Foods that are 'innocuous but not innocuous'

Food 'empty calories'

It is a rather sad fact that convenient, fast and delicious dishes from the perspective of many young people today, similar to H., mostly belong to the group containing 'empty calories'.

In which, calorie is the unit of calculation of energy in foods. They refer to the energy the body uses for basic metabolic activities such as respiration, circulation, digestion,. and physical activity.

Master, Doctor Ngo Thi Ha Phuong, Center for Nutrition Education and Communication, National Institute of Nutrition, defines: 'Food is considered empty calories when they only provide energy, contain little or no calories. vitamins and minerals necessary for the body'.

It is not difficult to see the appearance of chips and soft drinks in the "combo" of fast food.

This is also the reason that consuming too much of these foods will cause excess weight but deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

According to Dr. Phuong, empty calories often come from sugary drinks, processed foods, ultra-processed foods, and fast foods.

The composition of these foods often includes a lot of free sugars, bad fats, which provide a lot of energy, but lack fiber, good fats and the amount of protein needed for the formation, development, and immune response. as well as metabolic activities of the body.

Previously, many studies have shown that consuming sugary drinks with a frequency of one or more cans/day can cause adverse health effects such as an increased risk of diseases related to bones and teeth, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other metabolic disorders, etc.

'Consumption of sugary drinks is one of the main factors contributing to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Using sugary drinks makes us not feel full like eating foods with the same amount of calories. This makes the number of uses often high and difficult to control,' Dr. Phuong emphasized.

In addition, processed, ultra-processed, and fast foods tend to contain a lot of salt, sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, energy, preservatives, and processed ingredients. variable.

'When eating these foods, they immediately affect blood sugar, blood pressure as well as increase inflammation, making the body not get enough nutrients it needs. In the long run, a diet high in these products can lead to problems with digestion, immunity, inflammation, heart health, obesity, and more,' she warned.

To identify foods that contain empty calories, the expert said that people need to pay attention to reading nutrition labels and looking for information about sugar, added sugars, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium as well as calories. their quantity.

Doctor Phuong gives some examples of empty calorie foods including:

Reduce your chances of consuming foods that provide essential nutrients

Doctor Ngo Thi Ha Phuong commented: 'When we consume foods containing empty calories, we still basically get energy to maintain metabolic activities and physical activity. However, the body will lack the basic nutrients for the process of forming and developing. This is especially important in children'.

The role of food is to provide nutrients to help the body grow, function normally, and stay healthy. Not only provide energy for activities, growth processes and functions such as breathing, digestion, heat generation,. these nutrients are also raw materials for growth, healing, and maintenance of the body. maintain the immune system.

Eating a lot of empty calorie foods reduces your chances of getting essential nutrients.

Specifically, they include 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates (carbohydrates including starch, sugar, fiber), lipids (fats) and proteins (proteins). Each substance will have its own role.

Free sugars (belonging to the group of carbohydrates) and some saturated fats and trans fats (belonging to the group of fats) are the main components of empty calorie foods, providing energy.

When consuming a lot of empty calorie foods, the body will mainly be provided with energy but very little other nutrients such as fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, essential protein.

'Also, foods that contain empty calories provide high amounts of energy, along with hard-to-digest fats. Therefore, they will make people eat, especially children, no longer need to eat other foods, "doctor Phuong noted.

In this case, the needs for vitamins and minerals, protein, and good fats will not be met enough, leading to the young body - in the process of maturation - not being provided with materials for development. Optimal both physically and mentally.

Replace

Doctor Phuong said that the opposite of empty calories are nutritious foods. They contain calories and come with high levels of essential nutrients.

For children, the expert recommends avoiding trans fats and limiting saturated fat. However, heart-healthy fats like some nuts and avocados help keep you feeling full for longer and reduce appetite.

'Empty calorie foods are often snacks, eaten as a snack. Therefore, we need to ensure that the main meal is provided with enough energy and balance of nutrients,' the expert recommended.

She also said that we should pay attention to choosing good proteins and fats. Eating enough protein makes you feel full. Therefore, we should add to our diet healthy sources of protein such as fish, beans, vegetables, nuts, etc.

In addition, Dr. Phuong emphasized that people need to increase the fruit. Fruit is sugary but also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, water, and fiber.

The expert explains: 'Fiber helps slow down and balance the factors that affect blood sugar. The sweetness of the fruit can replace sugary drinks and other processed foods. For the same reason, we should use whole fruits instead of juices to increase plant fiber'.