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A comment on What Does 200 Calories Look Like?. Parent comment

Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by maxerickson on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @11:39AM (#5245206)
The traditional definition of empty calories would be something like a spoonful of sugar.

That's an extreme example, but the idea is that the food in question provides calories without nutrients. So there is such a thing and it makes plenty of sense.

(USDA takes my side: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calo...)

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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by c1u on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @11:56AM (#5245364)
"calories without nutrients" does not makes sense at all.

A spoonful of sugar contains 100% nutrients.

That link is total nonsense. For example it claims pizza is empty calories, but bread, cheese, tomatoes, meat & veggies are not? It's ridiculous.

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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by a_c_s on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @12:11PM (#5245475)
No, a spoonful of refined white sugar contains 100% calories.

It does not contain any minerals, vitamins, protein, essential fatty acids, micronutrients or antioxidants, which in the context of this discussion, is what is meant by saying it has no nutrients.

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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by c1u on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @12:33PM (#5245651)
There are only 4 macronutrients (foods metabolism can run on): carbs, fat, protein, & ethanol. So if you believe protein & fat are nutrients, then you must believe carbs are as well.
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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by enraged_camel on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @12:50PM (#5245792)
I must say, you have taken childish pedantry to a whole new level.
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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by Dylan16807 on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @01:38PM (#5246127)
'Macronutrients' are not diet 'nutrients'. Nutrients are chemicals the body needs an external supply of. Building blocks for cells and structures. They have nothing to do with metabolism.
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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by BlackJack on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @01:27PM (#5246037)
Even at a basic level, that's not true. Despite popular myth, the body can derive 1.5/2 cal/g of fiber as well.

> While there is still some debate in the area, researchers have assigned a caloric value to fiber of 1.5-2 cal/gram (depending on the specific type).

Source: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/fiber-its-natures...

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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by c1u on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @01:40PM (#5246147)
Ah yes, but then those are fat calories, not "fibre" calories.
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Re:What Does 200 Calories Look Like? by maxerickson on Tuesday February 19, 2013 @12:06PM (#5245444)
Yeah, sorry, a better phrase would be "energy calories without any other nutrients".

Which I thought was implied. But I forget that imprecise communication works less and less.

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