I don’t know when the term “negative energy” spread to the food world. We often see statements such as “the more you eat this kind of food, the thinner you become” and “negative calorie food rankings”. Eating certain foods, such as celery, can burn energy. Is this statement scientific? If you want to lose weight healthily, how should you correctly view the energy of food and eat properly?

Some people think that you can lose weight by eating foods that require more energy for digestion than the energy provided. In this regard, "Qilu Evening News" pointed out that real negative energy foods do not exist, and most of the negative energy foods recommended on the Internet are They are some plant foods that are low in energy and rich in dietary fiber. Even if these foods are low in energy, they still contain energy. Eating more will accumulate a certain amount of energy. As for the weight loss products that are heavily promoted under the banner of "negative energy", it is even more so. Not reliable anymore.

Most foods will be easier to digest and absorb after being processed. After some foods are carefully processed and other ingredients are added, not only the energy content is greatly increased, but also the taste will be more delicate and soft, so you don’t have to chew hard to eat it. , the eating speed increases, and you will overeat without realizing it. If consumed for a long time, the risk of obesity will be greater. Such foods include white bread, crispy biscuits, cakes, etc.

Some foods are low in energy and contain a lot of crude fiber. Even if they are preprocessed in advance, they still require more chewing when eating. Their digestion and absorption in the intestines are low, and they also promote The role of intestinal peristalsis, even if you eat more, the degree of energy accumulation is not great, and the risk of gaining weight is also relatively small, such as celery, cabbage, leeks, sweet potatoes, etc., but it does not mean that the energy required to consume these foods is greater than their consumption. It is impossible to achieve weight loss by eating these foods because of the energy they can provide.

Li Shuguang, a professor and nutrition expert at the School of Public Health at Fudan University, said in an interview with Xinmin Evening News that an adult man needs to consume 2,400 kcal of energy every day. 60% to 65% of these energy are used for the body's basal metabolism, about 20% of the energy is used to maintain the body's normal learning, activities and entertainment, and the remaining about 10% of the energy is used to meet the special power functions of food, such as digestion, Decomposition etc. Therefore, it is impossible for the energy required to digest food to exceed the energy provided by the food itself.

Since there is no food that makes you lose weight as you eat it, how should we view the energy of food correctly? Xu Donglian, deputy chief physician of the Nutrition Department of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital, said in an interview with "Jinling Evening News" that the human body needs to consume energy every day to maintain breathing, heartbeat, study, work, etc. "If the energy consumed every day is greater than the energy consumed, the human body will The weight will increase, and for adults, there is the possibility of obesity; if the energy consumed every day is the same as the energy consumed, the weight will remain unchanged. If the energy consumed is greater than the energy consumed, the body will It will use its own original reserves of energy. At this time, the energy reaches a negative balance, and you can naturally lose weight. "Weight loss is actually a dynamic balance process between energy intake and consumption in the body.

In addition, "Shanxi Evening News" also reminded the majority of weight loss people how to eat healthily and reasonably: during the weight loss process, you can mainly eat vegetarian food, eat fruits, vegetables or grains that are large in size, low in calories and contain a certain amount of dietary fiber. Enhance the feeling of fullness, thereby reducing repeated foraging, eating, and even overeating caused by hunger. However, while strengthening the consumption of botanical foods, we must also ensure the balance of food and the body's demand for nutrients, and appropriately eat foods rich in high-quality protein, such as low-fat milk, egg whites, pure lean meat, fish, soy products, etc. To maintain the body's positive nitrogen balance, preserve our muscles, and defend essential trace elements and vitamins for the body. Also ensure food richness, that is, eat more than 12 kinds of food every day and more than 25 kinds of food every week. It is necessary to reduce the intake of high-calorie foods, such as fried, fatty, high-sugar, and high-fat foods and beverages. In addition, the intake of staple food should be appropriately reduced (4 taels to 6 taels per day) and it is not advisable to eat too much spicy food.

This article was scientifically reviewed by Shen Yingjian, deputy chief physician of the Nutrition Department of Jilin Chemical Group Corporation General Hospital.