tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post2548317313123616103..comments2024-03-04T04:09:01.839-06:00Comments on And Doctor Biobrain's Response Is...: A Calorie is a CalorieDoctor Biobrainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641661532899934766noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post-83938481882900546382010-10-04T08:27:54.211-05:002010-10-04T08:27:54.211-05:00Sorry, Doc, but a calorie isn't necessarily a ...Sorry, Doc, but a calorie isn't necessarily a calorie. If the *only* thing you're worried about is total caloric intake, then yeah, 1 = 1. But how many vitamins and minerals are in Coke? You need more than just calories to survive. How long do you think someone could live on an all-Coke diet? If I have to choose between a beverage that offers 194 calories and nothing else; versus 240 calories plus vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, iron, protein, and fiber, I'll go with the latter. There's a lot more nutritional bang for your caloric buck.<br /><br />And high-fructose corn syrup *is* metabolized differently than sucrose - it's a simpler molecule so it enters the bloodstream faster, leading to sugar spikes and can be a contributor to diabetes. That's not to say that sugar is "good" for you, but if you have the choice between "bad" and "really bad," I'd say stick with just "bad."<br /><br />For the most part, I agree with the rest of your assessment - the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume, and many people don't realize just how many calories they are consuming. But I kinda think you're taking the anti-nutritionist stance a little too far. If we took your position to its logical extreme, there shouldn't be any negative health effects to a diet of Coke and cotton candy, so long as we limited the total calories to 2000 per day or so, and that's patently absurd.John of the Deadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post-89192510632308341652010-10-03T21:53:21.804-05:002010-10-03T21:53:21.804-05:00You are absolutely right. A calorie is a calorie...You are absolutely right. A calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. My doctor told me to lose weight and watch my blood sugar. Since then, I still eat whatever I want to eat including fast food. But I don't go over the 2000 calorie limit, and if I'm having a low calorie day I even reward myself with candy or ice cream. The result is that I've lost 50 pounds in the last seven months and controlled my blood sugar.<br />There is no magic food. And there is no magic diet. Just control the intake of calories, wherever they come from, and you'll be all right.<br />Thanks for the excellent post.Ted McLaughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com