You know how we’ve always been told that a calorie is a calorie?
And then we’ve been told not all calories are the same because of their nutrition content.
Well, it turns out that both of those statements are right—and wrong.
I started noticing this in my twenties even though I didn’t understand it at the time. I would eat just one (seriously, just one) miniature candy bars, and the next day my scale would say I’d gained 3 pounds. Somehow, the “a calorie is a calorie” just didn’t fit.
Fast forward all these years, and it turns out it wasn’t the 55 or so calories in the miniature. It was—wait for it—the chocolate. Yep, the chocolate.
As I recently learned, my body is highly sensitive to cocoa. I eat chocolate and my body freaks out, bloats, and basically pouts until the cocoa is out of my system.
Want to know the more interesting thing? I’m not crazy about chocolate. I don’t hate it, but I’m generally happier with a non-chocolate dessert. (OK, I LOVE Fudgsicles, but that’s probably more a texture thing.) I thought I was supposed to like chocolate (and it’s often convenient) so I ate it. But not eating it isn’t really problematic for me.
Research is showing us that food intolerances and sensitivities are causing all sorts of health problems (read this interview to learn more). And they are ridiculously hard to figure out because the impacts often take a day (or two or three) to show up. Not only that, but sometimes it’s the combination of things that can cause symptoms.
Fortunately, there are now affordable allergy tests that can help you understand which food and environmental factors are causing problems for you or your pet. (Yes, there is a pet test, too!)
Isn’t it time you let your body start to work like it’s supposed to?