Discretionary calories are those calories that are consumed when the required nutrients are already satisfied. These calories are associated with higher-fat foods (cheese, meat, etc), as well as high-sugar foods (syrup, soda, candy, etc). A healthy diet composed of highly nutritive foods may allow discretionary calories in order to fulfill calorie intake. However, it is important to highlight that discretionary calories often have a negative impact on human health, leading to obesity-associated conditions such as, among others, diabetes, heart dysfunctions and metabolic disorders.
