Some new ideas on calories and weight loss
By Dr. Jacob Mirman
New info proved that my suspicions were correct
Recently I was made aware of some new and interesting information that can be very important for people who are trying to manage their weight.
I was excited about this new information because it finally gave me some clarity about an issue that I have suspected for a long time.
All calories are not created equal
I have always advised patients in my weight management program that all calories are basically the same in terms of adding to our weight.
I do however, always tell people that eating sugar will also cause them to be hungrier, so in that way I believe that the calories from sugar are more detrimental.
It has now been determined that calories from highly processed foods are actually even more detrimental to people trying to count calories than those from foods that have not been processed such as meats and fresh fruits and vegetables.
We now have a clearer picture about calories
There is a new clearer view of how calories work.
The food we eat feeds not just our body, but also the billions of bacteria in our gut. These bacteria are our friends. They protect us from other bad bacteria and pathogens that cause disease and literally make us healthier, smarter and allow us to live longer.
The “scoop on poop”
These bacteria that are created from eating good food comprise about half the weight of our poop. So, we shouldn't treat poop like sh*t! The more poop, the more bacteria.
The more bacteria, the better our health will be.
The bacteria live in our gut, eat what we provide them and multiply. Studies have shown that up to 22% of the calories we eat can be consumed by the bacteria and pooped out, thereby taking them out of our balance sheet.
Unprocessed food has the best type of calories
When we eat unprocessed food, like vegetables, meat, etc. these things need to go through the entire gut to be processed, and the bacteria get a stab at it too.
When we eat highly processed food, it gets processed in the upper parts of our GI system, gets absorbed quickly and does not get down to where the bacteria live. This means that the bacteria get none of it. And our bodies get it all which makes us fatter!
The “caloric conclusion”
My conclusion after reviewing the information detailed above is that it is definitely in our best interest to eat unprocessed food for better health and better weight management.
Click here to read the full article that Dr. Mirman refers to above: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9170462/