Few people know that a Mr Wilbur Atwater from the US was the first person to devise a system for giving foods a calorie value. Most nutritionists would agree that calories are the primary thing to watch for those wanting to lose weight, but simply counting calories by totting up what is on the package may not be the only answer to successful weight management…

What most people may not know is that the text of food, the way it is cooked, and the way it is digested all impact the amount of energy which your body is actually able to absorb from the food. That is why eating whole wheat pasta is “better” for you than normal pasta; the more fibre there is in food, for example, the more the body has to work to digest it for you (and the fewer calories you will therefore take away from it).

However, it doesn’t look like current system in place for measuring the energy content of food is going anywhere fast. So for those of you trying to lose weight, don’t scrap your calorie counter just yet. But given a choice between two foods with equal amounts of calories, it’s a good rule of thumb to always go for the one with more fibre and more protein.