Summer and vacations give way to enjoyment time, but they also take us away from healthy eating routines because meals start at odd hours, cravings or lack of appetite and between one thing and another we begin to consume empty calories, which contribute little to us.
Empty calories are the queens of the holidays, since it is very common to fall into these temptations. To avoid falling prey to them, it is very important to be clear about what they are, where we find them and why they do not bring benefits.
The Cempty allories can cause disease
A recurrent consumption of soft drinks, sweetened beverages, commercial coffees, fast food, ice cream and pastries, is directly related to obesity and weight gain. Credit: Photo by Sander Dalhuisen on Unsplash | Unsplash
There is a close relationship between food consumption, its quality and health. The increase in the consumption of hypercaloric foods contributes to the energy imbalance that in turn generates overweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetes or hypercholesterolemia, among others.
High-calorie foods are the first sources of the much feared “empty calories”, which are nothing more than “those foods that contain a large amount of energy, but provide few or no nutrients”, indicates a study published by Web Queries. These are calories from the consumption of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
In summary, we will find empty calories in foods rich in added sugars, in unhealthy fats. They are foods low in micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, with little protein or fiber.
Be careful with empty calories during the summer
Alcohol flush can be a sign that something serious is going on in the body, Credit: Shutterstock
One of the quickest and easiest ways to find out which foods contain empty calories is to read labels to see how much sugar, saturated fat, or salt they contain.
In work published by The Objective alert about the large number of foods that contain empty calories such as: soft drinks, fruit juices, energy drinks or sweet cocktails.
Also cookies, sweets, candies, chocolate, ice cream, salty and fried snacks, fast food and alcohol, which is by itself a source of empty calories that worsens if we combine it with soft drinks.
For this reason, in summer and on vacation we may be more exposed to consuming this type of food.
When we are on vacation we change our routines and this influences us to be more relaxed with meal times and in case of high temperatures, we consume more sugary drinks or snacks.
Gatherings with family or friends also change food consumption patterns. Knowing the quality and components of the food we eat makes us more aware of the type of calories we give to our body.
What to do to avoid consuming empty calories in excess?
Being aware of the nutritional values of the food we eat is a good way to start avoiding empty calories.
It is recommended to avoid foods with high energy levels with low nutritional value. An example of these high-calorie foods that provide energy in the form of sugar or fat.
A good option to replace these calories is to eat foods high in nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, and low in calories.
Other foods that provide a lot of energy and quality nutrients are nuts.
Keep reading:
. Five foods with prebiotics that will improve your intestinal health
. Boost your energy and productivity with the Whole Foods CEO Diet
. Going on vacation and don’t know what to do with the food left in the fridge?
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2023-07-30 15:00:00
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