Beyond Calories: What Your Body Really Needs
08-06-2026 | 5 mins
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08-06-2026 | 5 mins
When we think of health as adults, we mostly associate it with how many calories we are consuming. We hear people talking about eating fewer calories, moving more, sitting less, having only one or two meals a day and so on.1
So, the question arises does our body need just calories? Human body doesn’t need just calories, it requires adequate, balanced nutrition, at every physical and emotional level.
Researchers are challenging the traditional model used of ‘calories in, calories out’ pointing out that quality of nutrients, hormones, muscle strength, gut health, metabolism, dietary patterns, immunity, emotional well-being are the real determinants of health and wellbeing2
Recent research has shown that metabolism is impacted by macronutrient intake.
Beyond calories these macronutrients affect metabolic health.3
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals required by our bodies to support immune system, act as cofactors for enzymes, maintain hormonal & neurological balance etc.
People consuming enough calories may possibly have micronutrient deficiencies A recent review depicted that micronutrients deficiencies also termed as ‘hidden hunger’ can have major health consequences like weakened immunity, impaired cognitive health and also affect metabolic health.
Oxygen transport is affected by iron deficiency; deficiency of Vitamin D will hamper calcium absorption, immune and bone health; zinc and magnesium will affect the regulation of metabolic enzymes and B vitamins will affect energy metabolism.4
Research highlights that the bacteria living in our gut are collectively called as gut microbiota. A balanced and diverse microbiota help in efficient nutrient absorption, metabolism and innate immunity, imbalance or dysbiosis of the microbiota that is caused due to antibiotics, drugs, pesticides, unhealthy diets etc. can cause metabolic dysfunction, inflammatory conditions and obesity. Nourishing the gut through balanced nutrition which includes pre and probiotics, and micronutrient rich foods is important to support metabolic health..5
Recent research has highlighted that synchronizing food consumption with circadian rhythms(chrono-nutrition) is an affordable, adjustable approach to enhance and improve metabolic health. Research also points that in the absence of calorie restriction, time restricted eating like limiting food consumption to morning and afternoon has shown great benefits for weight management, regularizing lipid profile, blood glucose regulation and mitochondrial efficiency. Timing of the meals are very important just like the portions and the quality of the meals, and they play a vital role in maintaining metabolic health.6
Hormones, enzymes and metabolic pathways work together in symphony to regulate how our bodies use energy (metabolism). Recent research depicts that individual metabolic responses are governed by hormones that control appetite, energy storage and nutrient utilization. Insulin, ghrelin, leptin and cortisol are the hormones that regulate glucose metabolism, fat storage and hunger signals. When this balance is disturbed, due to chronic stress, poor diet quality and irregular eating patterns, it disrupts the normal metabolism which can cause insulin resistance, diabetes, heart issues etc. This symphony of regulatory hormones requires support of balanced nutrition consistently.2
Emotional and behavioural factors play an important role in maintaining good health. Emotional influences can alter hunger signals, cause hunger pangs and in turn hamper metabolism. Chronic stress activates cortisol levels which causes increased food cravings, increased appetite and weight gain over a period of time.2,7,8
Age, genetics, emotional, behavioral and lifestyle factors affect overall wellbeing. Nurturing our gut, managing stress, regularizing sleep and aligning eating patterns with circadian rhythms can support our health. Due to our current fast-paced lifestyle, we often fail to consume the nutrients required by our bodies in adequate amounts to support all the factors mentioned above vital for good health. Inclusion of scientifically developed nutritional beverage like Complan VieMax along with regular diet can help to bridge this gap in adults. Complan VieMax contains high-quality protein that supports muscle strength , it contains calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium and manganese to support bone health and muscle strength. It supports gut wellness as it has prebiotics–fructo-oligosaccharides and probiotic–Bacillus coagulans Unique IS-2. It is enriched with a total of 31 vital nutrients to support immunity, strength and overall gut wellbeing and gives backing to our bodies beyond empty calories.
1. Bertozzi, B., Tosti, V., & Fontana, L. (2017). Beyond calories: An integrated approach to promote health, longevity, and well-being. Gerontology, 63(1), 13–19. https://doi.org/10.1159/000446346
2. Theodorakis, N., Kreouzi, M., Pappas, A., & Nikolaou, M. (2024). Beyond Calories: Individual Metabolic and Hormonal Adaptations Driving Variability in Weight Management-A State-of-the-Art Narrative Review. International journal of molecular sciences, 25(24), 13438. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252413438
3. Stanhope, K. L., Goran, M. I., Bosy-Westphal, A., King, J. C., Schmidt, L. A., Schwarz, J. M., Stice, E., Sylvetsky, A. C., Turnbaugh, P. J., Bray, G. A., Gardner, C. D., Havel, P. J., Malik, V., Mason, A. E., Ravussin, E., Rosenbaum, M., Welsh, J. A., Allister-Price, C., Sigala, D. M., Greenwood, M. R. C., … Krauss, R. M. (2018). Pathways and mechanisms linking dietary components to cardiometabolic disease: Thinking beyond calories. Obesity Reviews, 19(9), 1205–1235. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12699
4. Elegbeleye, J. A., Fayemi, O. E., Agbemavor, W. S. K., Krishnamoorthy, S., Adebowale, O. J., Adeyanju, A. A., Mkhabela, B., & Bamidele, O. P. (2025). Beyond calories: Addressing micronutrient deficiencies in the world’s most vulnerable communities—A review. Nutrients, 17(24), 3960. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243960
5. Valdes, A. M., Walter, J., Segal, E., & Spector, T. D. (2018). Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health. BMJ, 361, k2179. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2179
6. Reytor-González, C., Simancas-Racines, D., Román-Galeano, N. M., & others. (2025). Chrononutrition and energy balance: How meal timing and circadian rhythms shape weight regulation and metabolic health. Nutrients, 17(13), 2135. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17132135
7. Chao, A. M., Jastreboff, A. M., White, M. A., Grilo, C. M., & Sinha, R. (2017). Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight. Obesity, 25(4), 713–720. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21790
8. van Egmond, L. T., Meth, E. M. S., Engström, J., Ilemosoglou, M., Keller, J. A., Vogel, H., & Benedict, C. (2023). Effects of acute sleep loss on leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin in adults with healthy weight and obesity: A laboratory study. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 31(3), 635–641. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23616
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