第1672期:Should you count calories?

Most of us want to be in peak physical condition, get in shape and be healthy. While some gym bunnies are more obsessed with looking ripped, for many of us nutrition and watching what you eat is a vital way to stay healthy. But when it comes to food, what is calorie counting, and what are the positives and negatives of it?

我们大多数人都希望身体处于最佳状态，保持体形和健康。虽然一些健身房的小兔子更着迷于看起来破烂不堪，但对我们许多人来说，营养和注意饮食是保持健康的重要方式。但是说到食物，什么是卡路里计数，它的优点和缺点是什么？

A law in the UK came into force in April 2022 that requires large businesses such as restaurants, takeaways, and cafes to display the calorie information of non-pre-packed food and soft drinks on their menus. It’s a strategy aimed to tackle obesity and give people a more informed choice of what goes down their gullets. According to the NHS (National Health Service), generally, the recommended daily intake of calories for male adults is 2,500 per day, while female adults should consume 2,000 to maintain their weight levels. For those of us who wish to drop a few pounds, experts advise us to consume fewer calories than the recommended daily number, eat a balanced diet, and increase our levels of physical activity. Being able to count calories and know how much we can eat is a great way to try and stay on track with our diet.

英国的一项法律于 2022 年 4 月生效，要求餐馆、外卖店和咖啡馆等大型企业在菜单上显示非预包装食品和软饮料的卡路里信息。这是一项旨在解决肥胖问题并让人们更明智地选择食物的策略。根据 NHS（国民健康服务），一般来说，男性成年人每天的推荐卡路里摄入量为每天 2,500 卡路里，而女性成年人应摄入 2,000 卡路里以维持体重水平。对于我们这些想要减掉几磅体重的人，专家建议我们每天摄入的卡路里要少于建议的摄入量，均衡饮食，并增加身体活动水平。能够计算卡路里并知道我们可以吃多少是尝试保持饮食正常的好方法。

However, there are some sceptics when it comes to calorie counting. 200 calories of fresh fruit and 200 calories of junk food, for example cookies, have the same caloric value. However, there is a question of the health benefits of what you’re consuming, regardless of calories. While fresh fruit like apples contains things like vitamin C, junk food could contain an unhealthy level of sugar and fats. Likewise, fruit may fill you up and leave you not craving more food for longer than a biscuit with equal calories – meaning, overall, you eat less. Simply counting calories, while useful for weight loss, doesn’t take into account your intake of good fats, carbohydrates, and proteins – things that your body needs. So, if you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet, just looking at numbers of calories on a menu won’t be that useful. So, always be mindful that what you’re eating is part of a healthy balanced diet.

然而，对于卡路里计算，有些人持怀疑态度。 200 卡路里的新鲜水果和 200 卡路里的垃圾食品，例如饼干，具有相同的热量值。但是，无论卡路里如何，您所消耗的食物对健康的益处都是一个问题。虽然像苹果这样的新鲜水果含有维生素 C 等物质，但垃圾食品可能含有不健康的糖分和脂肪。同样，水果可能会让你感到饱足，并且比同等卡路里的饼干更不会让你渴望更多的食物——这意味着，总的来说，你吃得更少。简单地计算卡路里虽然对减肥有用，但并未考虑您摄入的有益脂肪、碳水化合物和蛋白质——这些都是您身体所需的物质。所以，如果你想坚持低碳水化合物饮食，只看菜单上的卡路里数量是没有用的。因此，请始终注意您所吃的是健康均衡饮食的一部分。

词汇表

peak 巅峰
in shape 身体状况良好
gym bunny 健身迷，非常关注体形、爱健身的人
ripped 肌肉饱满、线条分明的
nutrition 营养
watch what you eat 注意饮食
calorie 卡路里
obesity 肥胖
gullet 食道，食管
intake 摄入量
consume 吃，喝
weight level 体重水平
drop a few pounds 体重减轻几磅
balanced diet 均衡饮食
physical activity 体育活动
junk food 垃圾食品
fill someone up 填饱（某人的）肚子
crave 想吃、喝，嘴馋
a low-carb diet 低碳水饮食