The British Nutrition Foundation is launching a concept referred to because the "quality calorie", to make folks suppose additional in regards to the varieties of food they eat.
While most adults consume additional than they need, merely counting vitality and slicing down is now not enough, it says.
It needs folks to seem at nutritional values to choose the best calories.
Public Health England stated more vitality had been the foundation cause of weight troubles and tackling the subject was a priority.
Calculate what quantity of vitality you need
Can you lose weight without counting calories?
200-400 vitality recipes
Calories supply folks vitality - women desire about 2,000 a day and men 2,500.
Public Health England suggests:
400 at breakfast
600 at lunch
600 at dinner
leaving room for a couple of healthy drinks and snacks
Food packaging will tell you what quantity of vitality (kcal) the contents have - but working out the healthiest choice might be trickier.
A 30g handful of nuts comprises about 174kcal, similar to a few of chocolate digestives, but it the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) says nuts are good calories, making them a good snack, while the biscuits are not
An avocado comprises lots of good nutrients even though it has additional calorific value than many other contemporary fruits and vegetables, making its vitality "quality" too
A low calorie beer is now not nutritious
High v low
High-calorie food are often a lot a lot less healthy but now now not always. And these bought as low-calorie may also additionally just now now not be the healthiest.
Low-calorie means:
40 vitality or a lot a lot less per serving if it is a food
20kcal per 100ml if it is a drink
'Zero' calories
Manufacturers are allowed to declare their food is calorie-free if a serving has fewer than five vitality - but these still count.
A can of weight-reduction plan "zero" fizzy drink comprises about 10kcal - the similar as a small (30g) carrot. The carrot has the good calories, while the fizzy drink doesn't
Empty calories
Experts often discuss over with alcohol - but any food or drink high in sugar but low in nutritional value might be stated to have empty calories.
A lollipop can contain about 45kcal, only fairly additional than an apple - but these vitality are empty, while these from an apple are quality
Hidden calories
When folks say hidden calories, they mean food or drinks higher in vitality than most folks would perhaps expect.
A 125g pot of low-fat fruit yogurt can contain additional than 100kcals - additional than a chocolate-covered digestive biscuit. A plain yogurt with a couple of berries or a sprinkle of low-sugar granola might be a higher good calorie choice, says the BNF
Dining out calories
About a quarter of vitality now come from food and drink consumed outside of the home, according to government research.
Increasingly, cafes, coffee shops and restaurants are making calorie information additional visible. But it might still be tough to hold track, exceptionally for the ones who add additional ingredients and flavours to your purchase.
A regular latte coffee (made with semi-skimmed milk) comprises about 78kcal. Add a few vanilla syrup, and you'll have additional than doubled it to about 175kcal without gaining any good calories
Getting it right
According to Public Health England, a healthy weight-reduction plan should include:
lots of fruit and vegetables
some starchy food akin to wholegrain bread, pasta and rice
some protein from meat, fish, dairy or pulses
a little little bit of fat
Things to cut down on are:
sugary fizzy drinks
alcoholic drinks
sugary breakfast cereals
cakes
biscuits
pastries
A body mass index calculator can help you judge in case you are a healthy weight or not.
If you do should lose weight, NHS Choices says goal to lose about 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) each week via consuming about 500-600kcal fewer a day than you need.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: "We merely should boost the nation's weight-reduction plan but more vitality are the foundation cause of weight troubles - this is why we are working with the food trade to scale again sugar and vitality in each day foods."
Dr Frankie Phillips, from the British Dietetics Association, said: "If you are consuming too many calories, then you definately really should be slicing down but besides making sure these you are consuming depend for additional in words of nutrition. It's about getting value in your calories.
"Focusing on just one nutrient, like slicing down on only fat or sugar or calories, runs the danger of missing out on most important nutrients."