Calorie Density
Sarah Ehlers & Sarah Stahl
Objectives
 To understand what nutrients make up a
calorie and how much they absorb
 Demonstrate the science behind intake and
production of energy
 Reason behind overconsumption of calories
 To be able to make high density, low calorie
choices when making food and meal choices
 Gain knowledge about the pros and cons of
the Volumetrics Diet
What is Calorie Density
 Also called energy density
 The measure of calories per weight unit
 Number of calories per serving/ number of grams(or oz, lbs,
etc.) per serving
 Is a pound of bricks the same as a pound of feathers
What is a calorie?(1)
 Unit of measurement
 Actually a kilocalorie when talking about food.
 Provides energy for body function
 Is not a nutrient, but provides nutrients.
Physiological Fuel Value of Food(1)
 Reflected by
 Bioavailability of energy in food is slightly less
 Inability to derive energy from nitrogen in protein
What Makes Up a Calorie? (1)
 Nutrients
 9 kcals/g for fat (9.45 kcal/g *0.95)
 4 kcal/g for carb (4.15 kcal/g * 0.98)
 4 kcal/g for protein [(5.56 kcal/g-1.3
kcal/g)* 0.92]
 Multiply due to amount of actual absorption
Nutritional calorie (1)

1 “nutritional calorie” = 1 kilocalorie (kcal),
which is 1000 small calories

1000 calories= 1 kilocalorie

Capital “C” in Calorie derives from


“large calorie”
Even when lower case, still refers to kcals.
Calorie Equivalents (1)

1 kcal is the amount needed to raise
temperature of 1kg of water, 1 degree Celsius

“heat is energy”

1oz (28.4g) piece of sweet chocolate
provides about 143 kcal (143,000 calories)

So, 1oz sweet chocolate is necessary
to bring about 1.5 qt (6cups) of “ice
cold” water to a boil.
Kilojoules (1)

Food energy can also be measured in kilojoules

Kilojoule: unit of how much work required to use up calories.

1 kJ = 1,000 Joules

1 kcal = 4.184 kJ or about 4.2 kJ

1oz chocolate

What does this say to you?
How we get from calorie to energy (2)
 Broken down in the body by metabolic process
 STEP 1- Enzymes act upon the different nutrients
 Carbs glucose & other sugars

Proteinamino acids

Fats glycerol and fatty acids
Metabolic process cont. (3)

Step 2- These molecules are then
transported through the blood stream to get
to the cells

Absorbed and used for immediate use of
energy

Or sent to be stored for “a rainy day”
Excess Calorie Consumption

If more calories are consumed than are used,
body stores excess as fat.

3,500 extra cals consumed = 1 lb of fat gain

*keep in mind that metabolic rates,
hormones, and other factors play a role in
metabolism
Mindless Eating (4)
 Brian Wansink- Cornell University
 Make over 200 food choices per day on
average
 Bottomless Super BOWLS Study
 1 gallon bowl vs 2 half gallons
 1 gallon bowl consumed 53% more
calories on average
 Educated students
Brian Wansink (5)

“Some people, particularly obese people, can
underestimate how much they eat by almost
50 percent”

“We make about 200 decisions concerning
food each day and we're not, conscious of
about 180 of them.”

“If a movie theater gives us a free bucket of
popcorn, we'll eat it, even if it's 14 days old
and so stale that it tastes like packing
material”
How Does Energy Density Prevent Overconsumption of
Calories?
 High dense foods are lower in calories and higher in nutrients
 Eat more food
 Less is not always more!
 Feel full
 less likely to overeat or feel hungry 20 minutes after a meal
 Satisfy hunger
 Less calories
 less fat storage
 A diet should not equal hunger!
High Density, Low Calorie Food-Water (6)
Water takes up space too!
Helps establish huger vs. thirst
High water content provides volume & weight and few calories
 100g carrots at (88% water) provides 43 kcal [4]
 100g cashews (2% water) yield 574 kcal [4]
Total Fiber-Definition (7)
 Struggle with consistent definition
 Dietary Fiber: non-digestible carbohydrates & lignin that are
essential & intact in plants
 Naturally occuring
 Functional Fiber: “Isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have
beneficial physiological effects in humans”
 TOTAL FIBER- sum of dietary & function fiber
Fiber-Go Straight to the Source (8)

“More you remove, more fiber you lose”

Removal of fiber usually results in addition
of sugar

Medium apple w/ peel


Medium apple w/o peel


2.1 grams
One cup apple sauce


4.4 grams
2.7 grams
One cup apple juice

0.5 grams
Soluble Vs. Insoluble Fiber (7,8)

Soluble - “sponge” – slows digestion





Flax seeds, nuts, oats & bran
Lower cholesterol
Blood sugar regulation
Preventing heart disease and diabetes
control
Insoluble- speeds digestion


Skin, broccoli, stems, whole wheat
Apple juice? Apple sauce? Or whole apple?
Food examples
 Fruits, vegetables, soup, whole grains, lean
protein….
Foods that are low densityhigh calorie
 Fatty foods
 Fried foods
 Added sugar
 Processed foods
 White grains
Breakfast-the most important meal of the day
What would you choose?
Snacks100 cals
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=a1UZGGbjgM8
Keep in mind…. (9)
 Not all energy dense foods are bad for you, but
portion size should always be considered
 High density, low calorie foods also provide
HDL’s, not all LDL’s


Nuts & seeds
Peanut butter
 Hara hachi bu – or “eat until you are 80% full”
 Okinawan Island, Japan
Volumetrics Diet/ “Volumetrics Eating Plan” (10)
 Created by nutritionist Barbara Rolls, Phd
 “The volumetrics diet doesn’t require dieters
to eat less, just eat nutritious, less dense
foods that will fill you up.” -via the
volumetricsdiet.com
 Claims self control, not portion control
 Both important for healthy lifestyle
Positive Science Based Evidence (10)

5 Common Diet Dilemmas listed on
Volumetricsdiet.com

Answered by RD, Dr. Jenna A. Bell Wilson
1. Do Low-calorie sweeteners make me fat or eat
more?
2. Eating in the evening make me gain more
weight?
3. Will specific foods help me burn fat
4. Low/no fat = no calories. Right?
5. Will a crash diet or fast jump start my weight
loss?
Negative aspects of the Diet (10)

Tends to be higher priced

Fad diet encourages consumption of a higher
volume of food in one sitting


Energy dense or not, overeating is over
eating
Biased approach to convince consumers

Scientific facts are presented, but nonfactual opinions take facts out of contex
Why is it important?(11-15)
 High density low calorie foods have high
nutrient and antioxidant density

Vitamins & nutrients required for daily
performance & body function

Cancer prevention
 Gain/lose weight
 Obesity, type II diabetes, metabolic
syndrome
 High fiber
 Decreased heart disease risk
 Works for all age groups
Ways to Eat High Dense, Low Calorie Foods
On a Budget (16,17)

Buy canned and frozen vegetables

Canned soups can be high in water content
and also cheap

be aware of sodium content!

Whole grain pasta can be very cheap and is
also filling

Apples are usually low cost year round

Read nutrition label, want foods with high
fiber or high water content
As a Dietitian…. (18)

Where are kids getting their empty calories from?

2009-2010 NHANES DATA



33% from stores

Stores provided majority of kcal intake (436kcals)
32% from schools
35% from fast food restaurants
As a Dietitian…(18)
 Sources were similar
 Stores: sugar-sweetened beverages, grain desserts, high-fat milk
 School: high-fat milk, grain desserts, pizza
 Fast-Food Restaurants: sugar-sweetened beverages, dairy
desserts, french fries, pizza
Resources
 Myplate

eatright.org
 Dietary Guidelines
 NHANES & CDC Data
References

1. Rye JA. Exploring Dietary Kilocalories: An Activity Exemplifying the Personal Value of Science and
Mathematics. SSMILes 1999; 99(2): 94-101.

2. Stubbs RJ, Whybrow S. Energy density, diet composition and palatability: influences on overall food
energy intake in humans. Physiology and Behavior 2004; 81: 755-764.

3. Rolls BJ. Relationship between dietary energy density and energy intake. Physiology and Behavior
2009; 97: 609-615.

4. Brian Wansink [streaming video]. YouTube. Super Bowls and the Super Fat. 2011. Available
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heFiA1lAhe4.

5. HALICKS R. Q&A / BRIAN WANSINK, nutritional scientist: People caught up in mindless eating. The
Atlanta Journal - Constitution 2006 Oct 29:0.

6. Monsivais P, Drewnowski A. Lower-energy-density diets are associated with higher monetary costs per
kilokalorie and are consumed by women of higher socioeconomic status. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:814822

7. Slavin JL. Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition 2005; 21(3): 411-418

8. .Apples or Apple Juice?. http://www.eatright.org/kids/tip.aspx?id=6442473542&terms=fiber

9. Another mince pie? Scientists find the secret to a long, indulgent life. The Independent 2011 Dec 20:19.

10 . Volumetrics Diet, eat more lose more. http://www.volumetricsdiet.com

11. Devitt AA, Mattes RD. Effects of food unit size and energy density on intake in
humans. Appetite 2004; 42:213-220.

12. Hunt JN, Cash R. Energy density of food, gastric emptying and Obesity.
Department ofPhysiology, Guy’s Hospital Medical School.

13. Scourboutakos MJ, L’Abbé MR. Restaurant Menus Calories, Caloric Density and
Serving Size. Am J Prev Med 2012; 43(3):249-255

14. Rolls B. Energy Density and Nutrition in Weight Control Management. In The
Permanente Journal, 2003;7(2).

15. Gedney M. What is Calorie Dense vs. Nutrient Dense Food? 2013.
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/caloriedense-vs-nutrientdense-food-5391.html

16. Drewnowski A. Obesity and the Food Environment dietary energy density and diet
costs. Am J Prev Med 2004;27(3S): 154-162.

17. Darmon N, Darmon M, Maillot Matthieu. A nutrient density standard for
vegetables and fruits: Nutrients per calorie and nutrients per cost. J Am Diet Accoc
2005.

18. Poti JM, Slining MM, Popkin BM. Where Are Kids Getting Their Empty Calories?
Stores, Schools, and Fast-Food Restaurants Each Played an Important Role in Empty
Calorie Intake among US Children During 2009-2010. JAND 2013.