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Is a Calorie Still a Calorie ? Are all Calories Equal ?

You may think it is, but it is not. Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital[1], have found that all your calories do not act equal, depending on the types of calories you take, the way your body uses them, particularly if you went already on diets. One of the main reasons – everybody knows that- is […]

You may think it is, but it is not. Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital^[1], have found that all your calories do not act equal, depending on the types of calories you take, the way your body uses them, particularly if you went already on diets.

One of the main reasons – everybody knows that- is that dieting slows down your metabolism. Before a diet, your body might have needed 2000 Calories, but after dieting, only 1600 calories will be enough  as your body has learned to reduce its energy expenditure.

But what Cara Ebbeling^[2] shows is the impact of the way you are preparing your food on your metabolism. Processed foods and simple carbohydrates with a High Glycemic index (GI) can slow down your metabolism too.

As a fact, 200 calories of corn flakes (GI 93) can trigger more weight gain compared to 200 calories of chick peas humus (GI 6)

GI is not the main indicator. The choice of cooking modes, the way food are prepared (peeling, frying, boiling, minced, chopped, jerky, halting,  …) is impacting the calorie account as well.

Our prehistoric ancestors have revolutionised their diet and life expectancy discovering fire. Cooking can draw more energy.

The way you are preparing your food is pretty important. During a long cooking at high temperature, potatoes will infuse much more calories than the same amount of raw potatoes. A long cooking pie with lots of grounded meat, minced ingredients… will lead to much more calories than eating more simply.

The more you break down cellular walls, the more matter you may give to your intestinal cells and enzymes.

If you mash you food thoroughly before eating them, you may release all the calories they content to your body. But if you eat, chewing yourself your vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, then, your body will take only a part of the edible energy.

For your balance: reduce the cooking time and chew!

^[1]Journal of the American Medical Association June 2012

^[2]New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital