Why Calories Don’t Always Count

The following is not intended as professional advice. Always consult your medical professional before embarking on a new eating plan.

For decades, anyone trying to manage weight has turned first to calories as a way of cutting the kilos. Calories are a unit of measurement used to indicate the energy content of food and beverages. Some foods contain more calories than others for their given weight. For example, carbohydrates and proteins provide up to 4 calories per gram, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, and fats contain 9 calories per gram.

When we consume food or drink, our bodies draw on the calories contained in them to carry out necessary functions such as breathing, digesting, heat regulation, and movement.

This being the case, it would seem, at first glance, all we need do in order to reduce weight, while still remaining healthy, is to consume fewer calories per day than our body requires to function. It will then draw on the fat stores for the extra it needs. However, as it turns out, this isn’t the whole story. Lifestyle, metabolism, genetics, and medication, among other factors, all contribute to our ability to manage weight. And so does the quality of food we eat, rather than simply the quantity!

Regardless of the calories they contain, some foods are more helpful in weight management than others, and whole foods in particular, can be a valuable tool in helping us reduce weight while remaining healthy and feeling comfortable. Whole foods are generally regarded as foods which are not processed prior to our cooking and/or consuming them. Examples of whole foods include grain (whole or kibbled) such as wheat, but not the white flour it’s made from it. (And just to make things a little confusing, some whole food advocates would define wholemeal flour as a whole food, while others would regard it as a ‘processed’ product.) Legumes such as chick peas are whole foods, but hummus (which is often made from chickpeas) would not be considered a whole food if it had oil added to it in the process of making it. This is because oil is a product which is extracted from a whole food rather than being a whole food itself. Fruits and vegetables are whole foods, but the juices extracted from them are not.

Whole foods work in our weight management favour in many ways. Firstly, a generous portion of whole food can actually contain fewer calories than a smaller portion of processed food. That’s because whole foods (such as fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes) when cooked, have a higher water and fiber content than many processed foods. Water contains zero calories, while the calories in fibre are more likely to pass through our system because they are not easily digested.

Whole foods are also likely to help with appetite control. This is because not all carbohydrates are the same. Some, such as those found in many whole foods, are known as ‘complex carbohydrates,’ which means the body is slow to break them down. The slower a carbohydrate is broken down (or digested), the slower it is to release energy into the blood stream. This gradual release of energy helps to keep our blood sugar levels stable, preventing a sudden rush of hunger (and a sudden rush to the pantry or fridge!). It means we are more likely to be able to wait, calmly and without stress, for mealtime to come around. On the other hand, when we reach for simple carbohydrates, such as those found in refined foods, the energy from them will be quickly absorbed into our blood stream, quickly leaving us with hunger pangs and cravings that can be difficult to ignore.

Because whole foods keep us feeling satisfied for longer, many people find exercising becomes easier. Suddenly, they have more energy, for longer, so they can go further without having to reach for a snack. When returning home, hunger is not such an issue, so there is time to prepare some healthy nibbles or a meal without first raiding the pantry shelves for instant, processed foods.

If you decide, in conjunction with your medical professional, switching to whole foods is right for you, you will no doubt have the occasional slip-up which will leave you with cravings for simple carbs and processed foods. Once you’ve succumbed, you may be tempted to restrict your eating, even of whole foods, in order to compensate. However, getting ‘back on the wagon’ is all about keeping your hunger satisfied, so continue to enjoy the whole foods as you have before, and you’ll soon be back on track.