Other experts agree that the emphasis on calories is misguided (not to mention downright dangerous for those with eating disorders ). “Five hundred calories of soda has a much different impact on hunger hormones, blood sugar, energy, and fat storage than 500 calories of Brussels sprouts,” says Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, RD, manager of the clinical nutrition center for functional medicine at Cleveland Clinic. “Even with the same number of calories, then, there can be a huge difference in the way that our bodies respond to our calories and in how much we want to eat.”