Calories can certainly be a helpful tool for measuring nutrition needs, but on their own, calories don’t provide enough information about the food we eat. Basing decisions on calories alone can lead you off-course. It is important to consider where the calories come from.

The nutritional value of a specific food depends on many factors. Of course, everyone’s nutritional needs are unique, and nutritional goals will vary among individuals. But generally speaking, foods with the highest nutritional value will be fresh or minimally processed, contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, be high in fibre and protein and be low in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar.

These details are far more important than the number of calories. 

For some perspective, consider a medium-sized order of fast-food French fries and a mixed vegetable salad with grilled chicken breast and minimal dressing. It’s pretty obvious which is the healthier option in this case. However, looking at calories exclusively, the choice isn’t as clear. That order of French fries provides roughly 350–370 calories, while the salad provides somewhere between 480–650 calories.

What these calorie counts don’t tell us is that the French fries contain minimal fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein and are high in saturated fat and sodium. The salad on the other hand is a great source of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and protein and is low in saturated fat. 

Another example is a standard glazed donut compared to 1.5 cups of plain 2 percent Greek yogurt with 1 cup of mixed berries. The donut contains about 250–270 calories, while the yogurt & berries contain roughly 300–320 calories.

Again, the donut has very little nutritional value, while the yogurt and berries are full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein. 

In both cases, if we focused only on calories, we would be pulled towards the less nutritious option. We also must consider that our bodies need calories to function. Calories are fuel, without them we would completely shut down.

The level of efficiency at which we function depends on the value of the calories we consume, not just the quantity. And, as outlined above, the value of the calories depends on their source and can differ considerably.

So, the next time you read a Nutrition Facts label, or plug a food item into your nutrition tracking app, I encourage you to look past the number of calories and focus more on the amount of fibre, protein, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. These details will give you a far more accurate picture of the overall nutritional value of that item. 

Helpful Tip – Aim for 5% or less per serving of saturated fat, sugar and sodium and 15% or more of fibre! 

Amanda Turner has been a Registered Dietitian since 2016. She has experience in several practice areas and is the owner of Navigate Your Plate Nutrition Services.