Good and bad calories ( let’s finalize the whole thing)
There are indeed different types of calories. And to be real with you there is such a thing as good and bad calories. However, the concept behind the “good” and “bad” calories usually refers to the quality of the food providing those calories. For example, foods with “good” calories are typically nutrient-filled, and they provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients along with the calories. On the other hand, foods with “bad” calories are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and processed ingredients, that do provide calories, but without much nutritional value your body needs.
An example
Your body’s nutritional needs are like a Christmas tree at home, you can store empty gift boxes around it, which will take up space, and look aesthetically pleasing for pictures and decor, however, there aren’t any gifts inside of it. So, if anyone were to open them, they wouldn’t find anything, which could kill the Christmas spirit. The essence of the gift boxes next to the Christmas tree, is the gifts inside them, not just the boxes.
Hopefully, that analogy helped : )
It’s the same with your body, you could eat bad calorie foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but your body wouldn’t have had quality food, even if you feel full after eating them. And this can impair its ability to function properly which ends up causing health issues. So, even if certain foods taste good, and make you full after eating, it doesn’t mean your body has gotten its daily nutritional needs. All it has been given to work with is a lot of sugar, preservatives, unhealthy fats, coloring, and so on. Though we like to say there’s no such thing as “bad food”, we cannot overlook the fact that they do have “bad calories” and don’t necessarily add to one’s health in the long run.
I want you to understand that there is nothing wrong with eating foods that come with “bad” calories, only if they become a main food source. Because they can cause you to develop certain health problems. It’s important to focus on eating foods that offer not just calories but also essential nutrients for overall health and well-being.
Key takeaway
What makes a calorie “Good and bad” is simply about the nutrients that do come and don’t come with them. However, some “bad” calorie foods do offer some nutrients. Sugary and chocolate beverage brands for example, can contain vitamin K, vitamin C, and so on, but also sugar and preservatives, which aren’t safe in the long run They’re even marketed to parents as the perfect family beverage or breakfast option for kids. But due to other factors, such as weight loss, it may not be the right choice of calorie intake and daily diet.
Good and bad calories and their relationship with weight gain.
This may come as a shock, but both good and bad calories can lead to weight gain. I’ll repeat that, “good and bad” calorie foods can still make you gain weight. Oh, you thought if you ate 3 bowls of the healthiest food every day, you wouldn’t gain weight? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s not true. Why? Because your daily calorie needs come into play, regardless of its source. Which is why moderation will always be the most important thing.
Although there might be a slight bias between good and bad calories in weight gain
If you eat large portions of foods with healthy calories every day, and someone else eats large portions of unhealthy foods daily, your chances of developing health issues will be slimmer than that of the other person. You could be overloading on lean proteins, veggies, healthy fats, and fruits, and may not be at risk of high weight gain, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure immediately. The latter could be overindulging in refined carbs, sodium, added sugars, and unhealthy fats, and may quickly develop these issues.
Why is this so? Well, healthy foods give more nutrition and less added sugars, trans fat, and sodium, while unhealthy foods contain more added sugar, artificial additives, and trans fat, and offer less healthy nutrients. Therefore, a consistently bad diet can easily reduce one’s quality of life, than overindulgence in eating good foods.
Regardless of whether you can gain weight and develop health issues at a faster rate or not due to your meals, you must always balance everything. Moderation is what helps you eat both “good and bad” calorie foods without feeling guilty and developing health problems. You can easily adopt the 80-20 rule, and 70-30 rule, of these calorie sources. So you can enjoy both and still be at your best.
Good and bad calorie and the relationship between calorie deficit for weight loss
Let’s say the doctor told you to eat 1000 calories a day to stay in a deficit for weight loss. Would eating a 1000-calorie chocolate cookie as your daily meal make you gain weight? Or not affect your weight loss?
From a purely caloric perspective, if you’re eating within your daily calorie deficit, you won’t gain weight, even if your diet consists only of cookies and biscuits. After all, calorie balance is a key factor in weight management. However, the quality of the calories you eat matters too. It’s important to note that a diet lacking essential nutrients can lead to nutrient deficiencies, and will negatively impact one’s overall health, and increase the risk of chronic diseases, even if weight gain isn’t an issue.
Therefore, a 1000-calorie cookie may not provide the same nutrients as a well-balanced 1000-calorie meal. Eating a cookie with high sugar, and unhealthy fats might not be the best choice for your overall health, even if it does fit within your calorie limit. Calorie balance is indeed crucial, but it is also important to consider the quality of your diet and aim for a balanced intake of protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to support your overall health- and even your weight loss journey.
Besides, who would genuinely enjoy eating a thousand-calorie cookie, chocolate, biscuit, or fries daily, even if it’s within the calorie limit? They’re not sustainable foods because they’re not really giving your body anything beneficial.
You could start to suffer from things like:
1 . Nutrient imbalance
2 . High sugar intake which can cause a spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels.
3 . Metabolic issues which could affect your weight loss.
4 . Lack of satiety because a cookie may not keep you full for long, which may lead to you eating too much or making unhealthy choices later in the day.
5 . Heart disease and diabetes
Therefore, “good calorie” meals are still the best if you want to stay within your deficit, get nutrients, and lose weight. However, if you want to eat a cookie once in a while during your calorie deficit and weight loss, it’s okay too.
In conclusion
Good and bad calories can be a part of your diet, as long as you are balancing everything. You can enjoy sweets and also enjoy proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. That said, if you want to solely focus on eating foods that provide “good” calories you will be as healthy as possible. However you can not do that with “bad calorie” foods, cause then you would be at a loss. So, it’s either you have both “good and bad “ calorie foods, or you just have “good” calorie foods.
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