Calorie Wars

Many experts say “a calorie is a calorie.” In other words as long as you burn more calories than you eat, you’ll lose weight. Likewise, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Although this may be true technically, I think this way of thinking is foolish. That’s right….I said it!...Not all calories are created equal!

Juice vs. Fruit

Apple juice is a classic juice you will find in just about any grocery store. It taste pretty good and people think of it as a healthy alternative to soda. After all, it’s real juice….not just some “juice drink” loaded up with sugar. That being said, a 16 ounce glass contains 234 calories and 224 of those calories come directly from sugar.
Let’s compare that large glass of apple juice to eating apples and drinking a large glass of water. If you were to eat 3 medium sized apples you would consume 216 calories, and those calories would be loaded with nutrients, including over 10 grams of healthy, dietary fiber! So what do you think will fill you up for longer? That glass of apple juice, or those 3 apples?

Winner…..Apples!

French Fries vs. Salad

Every time you walk into McDonald’s and order a cheese burger they serve it with fries. Not only that, they give you the opportunity to “supersize it” for just a few cents extra! It’s a deal that’s tough to pass up. Those supersized fries contain 610 calories, and 261 of them come from fat.
Let’s compare that to a healthy salad. You would have to eat over 27 cups of salad to consume the same amount of calories. That’s almost 2 gallons of salad! If you ate that much salad your body would have enough nutrients for a week!
I know what you’re probably thinking. “What about the salad dressing?” OK…Toss that salad up with some extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a few of your favorite spices….and maybe cut it down to 21 cups!

Winner….Salad!

So if you think you can get all the energy you need from a glass of juice and a big bag or fries, then maybe you’re right…a calorie is a calorie. But as far as I’m concerned, the type of calorie is much more important.