Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFoods and DrinksCommon Sources for KidsResult of Too Many Empty CaloriesIdentify Empty-Calorie FoodsChoose more Nutritious Foods
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Foods and Drinks
Common Sources for Kids
Result of Too Many Empty Calories
Identify Empty-Calorie Foods
Choose more Nutritious Foods
Empty calories are those derived from food and drink that provide little to no nutritional value and lack essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These often include packaged and ultra-processed foods at the grocery store. These foods provide your body with primarily solid fats and added sugars, which contribute to weight gain and can lead to nutritional deficiencies if they replace healthier foods.
Everyone consumes emptycaloriesfrom time to time, which is normal given the types of foods that make up most of our current food landscape.You shouldn’t feel guilt or shame for enjoying empty calories occasionally. Sometimes, food can simply be a source of comfort and joy.
However, empty calories aren’t a source of many (if any) beneficial nutrients, so these foods and beverages shouldn’t make up the foundation of your diet pattern. Below is a list of some common sources of empty calories.
These items provide substantial calories per serving without many beneficial vitamins, minerals, fiber, or antioxidants to support overall health and wellness.
Why Calorie Density Matters
What About “Calories in, Calories Out?“The “calories in, calories out” (CICO) model focuses solely on calorie balance for weight management and oversimplifies the complex factors that affect our health and weight. While it’s true that caloric intake and expenditure influence weight changes, this model overlooks the importance of nutritional quality for health, sustainable weight management, and chronic disease prevention. In other words, empty calorie items may technically fit on a CICO approach, but they’re not doing us any favors for long-term health outcomes.
What About “Calories in, Calories Out?”
The “calories in, calories out” (CICO) model focuses solely on calorie balance for weight management and oversimplifies the complex factors that affect our health and weight. While it’s true that caloric intake and expenditure influence weight changes, this model overlooks the importance of nutritional quality for health, sustainable weight management, and chronic disease prevention. In other words, empty calorie items may technically fit on a CICO approach, but they’re not doing us any favors for long-term health outcomes.
Common Empty Calories That Children Consume
Eating a diet consisting mostly of empty calories can negatively impact a child’s growth, development, and overall health.
Common sources of empty calories that kids are consuming include:
These types of foods can significantly contribute to a child’s calorie intake without providing essential nutrients. Reducing these foods in children’s diets and encouraging healthier alternatives can support better nutrition and overall well-being.
What Happens If You Consume a Lot of Empty Calories?
Consuming a lot of empty calories can lead to several adverse health outcomes, whether you’re a child or an adult. Since these foods and drinks are high in calories but low in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, they can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and related conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Empty calories can also displace more nutritious foods, curbing appetite and reducing the likelihood of reaching for a healthier option. Over time, a high intake of empty calories can also lead to deficiencies in nutrients vital for energy, immunity, and overall health.
An unbalanced diet can reduce energy levels, impair cognitive function, and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, highlighting the importance of choosing nutrient-dense foods.
How to Identify Empty-Calorie Foods
Being able to identify empty-calorie foods is critical to making healthier choices. These foods and drinks are typically high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, andrefined (simple) carbohydratesbut provide little to no vitamins, minerals, or fiber.
To spot them, look for highly processed items with long ingredient lists that include added sugars (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup) or saturated fats.Examples include sugary snacks like candy and cookies, fried or fast foods, and sugary beverages such as soda or energy drinks.
Checking food labels for low-nutrient content and high-calorie counts can also help you identify empty-calorie options, allowing you to choose more nutrient-dense alternatives. It can take some practice, but regularly evaluating your food and drink options can help you make more nutritious choices.
How to Choose a More Nutritious Diet
Choosing these more nutritious foods and beverages will “crowd out” less nutritious empty-calorie options and, over time, become second nature to you when preparing meals and snacks.
Foods to Eat Instead
To reduce empty calories and preserve space in your diet for healthier choices, swap out nutrient-poor foods for more nutrient-dense alternatives.Here are some specific suggestions for healthier substitutions:
Instead of sodaor sugary drinks, choose:
Instead of candy or sweets, choose:
Instead of packaged snacks like potato chips, choose:
Instead of fast food like fries or burgers, choose:
Instead of sugary cereals, choose:
Instead of fruit juices, choose:
Making these simple swaps can significantly improve the nutritional quality of your diet, providing fiber to keep you fuller for longer and naturally help reduce the space left for empty calories.
Summary
Empty-calorie foods and beverages can taste food, offer convenience, and even satisfy a sweet tooth or a need for simple comfort - this can be okay sometimes. When it comes to your overall diet pattern, however, it’s important to prioritize nutrient-dense options instead, which provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that support health. Identify some areas where you could replace empty-calorie items with healthier alternatives and start there, remembering that it’s about your overall everyday habits and not just one meal or drink.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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