Finally, an explanation of why a one pound box of chocolate can make you gain five!
This fascinating article covers the limitation of the concept of calories, and it will make you think in a different way.
According to Dr. Fung our bodies don’t recognize calories as a “common currency” so the concept is useless to our weight, health, or blood sugar goals.
Remember that a common currency only has power if both parties agree to its use. To understand weight loss, we need to understand what our body ‘cares’ about. The answer is clearly not ‘calories as seen clearly on the detailed charts above. The answer is ‘hormones’, predominantly, but not only insulin. Hormones run everything in our bodies.
I follow nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung for his thorough and clear explanations of medical issues, and his novel, often contrarian, opinions. Like anything else we curate, his ideas are his own and he isn’t the only authority on the subject. My own opinion is that calories aren’t the only, or even most important, thing when it comes to weight loss. But they can be a useful short hand when the limitations are understood.
The Useless Concept of ‘Calories’ – Read More at Medium
