Liquid Calories Vs. Solid Calories

People often get an important proportion of their daily calories from beverages. Although caloric beverages, such as juices and sodas, have been associated with weight gain. Some people believe that liquid calories aren't as filling as calories from solid food, but this may be too simplistic of an explanation because other factors may also be involved.

Feelings of Fullness

Study results on the satisfying effects of liquids vs. solid food remain inconclusive, according to a study. Some results show weight-loss benefits, and others suggest these beverages cause weight gain.

Compensating for Calories

Different drinks containing calories, including milk, juice and soda, all caused similar increases in feelings of fullness and a reduced desire to eat when compared to water in a study. These increased feelings of fullness, however, didn't result in the subjects eating any less at their next meal. Calories in beverages appear to be incompletely compensated for at later meals, which leads people to increase the overall number of calories they consume even though they feel fuller after drinking the beverages.

Potential Explanation

When foods take longer to eat, they cause certain responses from the digestive system that signal fullness. Such responses, however, are either decreased or non-existent when consuming quickly eaten foods, such as beverages. Eating quickly or eating when distracted decreases your ability to experience the food you're eating with all your senses, making it less likely you'll get all the normal cues that tell you when you're full.

As Part of a Healthy Diet

You'll be more likely to feel full after eating if you think on eating your food slowly. Another factor affecting plumpness is the energy density of the foods you eat. Foods that are lower in energy density, such as fruits and vegetables, help you feel full on fewer calories than foods that are higher in energy density, such as foods high in fat or sugar. This makes them good picks for people keeping a healthy weight or trying to lose weight.

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