We each have a daily caloric need, based on many factors
ranging from our age and activity level. The type of calorie we choose to
consume to meet this need is up to us in any given moment. So, what is a calorie?
A calorie is a measure of the energy contained in food. We all expend a certain
amount of energy each day in order for our bodies to perform their functions.
If we do any kind of physical exercise, manual labor, or any other activity, we
expend more. The food we eat is a fuel source that provides us with that
energy.
Calories comes in three forms: Carbohydrates, fat and
protein. If we consume more energy than we expend, the body will store the
excess in the form of fat and we will gain weight. If we consume less, our body
will need other sources of fuel, burning stored fat and leading to weight loss.
Different types of food contain vastly different amounts of
calories relative to weights. If we take one pound of lettuce and compare it to
one pound of cheese. The cheese, therefore is more calorie dense.
The
feeling of fullness, understanding satiety
According to weight loss gurus calorie in should be less
than calorie out. So as long as you consume fewer calories than you expend, you’ll
lose weight. Make sense in theory but in order to make it work we need to understand
that not all calories are created equal when it comes to filling you up. Some
comes in the form of fiber rich, nutrient rich foods that will leave you feeling
full and satisfied. Others in the form of refined, fiber stripped, highly
processed foods that contain few or no nutrients and will leave you hungry,
making you eat more.
A chicken nugget is so calorie dense that after eating only
two, you have consumed hundred calories, the equivalent of a whole bowl of
lentil soup. who gets satisfied with just two chicken nuggets you will probably
eat atleast ten consuming five to six hundred calories very quickly. With
lentil soup by comparison, you will probably feel full after just one bowl or
two and with just consuming hundred calories
There is a term for feeling fullness: satiety. It’s a physical
sensation telling us to stop eating. Unfortunately, food processing has wreaked
havoc with these instincts so that many of us can no longer trust the signal
our bodies are giving us. As long as we are eating highly processed, refined
foods, we are likely to feel hungry even when we’ve eaten more calories than we
need, we won’t feel the satiety until we’ve overeaten. here’s what we know
about how satiety works.
There are receptors in the stomach and digestive tract
that measure the food we ingest in several ways. One thing they measure the
weight and bulk of the food or amount of stretch that occurs in the stomach to
make room for the food. This is food containing a lot of fiber fill us up more-
they take up more space and trigger a signal to the brain that says enough has
been eaten. Foods that have been refined and processed take up less space, so
even if they contain more calories the message does not get back to your brain
that you’ve had enough.
When you’re eating whole foods, these tend to work quite
accurately. Processing tends to increase the calorie density of any given food
by removing water, reducing or removing fiber and adding sugar or fat. As we
alter our food in this way, its bulk/weight decreases because of removal of
fiber and the number of calories increases due to added fat or sugar. hence the
number of calories relative to weight increases dramatically. when you eat
these unnaturally concentrated foods, your calorie receptors and stretch
receptors no longer correlate.
We should pay more attention to food with high fiber and water content with low calorie density. Its important to eat highly satiating plant foods like starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes to ensure that we meet our energy needs without having to consume mountains of food to simply get enough calories. Combining fresh vegetables and fruits with whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables is the best mix to ensure that you will feel full and lose excess weight.
reference
Whole food diet
John Mackey
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