<\/p>\n
No\u2026<\/p>\n
This might sound crazy to some, a calorie isn\u2019t a calorie? That\u2019s as confusing as saying 1+1=3\u2026<\/p>\n
Please bear with me\u2026 There is a reason why I\u2019ve answered this question as no. In basic terms, a calorie is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 \u00b0C. If we were to look at this question in a one dimensional manner, only considering this definition of a calorie \u2013 the answer would be \u201cYes\u201d. However, when the human body is concerned you have a number of other factors to take into consideration – nothing is quite so one dimensional.<\/p>\n
First of all, to understand this concept that a calorie may not be a calorie, we must first look at the macronutrients (exc. Alcohol) and their calorific value:<\/p>\n
Fat:<\/strong> 9 Kcal\/g<\/p>\n Carbohydrate:<\/strong> 4 Kcal\/g<\/p>\n Protein:<\/strong> 4 Kcal\/g<\/p>\n When you are looking at these 3 macronutrients, you can see that fats<\/a> are more calorie dense, whereas carbohydrates<\/a> and protein<\/a> share a similar concentration of calories per gram. Now whilst protein contains 4 Kcal\/g, the amount of energy your body pulls from the protein you consume is actually very little. Protein is not the body’s preferred source of energy, and the process of using protein\/amino acids is actually quite \u201cexpensive\u201d to the body. It much prefers using carbohydrates and fat as an energy source. As such, protein is rarely broken down for use as energy. In addition, the amino acids within the protein you consume are typically used to promote the repair of muscle tissue (if you are training regularly). Subsequently, a calorie from protein is very different to a calorie from carbohydrate and fat.<\/p>\n Furthermore, protein has a more pronounced thermogenic effect of food, when compared to carbohydrates and fat. Thermogenic effect of food is the process by which the body\u2019s temperature raises.\u00a0 This process of an increase in body temperature causes a calorific expenditure itself. The fact that a large number of calories are coming from protein in someone who is \u201cdieting\u201d or looking to reduce body fat, means that these calories may be slightly skewed by this thermogenic effect of food.<\/p>\n Digestion of other macronutrients may also change the notion of \u201ca calorie is a calorie\u201d. Some foods are much more satiating than others, as such you simply wouldn\u2019t want to consume the same number of calories. For example 500 kcal from oats are a lot more satiating than 500 kcal from chocolate. As such, you are less likely to eat later in the day, changing the number of calories you consume over the day. Whilst this doesn\u2019t change the fact you are consuming 500 kcal from either food. The calories (or nutritional breakdown) of the oats make it much more satiating, and much more likely to fill you up, and less likely to consume calories within the following hours. This makes high satiety foods much more beneficial to consume when dieting, or on restricted calories.<\/p>\n Judging food quality by its calorific density is common, however it may also be worth looking into the micronutrient content of foods. The notion that \u201cA calorie is a calorie\u201d may change the perception of the quality of the food you are consuming. Some foods may be more vitamin and mineral dense \u2013 therefore serving a great purpose in the diet\u2026 however may not be a great source of macronutrients. To make this clearer, 100 kcal from spinach will provide a great source of vitamins and minerals when compared to 100 kcal of sweets \u2013 which contain virtually zero\u2026 however sweets would be a dense source of carbohydrates.<\/p>\n Throughout the digestion process, calories from each macronutrient can have differing effects on the body. Carbohydrates (high GI carbohydrates specifically) can have a large impact on insulin levels. Due to being digested quickly, insulin rises rapidly in order to deal with the blood sugar rise. Insulin is responsible for the transport of glucose in the blood to be used as energy, or move the energy to be stored if it\u2019s not required at that specific time. Fluctuating insulin levels on a regular basis makes it more likely that you will gain body fat. As such, calories from carbohydrates can have a much different effect on the body, when compared to other macronutrients \u2013 this suggests that calories from carbohydrates could be different to calories from fats or protein.<\/p>\nDigestion.<\/h3>\n
Timing.<\/h3>\n