Empty calories refer to foods and beverages that lack significant nutrients yet are high in calories. These are mostly foods and liquids with a lot of sugar, carbohydrate, fat, or alcohol but little or no nutritional value. Empty calories provide food energy but no vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, or essential fatty acids. They include carbohydrate-based desserts, sugary drinks, candies, processed oils, condiments, fast food, and alcoholic drinks.
Obesity and chronic diseases can be caused by consuming empty calories, which are mainly sugar and fat. The body will begin to store fat if physical activity does not exceed empty calorie intake. They are, unfortunately, common in the average American diet. Processed foods are high in empty calories due to their high fat, sugar, and salt content. Because they have little to no nutritional value, they quickly lead to weight gain and keep you wanting more.
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) looked at dietary intake survey data from more than 5,000 persons aged 20 and above to see if snacking habits were linked to higher calorie consumption and lower nutrient intake. The snacking analysis indicates that snacks provide about one-third of all daily calories from empty calories.
Men aged 20 and up consumed an average of 923 calories per day in empty calories, according to the survey. So, in the category of solid fats and added sugars, males are ingesting two to three times their daily allowance. The average daily intake of empty calories for women aged 20 and up was 624 calories. As a result, women consume nearly two to four times their daily limit in that category on average.
A high-added sugar diet tends to reduce the consumption of foods rich in essential nutrients. According to one study, as added sugar consumption increased, the nutrients most at risk of deficiency were vitamins A, C, E, and magnesium. With each 5% increase in added sugars consumption, nutrient intake decreased. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting calories from solid fats and added sugars. Limit added sugars as much as possible – a good rule of thumb is to keep them under 50 grams per day.
To achieve their nutritional needs within calorie limits, children under the age of two must make every bite count. As a result, you should avoid giving them any meals or drinks that have added sugars. Check the Nutrition Facts label to verify if the food has a lot of added sugars or not, and look at the Daily Value (DV). A low source of added sugars contains less than 5% of the daily value (DV). A high source of added sugars contains 20% or more of the daily value.
Limiting saturated fat in your diet can help you maintain your health. Saturated fat can be replaced with healthier unsaturated fats to help protect your heart. There are 2 types of healthy unsaturated fats: Monounsaturated fats are abundant in olives, avocados, and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are abundant in sunflower, corn, flaxseed, walnuts, fish, as well as canola oil. Adults and children over the age of two should consume fewer than 10% of their daily calories from saturated fat.