Counting calories

The NYT food blogger, Marc Bittman weighs in today (pun intended) on the new book coauthored by Marion Nestle, called "Calories Count".  The book makes the point, which is disputed by the fast food industry that the kind of calories you put into your body, not the absolute number is what controls your weight.  A diet high in fruits and vegetables may have as many calories as a donut and bacon diet, but the high fiber content of the former means many of the calories are never absorbed by the body and so never convert to the stubborn fat deposits so many of us carry.  Of course, not too many good ol boys and their female equivalent are trolling the NYT website, or reading books on nutrition, so I doubt Ms. Nestle is doing much more than preaching to the choir.  However, she does make the point the fast food and value added industry don't want to have generally known, namely you can take control of what you put in your mouth and become healthier by doing so.  Also, she advocates a ban on all food advertising directed at children.  Of course that has as much chance of being acted on by Congress as we have of a snowstorm on the NCR today.  It will be 80 degrees and sunny today.