“EMPTY CALORIES” - -KINGDOM OF JOGA-

-as of [28 SEPTEMBER 2024]-

-in ‘human nutrition’, the term ’empty calories’ refers to ‘calories’ supplying ‘food energy’, composed primarily or solely of ‘sugar’, certain ‘fats’ + ‘oils’, or to ‘alcohol-containing beverages’ that provide little to no ‘nutrition’ in the form of [‘vitamins’ / ‘minerals’ / ‘protein’ / ‘fiber’ / ‘essential fatty acids’]-

Fat contributes 9 calories per gram,

ethanol 7 calories per gram

and sugar 4 calories per gram

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises,

“A small amount of empty calories is okay, but most people eat far more than is healthy.”[1]

Foods considered empty calories have low nutrient density, meaning a small proportion of nutrients in the food relative to its energy content

Research[edit]
The lack of adequate nutrition found in high energy foods was first scientifically demonstrated to be false by French physiologist François Magendie, who experimented on dogs and described the process in his book Précis élémentaire de Physiologie. He showed that eating only sugar, olive oil, or butter led to the death of his test animals in 30 to 40 days.[3]

Examples[edit]
The following foods are often considered[4][5][6][7] to contain mostly empty calories and may lead to weight gain:

Sugar: cake, cookies, sweets, candy, soft drinks, fruit-flavored sweet beverages and other foods containing mostly added sugars, including high-fructose corn syrup.
Fat: margarine, shortening, other fats and oils.
Alcohol: beer, wine, hard spirits and other alcoholic beverages. While moderate amounts can lead to weight gain, chronic consumption of large amounts of alcohol can lead to weight loss because alcoholic liver disease is characterized by an increased metabolic rate and impaired muscle protein synthesis, resulting in sarcopenia.[8]
Impact on other nutrients[edit]
A diet high in added sugar typically leads to reduced consumption of foods that contain essential nutrients. One review reported that when there was increased consumption of added sugars, nutrients at most risk for deficiency were vitamins A, C, E, and magnesium. In the case of these, nutrient intake was less with each 5% increase in added sugars intake.[9]

A diet high in alcohol can have the same effect. According to one review, “Micronutrient deficiencies occur in patients with ALD because the major proportion of calories derived from alcohol lack minerals and vitamins. Specific emphasis is necessary for zinc, vitamin D, thiamine, folate, cyanocobalamin, and selenium.” People with ALD also suffer from sarcopenia, but it is not clear if this is due to chronic low protein intake or the disease, which is known to inhibit muscle protein synthesis.[8]

Allowable intake without impacting health[edit]
Food intake must be balanced with physical activity in order to maintain a healthy body weight. Sedentary individuals and those eating less to lose weight may suffer malnutrition if they eat food that provides empty calories and not enough nutrients.[10][11] In contrast, people who engage in heavy physical activity need more food energy as fuel, and so they can have a larger amount of calorie-rich, essential nutrient-poor foods. Dietitians and other healthcare professionals can prevent malnutrition by designing eating programs and recommending dietary modifications according to each patient’s needs.[12][13]

The USDA advises the following levels of empty calorie consumption as an upper limit for individuals who engage in 30 minutes or less of moderate exercise daily.[14]

Gender Age (years) Total daily calorie needs Daily limit for empty calories

Male 2–3 1000 135

4–8 1200–1400 120

9–13 1800 160

14–18 2200 265

19–30 2400 330

31–50 2200 265

51+ 2000 260

Female 2–3 1000 135

4–8 1200–1400 120

9–13 1600 120

14–18 1800 160

19–30 2000 260

31–50 1800 160

51+ 1600 120