If a calorie falls into your mouth, does it make a difference? A bite of a mini candy bar here, and a taste there of a sample at the grocery store may not seem like much when you are eating, but do it enough and it adds up. You want to be careful not to taste test your way to weight gain, and consuming enough "empty" calories can contribute to that.
Contrary to the term, an empty calorie does not refer to a food that is low in calories, but a caloric food with very little nutritional value. For example, a breakfast fruit bar and a candy bar may have the same number of calories, but where the fruit bar contains fiber and some vitamins and minerals essential to good nutrition, the candy bar may be completely sugar. You could consume one or the other for the same amount of calories to burn, but in the end which is healthier for you? Which food will provide you with more energy and health benefits throughout the day? Which food will be processed better to feed your body valuable nutrients, and which food will be processed immediately into fat?
Some calories may be empty, but be assured they can be full of trouble.
Foods high in empty calories may include some daily staple, but often they are classified as "junk" foods:
Candy - Chocolate bars, hard candies, mints and gums
Soft drinks - Sodas, flavored drinks with a low percentage of juice as opposed to sugar content
White bread - Made with white flour, this starchy food has to be fortified to give the appearance of a healthy food
White rice - High in starch and natural sugars
Olios - Margarine, butter, shortening, and other spreads
Alcohol - Beer, wine, and hard liquors
Fast foods - Staples like hot dogs and burgers, French fries, fried chicken and other foods traditionally fried in fattening oils and olios
For a proper, nutritious diet, foods such as the ones listed above should be avoided or severely limited. To improve eating habits and consume calories that will prove beneficial to your body, make thoughtful replacements. For a sweet snack, enjoy some fruit instead of candy. Try a whole grain bread for your sandwich, long grain rice or a green vegetable as a side instead of white rice, and water instead of soda.
But what about spreads for your toast? Most jams and jellies could be considered empty calories as well for their high sugar contents. If you must have a spread, check labels to see what you are eating. A homemade apple butter may have more nutritional value than the squeezable bottle of grape jelly.
Such substitutions add up in the long run, and you just may find that as the empty calories go away, so will the fat.
What Are Empty Calories
There was a time when saucers without handles, Betty lamps, and cow shaped pitchers with black and white spots on it were fashionable to use at home. The next time guests come over to your place, try serving them tea in a saucer without handles. They would definitely raise brows, appalled at where to hold the saucer from. However, they now hold value as antiques. If such a cow shaped pitcher, with black and white spots on it is visible in a showcase, then it serves as an object of decoration, and symbolizes the olden times.
Is it the age of the object which defines its antiqueness? Yes, and No. Most certainly, if an object is more than 50 to 60 years old, and is in good condition, it is labeled as antique. An official definition of an antique is stated in the Tariff Act of 1930. According to Paragraph 1811 of that Act, antiques are works of art except rugs and carpets made after the year 1700, collections in illustration of the progress of the arts, works in bronze, marble, terra cotta, parian, pottery or porcelain, artistic antiquities and objects of ornamental character or educational value which shall have been produced prior to the year 1830.
Every day, one comes across many things which are old. Some belong to grandparents, others you see in shops. And most of the times, people take old items to be as junk, and fail to recognize them as antiques. For instance, how many young women identify a sewing bird correctly when they see one, and how to make use of it? They are liable to be perplexed even when a miniature velvet pincushion is attached. The sewing bird, generally of metal, is a decorative clamp to be fixed firmly to a table. It grips the material in its beak to smooth the progress of hemming, and was an excellent aid when all sewing was done at abode.
Once the antique has been identified as truly antique, then its worth has to be calculated. The age, quality, present condition, value, uniqueness are all factors which have a direct impact on the worth of the item in discussion. Many times, the item can be repaired if it is in a condition which needs improvement, other times it can be restored. Both these processes require craftspeople with excellent skills, so that they modify the item without making it lose its worth.
Is there any relation between an antique and a collectible? Antiques are rated by their worth as per the definition above while collectibles may be any item which may or may not have any worth, no matter how old it is, but add to the collection of the collector. So next time you think you have an antique, evaluate its worth. If there is any, then its an antique. Otherwise, it would be better to sell it at the best price to any collector, who would value it as a part of his collection, but not as an antique.
Both Kathryn Lively & Craig Rad are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kathryn Lively has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Laptops and Advertising Guide. writes for , custom fit weight loss for everyone.. Kathryn Lively's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.
Craig Rad has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jaguar Cars, Performance Cars and Cars. Find information on and learn more about. Craig Rad's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
