What Are Empty Calories?

Empty calories are what foods with poor nutritional value are considered to have. For example, a candy bar is said to be an empty calorie food, as its calories are mostly from refined sugar and saturated fat. Refined sugar refers to highly processed white sugars, while saturated fat is mostly animal fats that remain solid at room temperature. A bowl of fresh fruits cut into pieces to form a salad may have as many or more calories than a candy bar, but offers the body a lot more nutrition since fruit is abundant in vitamins.

Enriched flour is one of the most common sources of empty calories in foods.

Although empty calorie foods still provide the body with energy due to their calories, that's basically all they give the body. Since bodies need vitamins, minerals and protein daily to function properly, people eventually feel sick or unwell if they eat mainly empty calories. Long-term poor nutritional eating can lead to many health problems that could be avoided through a steady consumption of nutritious calorie foods.