- In order to better understand how our bodies convert the food that we eat to energy it helps to understand the "calorie per gram principle". There are three types of foods: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Out of these three food types fat is the waistline's biggest enemy. Carbohydrates and proteins both contain 4 calories per gram. In other words, 1 gram of protein has 4 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrate also has 4 calories. Fat is the enemy because 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. This means that you can consume what doesn't appear to be a lot of fat but still be ingesting a large amount of calories. Always try to choose low fat foods if you're watching your weight.
- Nuts are praised for their heart-healthy benefits and their good monounsaturated fat. Despite all of the health benefits of eating nuts, they are still high calorie foods. Nuts should always be eaten in moderation when you're watching your weight. Nuts are calorie-dense because they are high in fat. Although the fat in nuts is monounsaturated, or good, fat, each gram still contains 9 calories as opposed to the 4 calories per gram for carbs and proteins. Nuts are one healthy food that can cause you to gain weight. This also goes for nut products such as peanut butter and almond butter.
- Carbohydrates (or "carbs" for short) have been given a bad name by all of the low-carb fad diets out there. The truth is that carbohydrates should make up 60 to 70 percent of your diet. All carbs are not created equal. You do have bad carbs out there that are high in calories and low in nutrients, such as sugars and enriched/bleached flour. There's also a vast array of nutrient dense carbs to choose from. These nutritious carbs in the form of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and 100% whole grains should be the carbs that you choose to make up the 60 to 70 percent of your diet.
- Although you have lots of "good carbs" to choose from, some of them can cause you to gain weight if you are not careful to watch portion sizes and caloric content. One thing to remember is that any food can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it. With that said, whole grain foods such as breads, brown rice and cereals can cause you to gain weight if eaten in excess. The low-carb diets tell you to watch carb intake because carbs are your bodies primary source of energy. If you are not active enough to burn that energy the carbs will be turned to fat. However, when trying to lose weight, it is healthier to reduce portion sizes and calories from all food groups (especially fat), not just carbs. This way you will maintain a healthy, balanced diet ensuring that you get all of your needed nutrients from vegetables, whole grains and fruits. When you buy 100% whole grain products you are making a smart choice--just watch the portions and calories.
- Cereals (hot and cold) are another type of food that is considered healthy but can also cause you to gain weight if overeaten. Be careful when selecting cold cereals for you and your children, especially kid's cereals. Many kid's cereals boast about being made with whole grains (mostly corn) but fail to place warnings about the excessive sugar content on the box. Sugary cereals can cause you to gain weight even if they're made with whole grains. The extra calories from the sugar can add unwanted inches to you and your family's waistline, not to mention the unstable energy levels that you will experience from having a diet high in sugar content. The same goes for adult cereals. Watch the sugar content, portion sizes and look for brands with high fiber content.
