'Empty Calorie' Foods: Why You Shouldn't Eat Them

When reading articles about processed foods, fast foods, or sugary drinks, we often come across the phrase “empty calories.” So what does “empty calories” mean, and what foods are empty calories?

Processed foods and fast foods can affect your health - Illustration photo

According to MSc. Ngo Thi Ha Phuong (Nutrition Education and Communication Center - Institute of Nutrition), "calorie" is a unit of energy. In nutrition, calories refer to the energy that people receive from the food and drinks they consume. The energy will be used for the body's basic metabolism (respiration, circulation, digestion) and for physical activities.

“Empty” literally means nothing. Therefore, foods are considered “empty calories” when they only provide energy but contain little or no vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

So the consequence of consuming too much of these foods is excess weight and a deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

"Empty calorie" foods cause harm to the body

Empty calorie foods and drinks include sugary drinks and processed, ultra-processed, and fast foods. Empty calorie foods are often high in free sugars and unhealthy fats, providing a lot of energy.

However, it will lack fiber, good fat, and protein needed for the body's formation, development, immune response, and other metabolic activities.

Many studies have shown that consuming sugary drinks with a frequency of 1 can a day can cause negative effects on health such as increasing the risk of diseases related to the bone and teeth system, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic disorders...

Processed, ultra-processed, and fast foods tend to be high in salt, sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, calories, preservatives, and processed ingredients.

When you eat these foods, they immediately affect your blood sugar and blood pressure as well as increase inflammation, preventing your body from getting the nutrients it needs.

In the long term, a diet high in these foods can lead to problems with digestion, immunity, inflammation, cardiovascular health, obesity...

Reduced chance of consuming nutrients needed by the body

Dr. Phuong explains that the role of food is to provide nutrients for the body to grow, function normally and be healthy.

Nutrients not only provide energy for activity, growth, and all bodily functions (such as breathing, digesting food, creating temperature), but they are also the raw materials for the body's growth and repair and keep the immune system healthy.

Substances such as carbohydrates (starch, sugar, fiber); lipids (fats including saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, trans fats, cholesterol); proteins (proteins) play a role in providing energy. These are 3 macronutrients including carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Among these substances, free sugars belong to the group of carbohydrates and some saturated fats and trans fats belong to the group of fats that are the main components of foods containing empty calories, and have the role of providing energy.

When consuming a lot of empty calorie foods, the body will be provided mainly with energy but less with other nutrients such as fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, and protein necessary for other necessary processes of the body.

In addition, empty calorie foods provide high amounts of energy, with fats that are difficult to digest, so children will no longer need to eat other foods.

Some examples of empty calorie foods - Photo: National Institute of Nutrition

Thus, the needs for vitamins, minerals, protein, and good fats will not be fully met, leading to the growing child's body not being provided with adequate materials for optimal physical and mental development.

When children consume empty calorie foods, they still basically receive energy for their bodies to maintain basic metabolic activities and physical activities, but will lack basic nutrients for the process of shaping and developing.

Identify empty calorie foods

To know which foods contain empty calories, read the nutrition label and look for information about sugars, added sugars, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and energy. Read more about reading nutrition labels to make healthy food choices.

LINH HAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thuc-pham-calo-rong-tai-sao-khong-nen-an-20251101151205851.htm