Empty calories, in casual dietary terminology, are calories present in high-energy foods with poor nutritional profiles, typically from processed carbohydrates or fats. An "empty calorie" has the same energy content of any other calorie but lacks accompanying micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids as well as fiber such as is found in whole grains but less so in white flour. Michael Jacobson, head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, coined the term in 1972. Diet may mean: In nutrition: Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group. ... A calorie refers to a unit of energy. ... It has been suggested that Diet (nutrition) be merged into this article or section. ... Lactose is a disaccharide found in milk. ... For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). ... Retinol (Vitamin A) Vitamins are nutrients required in very small amounts for essential metabolic reactions in the body [1]. The term vitamin does not encompass other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids. ... Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ... The general structure of an amino acid molecule, with the amine group on the left and the carboxyl group on the right. ... Fiber or fibre[1] is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread. ... Whole grains are cereal grains which retain the bran and germ as well as the endosperm, in contrast to refined grains which retain only the endosperm. ... An ingredient used in many foods, flour is a fine powder made from grain or other starchy food sources. ... Michael F. Jacobson is a founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which he established in 1971 with assistance from a Ralph Nader activist group. ... // Mission The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is an American not-for-profit corporation that focuses on issues relating to foods and the food services industry. ...

Generally, unnecessary calories are converted in the body to fat. However, if calorie intake is limited for the sake of reducing weight, insufficient vitamin and mineral intake may lead to malnutrition. Dieticians recommend in every case that nutrient-dense food such as fruit and vegetables be substituted for empty-calorie food. Malnutrition is a general term for the medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. ...

The idea of the 'empty calorie' is somewhat misleading, however, since most foods contain some nutrients and because fats are essential to the process of absorption of nutrients by the body. For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). ...

Foods often considered to contain mostly empty calories include:

• Sweets, Soft drinks, beverages with a low juice component, and other foods containing Sugar
• White rice
• Margarine or shortening
• Butter, lard, and other highly-saturated fats.
• High fat foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, pizza, potato chips, and French fries

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ... Juice is a fluid naturally contained in animal or plant tissue. ... Magnification of typical sugar In non-scientific use, the term sugar means sucrose, also called table sugar or saccharose, a white crystalline solid disaccharide. ... White rice is the common term for milled rice which has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. ... Margarine, as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter-substitutes. ... Shortening is a semisolid fat used in food preparation, especially baked goods, and is so called because it inhibits the formation of long gluten strands in wheat-based doughs, giving them a short texture (as in shortbread). ... Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or small blocks, and frequently served with the use of a butter knife. ... A slice of bread spread with lard was a typical staple in traditional rural cuisine of many countries. ... Hamburgers often contain beef, lettuce, onions, and other toppings in a bun. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... KFCs Fried chicken with French fries. ... A pepperoni pizza Pizza (IPA pronunciation: ) or Pizza Pie, is the name of an oven-baked, flat, usually round bread covered with tomato sauce with optional toppings. ... Potato chips A potato chip or crisp is a thin slice of a potato deep fried or baked until crisp. ... French fried potatoes, commonly known as French fries or fries (North America) or chips (United Kingdom and Commonwealth) are long, narrow pieces of potato that have been deep fried. ...

References

• Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Retrieved on 2006-05-09.
• Nutrient-dense food vs. empty-calorie food. Calorie Counter. Retrieved on 2006-05-09.