In a 2010 study, a Princeton University research team found further proof that high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, contributes more strongly to obesity than sucrose, or table sugar. In the study, two groups of rats were given a standard diet of rat chow along with water sweetened with either sucrose at the concentration found in a typical soft drink, or with HFCS at half that concentration. Eating an equal number of calories each day, with the remainder of calories made up of a standard diet, the rats given the HFCS-sweetened water gained much more weight than the sugar-fueled group.
Master Nutritionist Kate Pfeiffer of Vitality Through Nutrition in Broomfield confirms “In this study, researchers show what many of us already knew – that a calorie doesn’t always equal a calorie”.
While everyone seems intuitively to know not all food is created equal when we compare 2000 Calories a day of Coca-Cola and Cheetos vs. 2000 Calories a day of meat and vegetables, we’re still bombarded with the message “One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. To lose a pound a week, you have to consume 500 fewer calories a day,” making it sound as though calories are the sole consideration.
As a refresher, a Calorie (technically a kilocalorie) is the amount of energy it takes to heat a liter of water by one degree Celsius. While caloric content of food is now frequently found by analyzing its nutritional components, all caloric definitions go back to the original measurement of a calorie: burn the food to see how much heat it gives off.
However, our bodies don’t simply set food on fire and use the generated heat. Instead, complex chemical, hormonal, and enzymatic reactions take place to break food down. Some nutrients are preferentially used to build and repair tissue, some provide energy to our cells, and some get stored as fat for potential future use.
For the last half-century, experts have argued about the best nutritional makeup to provide optimal energy and bodyfat makeup, along with overall lifelong health. Currently, the research appears to be stacking up in favor of a Paleo or Primal Blueprint eating pattern (plenty of protein, natural fat sources, and carbohydrates coming from fruits and vegetables rather than grains).
What appears to be the case for everyone, at every time, is that our bodies cannot successfully deal with many of the chemical modifications in processed foods. High fructose corn syrup, trans-fats (oils that have been modified to be stable and solid at room temperature), and refined carbohydrates have a negative impact on health, energy, and fat storage beyond simply what their caloric content would indicate.
There are some other recommendations that seem to be common to the recommendations of every nutritional and fitness expert:
- Whole, natural foods are best – shop around the perimeter of the grocery store, and stay away from the processed foods in the interior.
- Grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and free-range (preferably omega-3 fed) chicken provides a healthier fat source than their conventionally (i.e. industrially) raised counterparts. If you drink milk and eat eggs, those are also better from naturally-raised sources.
- Plenty of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are important to offset the excess of omega-6 fatty acids in the typical American diet.
- Everyone should include abundant colorful vegetables in their diet. Most wellness experts agree that some fruit (whole fruit, not dried fruit or juice) can be a beneficial part of most people’s diets as well.
The next time you compare foods calorie-to-calorie, take a closer look; the foods providing the calories may tell you more than the simple energy breakdown does.
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