I was in the supermarket recently when a product caught my eye.

On the front, “90 calories” was written in big bold writing, alongside fibre claims. 

At first glance, it looked like a smart choice.

But when I turned it over and checked the ingredients list, it told a different story: fructose, sugar, vegetable oils and fats, emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavours.

It was a reminder of how easy it is to make food choices based only on calories.

And this is the warning.

If your focus is only on the number, you can end up choosing foods that sound healthy but do very little to nourish your body.

I’m not saying counting calories is bad.

But if you do, it’s also important to think about the quality of the food you’re choosing as well, not just the number. 

Whole foods are always the best option, and if you are choosing packaged foods, I would strongly recommend turning them over and checking what they are actually made of.

A great question to ask yourself is:

“What is this food doing for my body?”

For example, compared to the product I saw in the supermarket, a cup of raspberries would be a better choice. 

It has around 65 calories compared to 90, about 8 grams of fibre instead of 5, and just one ingredient: raspberries.

When you start looking at both calories and how food can support your health, you’re more likely to make better food choices that support both weight loss and long-term health.