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- Calories don't tell the full picture when it comes to healthy eating.
- Instead of focusing on a single number, dietitians recommend considering a handful of characteristics about the foods and drinks you're consuming.
- Here are some of the simple tips they've outlined to help you clean up your eating habits.
Calories don't tell the full picture when it comes to healthy eating. In fact, focusing exclusively on a food's calorie count can be pretty misleading.
The most obvious problem with calories is that they don't tell you how filling a food or drink will be, a factor called satiety that is key to preventing overeating.
Additionally, calorie counts don't reveal whether your afternoon granola bar contains the right blend of protein and carbs to power you through a workout, or whether your morning cereal contains vitamins and minerals that are key to glowing skin and healthy hair.
Instead of relying on a single number, dietitians recommend considering the whole food or drink - including how much protein, fiber, and added sugar it contains, as well as much ingredients were processed before entering your body.
Here are some of the simple tips they've outlined to help us clean up our eating game.