Are all calories created equal?

New study touts "whole" eating is better

You are trying to shed a few pounds.  You are counting calories.  A Twinkie "costs" you 150 calories.  A medium apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter is also 150 calories.  Does it matter which one you eat?  Aren't all calories the same?

Not according to a study at the department of biology at Pomona College in Claremont.  The researchers had 17 healthy men and women in the study who were asked how satisfied they were after meals.  They were also measured for post meal energy expenditure for 5-6 hours AFTER the meals.  The meals were either "whole": multigrain bread and cheddar cheese, or "processed": white bread and process American cheese.

Both meals were the same in protein, carbs, and fat.  The results showed no difference in being satisfied after the meal.  However, the group that ate the "whole" meal had a 50% higher energy expenditure than the "processed" meal.  In plain English, that means that your body is working harder, longer, to break down the "whole" meal.  Ergo, your metabolism is working harder and longer.

You are better off eating the apple with the peanut butter since your metabolic rate will stay elevated longer giving you more "bang for your caloric buck."