The way your body break downs food depends on what that food contains. The three main components of food, called “macronutrients,” are carbohydrates, protein and fat. They break down differently because of their molecular structure and functions in the body. This causes some foods to be stored as body fat more easily than others.
Converting fat from the diet to fat stored in the body is the most efficient. Carbohydrates and protein can also be stored as body fat but the process takes longer. You may have also heard about “simple” and “complex” carbohydrates. Basically, simple sugars are absorbed quickly since they are already in a form that the body can use for energy. Complex carbohydrates, or starches like bread, rice, and potatoes, have to be broken down into smaller sugar molecules to be used as fuel. So, digestion takes longer.
With that said, it’s a common myth that calories from some foods cause a person to gain weight more than others. A calorie is a measurement of the energy that we get from food. At the end of the day, it’s the balance between calories in and calories out that affects weight maintenance, loss, or gain. In our bodies excess calories, whether from carbohydrates, protein or fat, are converted to and stored as fat. If you are taking in more calories than you are burning off, the result is weight gain. It doesn’t matter where the calories are from; a calorie is a calorie.
However, that does not mean that you should eat 2,000 calories (or however many calories you need) of cheesy puffs as long as you stay within your calorie “budget.” To get the nutrients your body needs for optimal energy and health, make the most of your calorie budget by eating nutrient dense foods. In other words, choose foods that give you the most “nutrient bang” for your “calorie buck.”
Answer provided by:
Mandy Rother, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Weis Markets
healthybites@weismarkets.com
