When you want to lose weight, should you cut out 'this food' first?

Once again, I need to control the blood sugar spike.

The important fact that you can lose weight✌️

High-calorie, nutrient-poor MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) foods can lead to weight gain and energy deficiency, so controlling intake is essential. / Photo = Clipart Korea

Most foods contain calories and nutrients that provide energy for our bodies. However, some foods are classified as "empty calorie foods," meaning they are high in calories but lack nutrients, making their nutritional value nearly zero. Consuming them unconsciously can lead to weight gain and energy deficiency, so efforts are needed to reduce their intake.

MT calorie foods are typically made up of only fats and sugars. They are quickly digested and absorbed in the body, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar levels followed by a sharp drop, resulting in a blood sugar spike. This causes quick feelings of hunger and increases inflammation and fat levels in the body, raising the risk of developing various chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. When consuming excessively addictive flavors such as sweet and salty tastes, it can strongly stimulate the brain, leading to addiction to these flavors and increasing the risk of taste addiction, where only certain flavors are sought after.

To reduce calorie intake from MT foods, it is essential to find suitable substitutes. For example, replace carbonated drinks with sparkling water or plain water with lemon juice, and opt for a handful of unsalted nuts instead of potato chips. A handful of almonds contains about 164 kcal, which is not low, but it is a nutrient-rich food high in bioavailability, providing protein, fats, and minerals. When craving ice cream, topping Greek yogurt with various frozen berries can be an effective alternative.

There is also a method to identify and limit the intake of empty calorie foods. To easily distinguish empty calorie foods, compare which foods provide more satiety when consuming the same calorie amount. When choosing foods, check the nutrition label on the back to verify the content of saturated fat, sodium, sugar, etc., of the product you intend to purchase. The higher these figures, the closer the food is to being an empty calorie food. Since eating out or purchasing processed foods makes it difficult to fully control the ingredients in your diet, it is preferable to cook and eat using natural foods such as vegetables and fruits whenever possible.

Reporter Choi Ji-woo cjw@chosun.com

Journalist Profile