CALORIES: There is too much ambiguity over the value of calories in diets.
By Amy Wang, Staff Writer
Spring is approaching, and people are ready to break out their flip-flops and go down to the beach. Calories are being counted and recounted in order to make sure we stay at our suggested calorie limit. People are eating less, but is that necessarily good? Too often, the focus of diets is on calorie intake. However, calorie intake is only one of many determining factors in diets, and right now, it does not seem to be a very reliable factor.
Federal studies report that Americans are eating fewer calories than we did a decade ago, yet obesity rates are the same. We are eating less fast food and watching out for carbohydrates, but nothing is changing.
Truth is, there is more than meets the eye with the calorie. Take a bag of chips and an apple, for example. Both are around 110 calories. However, no one needs a doctor to tell them that the apple would be more beneficial than the bag of chips. The question, though, is why.
During an annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, researchers discussed calorie counting. They concluded that certain foods, such as almonds, “deliver a lot fewer calories than they contain.” Others actually deliver more calories once digested.
For apples, this former point is the case. By the time an apple is digested, the intake of calories is less than counted for. The chips, due to more fat and salt, would have less beneficial effects on the body than an apple.
The problem with calories lies in the standard system for measuring them. The current standard, called the Atwater system, assigns calories for carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but not for fiber, meaning there could be more calories in a food than labeled.
This does not mean that calories are not good determining factors in weight loss. Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor, asserts that a big problem with obesity is overeating. By counting calories, it is easier to assess and determine how much has been eaten, as fewer calories generally mean less food.
Until calorie counts are fixed to be more accurate in terms of how the body converts and uses the calories, the only thing we can do is raise awareness. Everyone is told to eat their vegetables and exercise at least three times a week, and no one can forget the pyramid of healthy eating, but what next? What exactly should we be eating? And why? Why are some foods better than others, despite the same number of calories?
If the public knows why nutritional values are important, why certain foods are more beneficial and why other foods should be avoided completely, then our obesity rates could drop as well as our calorie count.
Just remember this: Quality over quantity. Put down that bag of chips and pick up an apple. Spend those calories wisely.