Weightloss through diet : A calorie is a calorie is a calorie

]

“A calorie is a calorie is a calorie" or so the story goes. 100 calories of chocolate or lettuce all have the same effect on your body weight. While it may be true that “calories” have an equal amount of stored energy things are not that simple. Humans are a highly complex biochemical system with elaborate processes that regulate energy usage and conversion. Foods are processed by the body through different biochemical means, some of which are inefficient and cause energy calories to be actually be lost as heat. More over is that different foods and macronutrients have a major effect on the hormones and brain centers that control hunger and eating behavior. The foods we eat can have an enormous impact on the biological processes that govern when, what and how much we eat. In short “A calorie is a calorie is a calorie" is not necessarily the healthiest way to approach your diet. Nutrient rich, mostly plant based diets are the best route to overall health.