Empty calorie
food are food which have low or no nutritional value. Don't mistake
the term "empty" for food which have no calories. On
the contrary, these foods have a surplus of calories but most
of them are devoid of valuable nutrients that your body needs.
Without any doubt, they can provide your body with high levels
of energy but they do nothing for your body as far as health is
concerned. Also, the sudden energy boost that some empty calorie
food give are not long lasting. Compare a person having candies
and soft drinks for breakfast and another having oats with skim
milk. Who will last longer as far as hunger is concerned? You
already know the answer. It can be that these two people are getting
the same amount of calories although they are having different
types of foods but the calories are not of the same quality. The
person eating candies and drinking soft drinks is accumulating
lots of calories from sugars and fats whereas the other person
is getting the same number of calories but the calories are more
valuable. The calories are derived from vital nutrients like protein,
complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, calcium and minerals.
Usually, foods which have low amounts of calories are nutrient-dense.
A major downside
of empty calorie food is that they can result in adding unwanted
inches of fats around your waistline and this will have only a
negative impact for your health. Heard of obesity? For sure, empty
calorie food are good for the mouth because they are tasty and
pleasing but they can be troublesome for your stomach. Empty calorie
food are usually high in saturated fats, fattening oils, olios(like
margarine, butter and spreadings), sugars, salt and sodium which
are the major culprit of a number of health issues like cardiovascular
diseases, high blood pressure and even cancer. Excessive obesity
can increase the risk of certain types of cancers. So a protruding
belly is not healthy. Usually a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition
are the culprits.
If your goal
is to get a body with healthy fat levels, then you should avoid
or severely limit the intake of empty calorie foods. Your primary
focus should be on foods which are rich in vital nutrients like
protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats notably omega-3
fats, calcium, vitamins and minerals which your body needs to
function effectively and healthily.
You can find
lots of empty calorie foods in supermarkets eg processed and refined
foods which have usually been removed of their natural properties
hence diminishing their nutritional values. Here is a list of
some empty calorie foods and some healthy and nutrient-dense calorie
foods.
Empty Calorie
Foods
Candies
Gums
Chocolate bars
White bread
White rice
Pastries
Cakes
Biscuits
White pasta
Refined cereals
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Soft drinks
Flavored drinks
Alcoholic beverages
Fast Food
Healthy and Nutrient-Dense Calorie Foods
Brown rice
Brown bread
Wholemeal bread
Wholewheat pasta
Oats
Rolled oats
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts(eg walnuts, cashew nuts) - Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Skinless chicken breast
Skinless turkey breast
White fish
Oily fish(eg salmon, trout, halibut, mackerel) - Rich in omega-3
fatty acids
Olive oil - Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Cottage cheese
Egg whites
Sweet potato
Potato
Yams
Taro
Soybeans(eg bean curd or tofu, soya milk)
Skim milk
Kidney beans
Red lentils
About the author
Jean Lam is the webmaster of Body
Building Resource which provides articles on weight training,
nutrition and fitness, body building book and DVDs.