Healthy diet and weight-loss diet – are they the same thing?
The term ‘healthy diet’ can refer to many different meal plans:
- For a person with coeliac disease, the only healthy diet is a gluten-free one.
- An athlete needs a meal plan that takes into account training sessions, increased energy requirements and easily digestible carbohydrates.
- For people with insulin resistance, a low glycaemic index diet is recommended.
People who are overweight are likely to benefit most from a weight-loss diet, i.e. a calorie-restricted menu with an energy deficit that allows them to lose excess weight.
A rational weight-loss diet takes into account the principles of healthy eating and is composed of unprocessed products in appropriate proportions. However, in order to be effective, it must always have a negative caloric balance.
It should be noted that a diet rich in specific products may be suitable for one person, but not for another. On the other hand, there are universal principles of healthy eating that can be a good reference point for most Poles. That said, you should always remember to take an individual approach.
What is a caloric balance and how do you calculate it?
The caloric (energy) balance determines the equilibrium between the calories supplied by food and the calories expended (burned). The energy balance is most often calculated and determined per day:
Energy balance = TMR – calories consumed with food
Calories consumed from food are all the energy stored in the food you eat in a given day. TMR (total metabolic rate) consists of:
- BMR – basal metabolic rate, i.e. calories burned as a result of basic life functions such as breathing or organ function.
- Calories expended on training and non-training activities, such as household chores, walking or sport.
Together, BMR and calories expended as a result of training and non-training activities make up TMR (total metabolic rate). It determines the number of calories burned by the body in a day.
The energy balance is the difference between TMR and calories from food:
- A neutral energy balance of approximately 0 kcal (zero calories) keeps your body weight stable.
- A negative energy balance means that you have consumed fewer calories from food than you have burned during the day. It is therefore necessary to release the energy stored in the body, e.g. from glycogen or adipose tissue.
- A positive energy balance means that more calories were consumed from food than were burned during the day. The body stores the extra energy, e.g. in the form of adipose tissue.
A weight-loss diet aims to achieve and maintain a negative energy balance for a specific period of time. Only a diet that provides fewer calories than are expended leads to effective weight loss. This has been confirmed by numerous studies.
You can read more about calorie requirements, TMR, BMR and calculating energy deficit in this article: What is TMR and what is BMR? How to calculate calorie requirements
‘False friends’ in a weight-loss diet – what products to watch out for?
In theory, weight loss is pure mathematics – you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. In practice, the type of products in your diet is also very important. Protein-rich food helps you feel full, healthy fats help maintain proper hormone balance, and vitamins and minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the entire body. However, in a weight-loss diet, the calorie content of food is extremely important for maintaining a set caloric balance. Many objectively healthy foods, rich in valuable micro- and macronutrients, are also high in calories. When following a weight-loss diet, you cannot eat them without any restraint.
Here is a list of 12 foods that, although healthy, can quietly ‘sabotage’ your diet. Do not eliminate them altogether, but consciously control their intake and the number of calories they provide:
1. Olive oil (and other healthy oils)
The most typical example of healthy but high-calorie foods is olive oil and other healthy oils. Olive oil is an excellent source of valuable monounsaturated fatty acids and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. However, do not apply the ‘the more, the better’ rule – small amounts of these oils are all you need to enjoy their valuable benefits.
Remember that 100 ml of olive oil contains as much as about 880 kcal, a tablespoon contains about 90 kcal, and a teaspoon contains 45 kcal. Even in a single meal, if you add oil for frying, salads or marinades, you can easily consume 300-400 extra calories, which may destroy the caloric deficit you have worked so hard to achieve. Therefore, if you are on a weight-loss diet, strictly control your oil intake and do not add oil to your food at random.
Tip from a dietitian: A good solution is to use ‘spray oil’ – a spray dispenser allows you to lightly grease a frying pan or sandwich, using less oil than when portioning it with a teaspoon.
2. Peanut butter
Peanut butter is a great ingredient in many healthy desserts, cakes and biscuits, but it is also very high in calories. It can be a good substitute for chocolate spreads and sweets, but it is important to control the portion size. There are as many as 600 kcal in 100 g of peanut butter. What's more, it is quite heavy, so even a level tablespoon weighs as much as 20 g and provides about 120 kcal.
The type of nuts does not matter much, as peanut, almond, hazelnut and pistachio butter all contain about 600 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, this product should be consumed in moderation.
Tip from a dietitian: Just because a product appears frequently in healthy recipes does not mean that you can eat it without any limits.
3. Various cheeses
It is widely known that yellow cheese is not suitable for a weight-loss diet, but feta, goat cheese, halloumi and burrata are common ingredients in healthy meals. Cheese is an invaluable source of protein and calcium, but because it is so tasty, it is easy to overdo it and significantly increase the calorie content of a dish. Therefore, bearing in mind its high calorie content, use cheese as an addition rather than the main ingredient of meals while on a weight-loss diet.
Here is the calorie content of selected cheeses per 100 g of product:
- Philadelphia-type cheese – 342 kcal/100 g
- Burrata – 260 kcal/100 g
- Mozzarella – 240 kcal/ 100 g
- Parmesan – 430 kcal/100 g
- Halloumi – 320 kcal/ 100 g
- Feta cheese – 260 kcal/100 g
- Goat's cheese roll – 300 kcal/100 g
- Camembert – 300 kcal/ 100 g
- Gorgonzola – 350 kcal/100 g
There are a few exceptions and low-fat cheeses that can be consumed in larger quantities on a weight-loss diet and even contribute to its success due to their high protein content:
- Cottage cheese (semi-fat) – 130 kcal/100 g
- Mozzarella light – 160 kcal/ 100 g
- Ricotta – 175 kcal/ 100 g
Tip from a dietitian: Instead of dividing foods into ‘forbidden’ and ‘allowed’ on your diet, it is better to consider the whole context of the meal. If adding cheese makes your salad more enjoyable and encourages you to eat a large portion of vegetables, it may be worth using this product in this particular meal.
4. (Ill-considered) high-protein foods
Protein is an important macronutrient in a weight-loss diet, as it makes you feel full and helps you lose weight. But do not turn to high-protein foods and protein supplements indiscriminately. One scoop of protein supplement can provide up to 150 extra calories. Include high-protein functional foods consciously and mindfully. Remember that apart from protein, they also provide energy.
Tip from a dietitian: Read the labels of functional products carefully if you decide to include them in your diet. Some of them may also contain significant amounts of carbohydrates, known as gainers – these are very high-calorie products designed to support weight gain, not weight loss.
5. Avocado
Avocado is without a doubt a healthy and delicious fruit. Its creamy, smooth texture makes it a perfect addition to smoothies, salad dressings and cream soups. Unfortunately, avocado is also one of the most calorific fruits – 100 g contains as much as 160 kcal. It is advisable to weigh the portion of fruit you eat carefully and not rely solely on home measurements when counting calories.
Tip from a dietitian: Remember to keep things in moderation and keep track of how much of this product you eat.
6. Bakery products substitutes
‘Going on a diet? Give up bread’ – this is one of the popular beliefs that may partially bring the desired effect, but it can also lead to the opposite effect and increase the number of calories consumed.
If, instead of 3 sandwiches made with traditional bread and standard toppings (e.g. butter, cheese, ham, tomato), you eat 5 sandwiches made with crispbread with the same toppings, you get a similar feeling of fullness, but you're likely to consume more calories.
Tip from a dietitian: Replacing wheat bread with wholemeal rye bread is beneficial. However, crispbread or rice cakes may lure you into consuming more high-calorie toppings. Be careful not to fall into this trap!
7. Healthy drinks
Liquid calories are one of the biggest pitfalls of any meal plan. It is no surprise that sweetened drinks, milkshakes and iced coffees sweetened with syrups hardly fit into a weight-loss diet. However, many people may be surprised by the calorie content of truly healthy and recommended liquids.
Freshly squeezed fruit juices can provide up to 60 kcal/100 ml. The extremely healthy kombucha can provide about 20 kcal/100 ml, but there are also versions on the market with a calorie content of 60-80 kcal/100 ml. Finally, the trendy matcha without additives is low in calories, but a strawberry matcha latte from a café chain can contain up to 250 kcal per serving!
Tip from a dietitian: Viewing every food product only through the prism of calorie content is neither healthy nor desirable. You should consider the broader context of the nutrients that a given meal introduces into your diet. It is also important to be aware that even healthy products, in addition to valuable vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, can provide a certain amount of calories that should be included in your caloric balance.
8. Dried fruit and healthy desserts with dried fruit instead of sugar
Dates, dried apricots and raisins have 300 kcal/100 g, 240 kcal/100 g and 300 kcal/100 g, respectively. These dried fruits are a common substitute for sugar in healthy desserts, homemade bars, and as an ingredient in muesli and granola. While sweetening with dried fruit is indeed healthier than sweetening with sugar, you should know that the calorie content of many ‘sugar-free’ products is still high.
Tip from a dietitian: Take this into account in your calorie balance and do not eat healthy and homemade sweets without any limit just because they are healthier than their classic counterparts.
9. Honey
Many people do not realise that switching from sugar to honey makes no difference when it comes to calorie content. In fact, it can even lead to an increase in calorie intake. A teaspoon of honey is denser and heavier than a teaspoon of sugar, which means that the same portion contains more calories. A teaspoon of sugar has about 20 kcal, while a teaspoon of honey can have as many as 40 kcal.
Tip from a dietitian: Of course, I do not encourage you to use sugar, but I wish to point out that eating honey should also be included in your caloric balance.
10. Unusual flours that are healthier than wheat flour
Replacing traditional wheat flour with other types of flour is often a step towards healthier eating. However, does this automatically result in a lower calorie diet? Not necessarily. Quite the opposite may be the case!
One hundred grams of wheat flour contains approximately 364 kcal. Flours from other grains, such as rye flour, spelt flour or oat flour, have a similar calorie content and more fibre, which is valuable in a weight-loss diet. As a matter of fact, choosing these substitutes for refined wheat flour might be a good idea.
However, there is another type of flour used as a substitute for wheat flour – nut and seed flours, which are higher in calories. Coconut flour has 480 kcal/100 g, and almond flour has as much as 600 kcal/100 g!
Tip from a dietitian: It is true that these low-carbohydrate substitutes are recommended, for example, for people with insulin resistance, but you need to keep in mind their calorie content. All baked goods, breadcrumb coatings and sauces thickened with nut or seed flours have a higher calorie content.
11. Healthy ‘oil-based’ products
Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient, so most products with extra fat are on the list of ‘false friends of the diet’. Be wary of canned products stored in oil. Dried tomatoes in oil have as many as 300 kcal/100 g. Tuna in oil has about 240 kcal/100 g – more than twice as much as tuna in its own juice.
The same applies to sardines, herring, canned salmon and jarred artichokes. Drain these products well before consumption or opt for fat-free canned versions.
Tip from a dietitian: I do not recommend limiting fats in your diet to a minimum. It is okay if they account for about 30% of your energy intake.
12. Vegan meat substitutes
Do you want to be fit, so instead of a burger or cutlet, you choose a plant-based version? This is a good choice from the perspective of the environment and lower calorie intake, but it does not have to be the norm! The composition and calorie content of plant-based meat substitutes can vary significantly. Not all products in this group are suitable for a weight-loss diet.
Unfortunately, weight loss is not as simple as removing ‘bad’ products from your diet. In many cases, you also need to stop believing that ‘healthy’ products can be eaten without any restraint. Being aware of potential ‘diet saboteurs’ may be very useful for people who consciously choose healthy, unprocessed products every day, but still have trouble losing or maintaining their weight when eating intuitively.
References:
- Giacone L., Sob C., Siegrist M., Hartmann C., Intuitive eating and its influence on self-reported weight and eating behaviors, Eat Behav. 2024 Jan;52:101844, doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2024.101844, Epub 2024 Jan 22, PMID: 38280314.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, fdc.nal.usda.gov.
- Strasser B., Spreitzer A., Haber P., Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss, Ann Nutr Metab. 2007;51(5):428-32, doi: 10.1159/000111162, Epub 2007 Nov 20, PMID: 18025815.