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Energy density and weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories
Choosing foods that are less concentrated with calories — meaning you get a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories — can help you lose weight and control your hunger.
By Mayo Clinic staffFeel full on fewer calories. It sounds like a diet gimmick. But in reality, the concept of energy density can indeed help you feel satisfied with fewer calories. In fact, well planned weight-loss diets, such as The Mayo Clinic Diet, use this concept to help you lose weight and keep it off long term.
Energy density: Volume versus calories
All foods have a certain number of calories within a given amount (volume). Some foods, such as desserts, candies and processed foods, are high in energy density. This means that a small volume of that food has a large number of calories.
Alternatively, some foods — such as vegetables and fruits — have low energy density. These foods provide a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories.
Three factors play an important role in what makes food less calorie packed and more filling:
- Water. Many fruits and vegetables are high in water, which provides volume but not calories. Grapefruit, for example, is about 90 percent water and has just 38 calories in a half-fruit serving. Carrots are about 88 percent water and have only 52 calories in 1 cup.
- Fiber. High-fiber foods — such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains — not only provide volume, but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer.
- Fat. Most fruits and vegetables do not contain a lot of fat. Fat raises energy density. One teaspoon of butter contains almost the same number of calories as 2 cups of raw broccoli.
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- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/. Accessed Nov. 12, 2009.
- Pennington J, et al. Practice paper of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrient density - Meeting nutrient goals within calorie needs. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2007;107:860.
- Savage JS, et al. Dietary energy density predicts women's weight change over 6 y. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88:677.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/. Accessed Nov. 17, 2008.
- Nutritionist Pro Diet Analysis (computer program). Stafford, Texas: Axxya Systems; 2008. http://www.nutritionistpro.com/index.php. Accessed Dec. 19, 2008.
- Hensrud DD, et al. The Mayo Clinic Diet. Intercourse, Penn.: Good Books; 2010.
