What influences a food’s calorie density?
Rolls: The main influences on calorie density are the water content of food and the fat content. Water is the largest component of food and it has the biggest impact on calorie density. The more water a food has (fruits and vegetables, for example), the more it dilutes the calories and lowers the calorie density. Fat, on the other hand, raises the calorie density. So getting fat out wherever you can – especially the animal fats, the saturated fats – is a good, healthy thing to do. Q: Why is thinking about a food’s calorie density useful? Rolls: Research has shown that the amount (or weight) of food that people report eating on a daily basis is more consistent than their calorie intake. If people reduce the calorie density of their food choices enough, they can continue to eat the same amount of food, but take in fewer calories. For example, if you take the calorie density down by 30 percent, many people will eat 30 percent fewer calories without feeling hungry and without compensating
