular long for ever.
I woo'd you, but only because there is no awesome, so I pretended it meant woo-hoo.1 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »PikaJoyJoy wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »*Quietly raises hand......
I can take or leave Oreos. Mostly leave. There are far superior biscuits (British definition) available, why would I waste the calories on Oreos? Unless vegan, then I think they become essential to life.
I’m starting to think Oreos available in Britain are sub-par to American Oreos. Too many Brits saying the same thing.
I'm an American and Oreos aren't my cup of tea either. It's a good thing the cookie aisle is so big!
Same here. Nothing on a really good homemade chocolate chip cookie, or Snickerdoodle, or peanut butter. I like cookies to be slightly moist (sorry, I know that's an awful word) throughout, and don't like the hard pieces, cream filling (or whatever you call it) combo that much. I don't hate them, but they aren't my favorite or anything I particular long for ever.
I woo'd you, but only because there is no awesome, so I pretended it meant woo-hoo.
That's the only kind of woo I like 1 -
Also, I just saw quoted a long post from me starting with "I'm going to be pedantic" and my first thought was "oh, dear, how tiresome did I need to be about Oreos vs. other cookies." ;-)4
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Also, I just saw quoted a long post from me starting with "I'm going to be pedantic" and my first thought was "oh, dear, how tiresome did I need to be about Oreos vs. other cookies." ;-)
But at least you don't fidget.3 -
formybabies79 wrote: »Thank you for your input. I think what I said was way misunderstood. The original post asked if a calorie equals a calorie and compared foods. That’s what I was responding to.
Ah. Since there'd been 8 pages of discussion following that post, I think most of us read you as responding to what others had said already, and so assumed you were saying that we had failed to understand that foods are not all the same. At least, that's what I was (mostly) responding to, in addition to the congenital pedantry, of course. ;-)There were some comments about calories are all the same and that you can live off junk food and still lose weight as long as you stay in your calorie allowance.
If you read this as "all foods are the same," I think you did misunderstand, however. I am sure that people who pointed out that you can lose weight based on calories alone -- which I am certain is true -- were not recommending it or saying all foods are the same nutritionally, and the reference (if that was made) to the Twinkie study also was not recommending it, but just saying that if calories are controlled, you lose, gain, or maintain based on calories. Of course for satiety, health, quality of life, etc., what we eat is important beyond calories. I think we all do agree on that!
On the idea that you can't lose eating a poor diet. People who starve to death or anorexics often eat a poor diet (in different ways), and they obviously lose weight. Not saying a poor diet is a good idea, and I do think it makes it harder to stick to calories and probably does affect energy levels for many, which is why if you are hungry or don't feel good eating differently might be a good idea (and of course everyone should ideally pay some attention to nutrition -- for me that's common sense, so I assume everyone knows that unless they suggest otherwise).Some replies said that calorie is a energy measurement and yes that is true but not everyone responds to those calories the same way.
Again, I kind of think you are confusing or conflating foods and calories. Calories are fungible -- your body cannot distinguish a carrot calorie from a steak calorie from a potato chip calorie. But yes, we agree that those three foods are different and your body will get different nutrients from them and digest them/obtain the energy and nutrients from them through a somewhat different process.I highly believe in the CICO principal that’s why I’m using MFP to begin with but I also believe that our body is far more complex in using them. That’s just my personal opinion
Why I thought you misunderstood is that people often seem to think that saying CICO is what matters for weight loss or "a calorie is a calorie" somehow denies the complexities, and that's not actually true. I think CICO determines weight gain, loss, or maintenance, but how I can get the calorie balance I want may actually be complex or different for me than for you -- for example, some find it easier to cut carbs or eat only 2 times a day or eat lots of different little meals or focus on eating 10+ servings of vegetables or work on emotional eating or focus on activity more than food or on and on. And similarly saying "weight loss is about CICO" does not deny that satiety is important or nutrition.My earlier comment was supposed to be on the funny side and was widely misunderstood and I’m sorry if I offended anyone
Thanks for clarifying. I do still think there might have been a misunderstanding, as no one was saying what we eat doesn't matter, but I also apologize if I read you wrong!3
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