Get it right: Good Calories Vs. Bad Calories!

Before we talk about what's the is the difference between good and bad calories, let's understand what is a calorie. 

A calorie is a unit of energy. In the nutritional point of view all the food we eat are our sources of calories, which we need to live and function. Though our body needs calories for energy, eating too many calories and not burning enough of them through the day, can lead to weight gain.

So, why should we bother about whether the calories are good or not?

All along, we might have just bothered about the amount of calories. As much as the number of calories we eat during a day is given importance, equal importance should be given to having good calories as eating right amount of bad calories will not provide your body with good nutrition that you need.

Good calories come from foods that are fresh, healthy fats, lean protein and quality supplements. They are not always lower in calories. Sometimes,
they even come from high-caloric and high-fat foods. Whereas bad calories
usually come from processed foods, frozen foods, unhealthy fats, sugary sodas, refined flours and low quality supplements. Hence they do not fuel your body in any way. They offer almost no nutrients, but a ton of empty calories.

Vs.

To help you understand better, let us take an example of eating a 700 calorie serving of fish with quinoa and a glass of kombucha vs eating a 700 calorie serving of processed burger with a sugary soda drink. In this case, the healthy food combo containing whole grains, healthy fats and protein, probiotics and antioxidants nourishes your body with proper nutrients and also will keep you full much longer, so that you won’t feel hungry again for a long time. Whereas, in the case of the bad calorie food choice of burger with sugar drink is likely to leave you feeling hungry in no time because it doesn’t provide any nourishment to the body and  in turn will lead to over eating causing a struggle to maintain a daily caloric intake.

Let us understand where you can get good calories from:
Food groups such as grains, legumes/beans, lean proteins like fish, meat and
poultry, fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt and cheese, nuts and eggs. This gives you the six essential nutrients : vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, water, and carbohydrates which performs various functions in our body keeping you  physically and mentally fit and away from many diseases.

How about bad calories? 
They are usually found in high-sugar foods, processed foods, foods
with trans fats, fast foods, sodas etc. Now that you know which category of food
offers nutritional value, you should be able to choose your calories wisely. It is
essential to know that your body will not process the energy from bad calories
the same way as if you were eating a whole food which gives your body good
calories.

Watch out. Bad calories are bad for you in a lot of ways. In addition to not providing any nutritional value, foods that gives you bad caloric intake leads to lots of issues over the long term like increased risk of head aches, depression, acne, dental distress, heart diseases, higher cholesterol and blood pressure, weight gain, bloating etc. Even a study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that people with diets heavier in ultra-processed foods—the kinds manufactured industrially from ingredients that often include additives for technological and cosmetic purposes—are more likely to die earlier.

Further, researchers in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public
Health show us that quality is in fact very important in determining what we
should eat to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and that the notion of “a
calorie is a calorie” does not tell the whole story.

So you will be making the right choice if you choose our ‘Gingeric Passion
Kombucha’’ over a ‘sugary soda’?Yes! This is because our kombucha offers many health benefits, not empty calories.

Where do you start?

Start fussing over making healthier choices and be aware that while we stick to our daily caloric intake requirement it is very important that we choose good calories over bad calories. Though you can indulge once in a while, we should treat our body well as we are what we eat! Do write to us about your thoughts on the same or if you have any questions! 

You've made a conscious choice to read till the end. Keep it going!