Empty calories

What are calories you already know.They are a measure of energy that food contain.This energy can be used for maintaining the life of cells, daily activities, sports, digesting food or may be stored when they meet certain conditions, among which the most important is that the energy from food to be in an amount greater than the energy which the body consumes or eliminates (by heat, for example).

The substances that bring “calories” to our body are fat (9 kilocalories per gram), alcohol and polyols (7 kilocalories per gram), carbohydrates (4 kilocalories per gram) and protein (4 kilocalories per gram).
To measure the energy brought by proteins is not relevant because they represent the last source of calories for the the body.The body first burns alcohol then carbohydrates then fat and protein(amino acids) is the last.

The body uses this sources of energy(metabolism) in the presence of other substances:vitamins,minerals,enzymes,etc. The body can produce some of these “helpful” substances but not all and not easy.

Natural foods contain vitamins, minerals and some of these enzymes.
If they are processed, we receive only the energy,and not the “help” for “processing”.
To compensate our bodies make an effort. Effort that is seen the reason for modern human disease, premature aging, various digestive disorders or of other nature.
Examples of processed food: flour and foods that contain  sugar, canned products pasteurized at high temperatures, industrial obtained dairy (milk powder for example), fried nuts and seeds.

So eating natural foods rich in micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, enzymes) can prevent disease and make life longer.