We talk a lot about the importance of portion control when losing weight. That is one of the three techniques I used when losing weight, fat content and exercise being the other two. (Read more about it in my book.)
Although portions are very important, another thing to consider when controlling your food intake is also caloric density.
It is completely natural to feel hungry on occasion. Everyone does. When I was on one of my 500 diets, I often reached for a “healthier” food that was fine to eat but did not fill me up. After eating it, I’d realize that I was still hungry and try another food. That sometimes set off a cycle of uncontrollable eating that was hard to stop.
Caloric density is basically a the measure of how many calories are in a given weight of food. A high calorie density food has a lot of calories in a small weight of food, and a low calorie-density food has a relatively small number of calories per weight.
I am a visual person, so I thought you might like to see some real life examples of how calorie density can affect your hunger levels and weight loss effort.
Here we have carrots and bread. The carrots and one slice of bread both have about 70 calories. You may be different than I am, but if I ate all those carrots I would feel very full. If I ate one slice of bread, I’d probably still be a bit hungry.
Next we have graham crackers and mini-wheat cereal. Calories? Both have 65 calories, but there is a huge difference in the “filling factor.” I enjoy graham crackers but also have to be careful with them because I can eat the entire wax package if I’m not paying attention. The difference here is in each food’s ability to keep me full.
Here is a great visual. A single tablespoon (about 26) of chocolate chips has about 70 calories and so does a small apple. Now, if you are anything like me, an apple is a lot more filling than a tiny amount of chocolate chips. I could easily eat 10 tiny handfuls of chocolate chips but could never, ever eat 10 apples in one sitting.
Finally, here are two yellow squash, which are only 90 calories. What’s on the right? A single tablespoon of peanut butter. Now I love peanut butter, but it is one of those foods that packs a lot of calories into a small weight, making it a high calorie-density food.
One thing about this journey to healthy weight management is that it requires you to make smart decisions all day long. The next time you are faced with a food choice, think about the caloric density of the food. Will it not only nourish your body, but will it also help you stay full?
Do you think about the density of the foods you eat? Does it help you? Diane
Thinking about the density of food is something that I’ve been concentrating on a lot more recently, especially since I’ve been exercising more so I feel like I need more food to keep me fueled … but I don’t want to add extra calories. Slowly but surely I’m finding the balance of foods that are filling yet not overwhelming in terms of calories.
That is so great. Finding that balance is such a vital part of this whole process.
Ah, yes. Some food are so calorie densed that you can only have a small amount of them. I too learned to have things like veggies or fruit instead which make one feel fuller faster or protein which make you feel fuller for longer
Proteins really are helpful aren’t they? It’s not just meat either – dairy, beans, and nuts all help too!
Great post, Diane – love how you put it into visuals! And it really does make a difference.
Thank you Amy!
Wow, that really makes sense. And I agree, a slice of bread won’t get me full or satisfy, but an apple would do.
I have to say if you’re after weight loss then working out with those calories would do. You can try yoga! The result in not fast as any other techniques but it’ll be the healthiest and safest way you can try.
I’ve never been to a yoga class so I’ll just take your word for it! I agree about apples and other nutrient dense foods – they definitely help with staying full and avoiding overeating.
I think being mindful of calorie density plays an important role in weight loss. I know when I eat some almonds they are highly nutritious but high in calories as well. So when I’m eating those almonds I know I can only have a small handful.
Of course there are those who think, “almonds are healthy food, so they can’t possibly make me gain weight”
Almonds and other nuts can be so tricky to use in a good way while losing weight. I didn’t eat a lot of nuts when I was losing for just that reason.
Very smart Joe!
I don’t think about density as much as I think about the efficiency of foods. Maybe that’s just semantics. I know that nuts are dense, but I also know they are efficient; a little goes a long way.
I LOVE the graphic here! Thank you!
I think it is a matter of semantics. It all boils down to what foods fuel us without causing us to fall down on our weight maintenance efforts.
This was VERY helpful. Great job on a great post!
Thanks!
Very helpful information.
LOL! That last photo was pretty funny
Of course you know that I monitor my eating, as you do, with portion control.
I think there was a scene in The Grapes of Wrath where they ate as many apples as they could.
Didn’t work so good for them
I can see where that would be a painful experience. I haven’t seen that movie in years – I loved it!
In general terms, I agree with the concept. But in practice, I’ve found that eating some fat colories helps stave off hunger. A spoonful of peanut butter can tide me over until the next meal, up to two hours. Having salad dressing made with olive oil rather than fat-free on a chef salad not only makes the salad more satisfying to eat but greatly increases the length of time the salad satisfies me. Does anyone else experience this as well?
Yes, when I lost weight I explicitly planned to have food that usually is a no-no when losing weight, because I knew if I didn’t at least had it occasionally, I wouldn’t be able to go through with the whole ordeal.
As always, it’s a matter of balance.
Absolutely. I love fruits and veg and low density food, but if I want to stop being hungry (real hunger, not just snackiness), there must be fat. Possibly protein, as well, but it’s hard to separate, I eat very few fatty foods that aren’t high in protein.
Good point about the protein and fat playing a big role. It’s so important to look at our overall nutrition and not just calories.
Oh definitely. It’s just about being aware of the calories and making good choices just like you said. I too find that a bit of healthy fat is very satisfying, particularly if I am eating something like salad or whole wheat bread.
Excellent pictures! And yes, calorie density does matter! You can lose weight with any food, but it often is easier to do it with food that has a lot of volume and little energy. It takes one single Big Mac to eat 500 kcal, but pounds and pounds of cabbage for the same number. You probably couldn’t even eat that much.
Thanks! Very true. There is no way I could eat as many calories in a green salad as I could in a candy bar. I’d be sick for sure.
Great post with great visuals
Thanks Marc! Visuals are so useful when talking about foods and portion sizes.
Caloric density is so useful to stay within my calorie range, I noticed this over time I used to have a slice of bread with my soup but I would still be hungry….so I switched bread to eating carrots and other vegetables…hunger gone
this helped me stay on track and not get hungry…by now I know how to choose my food…
Smart strategy!
When I was losing weight I ate a lot of processed, low calorie foods. It wasn’t very satisfying. After I lost 100 pounds and kept it off for a few years, I changed my eating habits. I wanted to eat healthier, more foods rich in fiber and healthy fats. A few things come to mind: avocados, black beans, brussels sprouts…
I love brussels sprouts. They are my favorite high density go-to food. I tried a recipe you posted for shaved brussels sprouts (at least I think it was you, Lisa), and boy, oh boy, yummy! I like my veggies steamed, a little al dente, and colorful.
Lisa is my living reminder of not having tried Brussels sprouts yet
I’ve tried them but I burned them. I need to try again!
I experienced a shift as well Lisa. Back when I lost weight “clean eating” wasn’t ever talked about so I had a lot to learn.
I think this is a BIG part of why cutting out processed foods is such a good step for people looking to maintain a healthy weight. Processed foods have almost always been processed in such a way as to condense the calories well beyond what the human body was designed to have. Prior to the 20th century, only maybe potatoes and peanut butter were the kinds of things you would eat if you tended to “hoard” calories and try to pack your plate. Nowdays, you can fit a week’s worth of calories in the space of a single human stomach. No wonder people are getting bigger and bigger!
Technology does with calories what it does with coca leaves — distills and condenses them down to the point where we’re taking in way more than our bodies were designed to handle with one tiny bit. Cutting out processed food goes a long way to making sure you eat things only with normal amounts of calories in them per cubic inch.
You are exactly right Janis. I read once that there are only a few ingredients that are common in all processed foods, making our palates become accustomed to those particular ingredients. I think that is part of the reason why it can be hard to make the shift toward more natural foods – we have become desensitized to what food really tastes like.
Sometimes I think to myself that if you plotted the average calorie density per cubic inch of available food as a function of time over the last century, you would see it track absolutely perfectly with average weight, probably up to the point where most people tip over into addictive behavior. Then, average weight would shoot up and outpace the average calorie density.
Love the pics on this post. Did you notice that all the foods on the right hand side are bland and pale of color (except for the choco chips and even in that pic, the apple looks better)? Eating the rainbow helps me feel better and have more energy. Switching from processed to unprocessed can be hard at first, but the rewards are well worth it!
Good catch there – I didn’t even notice that but you are 100 percent right. Unprocessed foods are so much more filling than the processed, boxed foods.
I notice how often people’s plates in restaurants are completely covered with foods in different shades of brown! Not a healthy way of eating at all.
LOVE the graphics – so useful for people!!!! I do look at both.. I know that nut butters & nuts are calorie dense but I am lucky to have years under my belt so that I know to portion control AND fit them into my “food budget”!!! Really great post Diane!
Thanks Jody!
Wow. Totally puts things in a different perspective when you visualize it side by side.
I used to not count my tiny, mindless eating because of how tiny and unfulfilling it felt but damn- it really does matter!
It really does matter – especially when we are trying to lose weight. A few hundred extra calories can really slow down or stop our weight loss efforts.
This is why I”ve whipped back out my scale, so I can make sure my nuts and cheese portions are perfect. They are such good foods (for me). Less carbs the better I feel.
Your graphics were GREAT! Really helped!
Those are great foods and like you said – need to be measured carefully so as not to eat more of them than you intend. You are doing great Gwen!
This is definitely something I continue to focus on in my new lifestyle. I think nutritionally dense foods have made me a healthier and more energetic person. Love your comparisons.
Those kinds of foods have made me healthier as well!
Ooooo….love, love, LOVE the visuals!!! The chocolate chip & apple one especially spoke to me!
Yeah, that’s a pretty stark contrast. I know people who grab a few chips here and there throughout the day not realizing how fast those calories add up!
did you survive your very busy week?
I did! Between two birthdays, an anniversary, and Valentine’s Day – it was a busy week. Then, two of my little boys have the flu. We are praying no one else gets it.
One of my instructors is 8+ months pregnant and both her little girl and husband have TERRIBLE respiratory flu, and knock on wood, she has not gotten it. Do you have stomach or respiratory at your house?
They have influenza B.
At first it was the third and fourth boy, but this morning my second son started running a fever. I have a prescription for TamiFlu for him because he also has asthma. Praying hard here and will include your friend in my prayers!
Anything respiratory with asthma is very scary. Hopefully the meds kick in and he doesn’t get it very badly. Does cold air help clear his airways? I remember my husband in front yard with middle in a snowsuit and a sleeping bag (not for the night, just for a while) during a bad asthma spell when she was a toddler. Hopefully it will stop with the three boys and not keep moving through the house.
This was fantastic Diane!!! I struggle making the right choices because I want that “carb”, but I am working on it.
First I must say great post. Calorie density plays a major role when trying to lose weight and this is one of the reason people that are trying their hardest to lose weight fails because they do sometimes eat small but they don’t pay attention to the amount of calories that are in that small meal they eat.
Great post! I love the pictures to really show the effect. It’s always been hard for me to pay attention to the calories.
The other day I was eating my 3 year old’s Valentine chocolates and had just one piece. I looked at the back of the package and was horrified that that one piece was 250 calories!
Needless to say, I will be more conscious when I eat these indulgent snacks!
This really opened my eyes. I have been struggling with my weight for a long time, and often feel hungry when dieting. Now that I’ve made the decision to change my lifestyle and branch out to eat healthier foods and expand my food choices (focusing on eating foods I may not be fond of, but trying to find ways to make them taste better). This will be great moving forward to also consider.