{"id":1731,"date":"2025-02-17T16:52:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T05:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/understanding-empty-calories-definitions-foods-and-healthier-alternatives.html"},"modified":"2025-02-17T16:52:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T05:52:58","slug":"understanding-empty-calories-definitions-foods-and-healthier-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/understanding-empty-calories-definitions-foods-and-healthier-alternatives.html","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Empty Calories: Definitions, Foods, and Healthier Alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you strive to eat healthy, you may be familiar with avoiding foods that contain \u201cempty calories.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nutrition experts often use the term \u201cempty calories\u201d to explain why certain foods are better than others at helping you lose or maintain weight.<\/p>\n<p>But is this concept a bit outdated?<\/p>\n<p>In theory, all foods can still\u00a0fuel the body with calories. Can they be enjoyed in moderation?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s explore empty calories and whether it\u2019s still helpful to think about foods this way.<\/p>\n<h2>What Are Empty Calories?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Empty calories\u00a0is a term often used to describe foods with little to no nutrient value.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese foods don\u2019t contain beneficial nutrients like protein, fiber, or healthy fats and typically are higher in total carbohydrates, added sugars, and solid fats,\u201d explains BODi nutrition expert Ilana Muhlstein, M.S., R.D.N., and co-creator of the 2B Mindset nutrition program.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, empty-calorie foods are often easy to overeat, explains Krista Maguire, R.D., which makes them a detriment to any weight loss plan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause these foods don\u2019t contain fiber and protein and are often higher in sugar, they could lead to blood sugar imbalance and an unsatisfied feeling that can lead to overeating,\u201d Maguire says.<\/p>\n<h2>Examples of Empty Calorie Foods<\/h2>\n<p>Common empty calorie food groups include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Desserts (e.g., cookies, cakes, donuts, muffins, breakfast bars and cereals, and other pastries)<\/li>\n<li>Candies (e.g., chocolates, hard candies, gummies, and other sweets)<\/li>\n<li>Sugary drinks (e.g., sweetened sodas, mixed coffee beverages, and fruit juices with added sugars)<\/li>\n<li>Solid fats (e.g., butter and shortening)<\/li>\n<li>Fast food (e.g., French fries and pizza)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Is white rice an empty calorie food?<\/h3>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-136952\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Empty-Calories.600.rice_.jpg\" alt=\"Bowl of uncooked white rice\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Though not listed above, Muhlstein considers white rice to be empty calories.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll rice starts as a whole grain like brown rice,\u201d she says. \u201cWhite rice has been stripped of its out bran layer, which is supposed to give you fiber and B vitamins. This leaves just the starchy center with no fiber to help with fullness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But don\u2019t rule white rice out just yet.<\/p>\n<p>Says Maguire, \u201cwhite rice does\u00a0contain some nutrients\u00a0like protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals (some due to fortification). Yes, it is stripped of some nutrients during processing; however, white rice is a staple in some countries where the populations are still thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Both experts agree that since rice is usually eaten as a base and in large quantities, it\u2019s healthier to swap white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or even lentils or cauliflower rice.<\/p>\n<h3>Is water an empty calorie food?<\/h3>\n<p>Funny enough, water, a food with zero calories, is\u00a0not\u00a0an empty calorie.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s quite the opposite,\u201d says Muhlstein, \u201cWater is a vital nutrient. Water is\u00a060% of our body weight. Drinking water before eating can help you register fullness quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Does alcohol have empty calories?<\/h3>\n<p>Alcohol is considered to be a source of empty calories, because under certain conditions, the calories provided by alcohol cannot be used by the body. While it is technically a source of energy, alcohol isn\u2019t processed by the body in the same way as carbs, fats, or protein.<\/p>\n<h2>Do Empty Calories Cause Weight Gain?<\/h2>\n<p>Not surprisingly, if you overeat foods that contain \u201cempty calories,\u201d you\u2019ll most likely gain weight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs someone who has been over 100 pounds overweight, I can personally attest to losing weight by swapping out the sources of empty calories in my diet,\u201d says Muhlstein.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only are these foods low in benefits, but they also have an addictive quality that just doesn\u2019t lend themselves well to moderation. Furthermore, things like soda contain added sugars, which are known to cause health problems if you can\u2019t practice moderation,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<h2>But Is \u201cEmpty Calories\u201d an Outdated Concept?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-136951\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Empty-Calories.600.pizza_.jpg\" alt=\"Vegetarian pizza slices\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>Both our nutrition experts acknowledge that the empty calorie concept is overly simplified.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince \u2019empty calories\u2019 is somewhat subjective,\u201d says Maguire. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t call certain types of pizza empty calories as there could be some \u2014 emphasis on\u00a0some \u2014\u00a0nutritional value. A thin, whole-grain, or cauliflower crust or pizza with a little cheese and lots of veggies and lean protein could provide some nutritional benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Muhlstein adds that \u201cnot all empty calories are the same. Both pizzas and sodas are empty calories. The soda is straight sugar, and the pizza has some valuable nutrients like protein or calcium. Despite the nuances, empty calories aren\u2019t outdated. We live in a pretty unhealthy society, and this is a useful dietary concept to teach people about making healthier food choices.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Can Empty Calories Have a Role in Our Diet?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cYes, empty calories can be beneficial,\u201d says Maguire. \u201cAthletes might consider empty calories filled with simple sugars as quick energy to replace muscle glycogen. Other folks \u2014 for example, an adult of advanced age who struggles to keep weight on \u2014 might benefit from extra empty calories.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019re not in either of those camps, empty-calorie foods should play a small role in your diet.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself if you\u2019re the kind of person who\u2019s good at practicing moderation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSure, you can have treats and sweets, but it\u2019s a slippery slope, and it\u2019s possible to fall into the trap of eating more and more empty calories,\u201d says Muhlstein.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re training for a marathon or doing lots of physical activity, you can burn off the sugars, fats, and calories from these foods. But even athletes and people looking to gain weight will benefit from eating a healthy, high-fiber diet,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Make Healthier Choices<\/h2>\n<p>To make healthier food choices, it might be mentally easier to focus on what we can eat rather than what we can\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>The flipside of avoiding empty calories is to choose more nutrient-dense foods. Since most empty-calorie foods are snacks, reach for these\u00a0healthy snacks\u00a0instead!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more expert nutrition advice? Learn how Beachbody nutrition programs and products can help you lead a healthier lifestyle, check out\u00a0BODNutrition.com.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you strive to eat healthy, you may be familiar with avoiding foods that contain \u201cempty calories.\u201d Nutrition experts often use the term \u201cempty calories\u201d to explain why certain foods are better than others at helping you lose or maintain weight. But is this concept a bit outdated? In theory, all foods can still\u00a0fuel the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1733,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1731\/revisions\/1733"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}