Yes, you heard it right. “Liquid intake contributes to additional calorie consumption.”
Liquid calories can sneak into our diets without us realising it, potentially leading to weight gain or challenges in managing our calorie intake effectively.
Let’s see what are Liquid calories ???
Likewise, solid food calories and liquid also contribute to adding calories. And these calories come from the macronutrients present in the liquid/drinks.
Yes you heard right “Macronutrients”. Drinks which give instant energy contain carbohydrates (simple and complex sugar) and fats (Essential fatty acids)
Simple Sugar : Sugary beverages like sodas, fruit juices, and sweetened teas contain simple carbohydrates in the form of sugars. These provide instant energy but can lead to spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels.
Complex Carbohydrates: Sugary beverages like smoothies, contain complex carbohydrates (comes from added fruits, vegetables, and grains.) It provides sustained energy and fiber, which further helps in giving good nutrition.
Essential fatty acids: Some beverages may contain healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and other bodily functions.
So it’s important to know the type of macronutrients present in the liquid before opting for the beverages.
Let’s explore different types of liquids and calorie levels.
Water: Water is calorie-free, it contains zero calories and is considered a vital nutrient. It stretches the stomach and sends a signal of fullness to your brain.
Can jazz it up with slices of lemon, cucumber, mint, coriander, grapefruit and apple.
Milk and Dairy-Based Beverages: Milk calories come from lactose (milk sugar) and milk fat. And it becomes calorie-dense when added to different flavours.
Fruit Smoothies: Calorie level varies depending on the type of fruit, sugar, milk/curd/ice cream.
Also, it increases if topped up with extra nuts, chocolate and cookies.
Protein Shakes: Protein shakes used for meal replacement contribute a significant amount of calories, especially if they include ingredients like nuts, butter or added sweeteners.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Sugary drinks like regular soda, fruit juices, and energy drinks are calorie-rich and hidden cause for weight gain when consumed excessively.
Why are Diet Drinks/Diet Cola controversial ???
Instead of reducing calorie intake it indirectly leads to consumption of extra calories.
The Brain naturally expects calories once the person consumes sweet food. Artificially sugar-free sweetened foods and beverages provide sweetness without adding calories, which confuses the brain and the person keeps on eating in order to get those missing calories, rather than satisfying hunger the way a little sugar would.
How do artificial sweeteners add extra calories compared to normal sugar ??
Artificial sweeteners wreak havoc on the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut, resulting in the growth of certain types of bacteria that further lead to the absorption of more calories from the food.
It’s important to be mindful of the calorie content in what you drink and be aware of the nutritional value of your beverage choices is the key in maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.