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From other websitesContent disclaimerContent on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. A calorie is a unit of energy. In nutrition, calories refer to the energy people get from the food and drink they consume, and the energy they use in physical activity. Calories are listed in the nutritional information on all food packaging. Many weight loss programs center around reducing the intake of calories. This MNT Knowledge Center article focuses on calories associated with food and drink, as well as the way the human body uses energy. MNT covers what a calorie is, how many calories humans need each day, and how to get calories in a way that benefits overall health. Share on PinterestThe nutritional information on all food packaging will advise how many calories it contains. Most people only associate calories with food and drink, but anything that contains energy has calories. 1 kilogram (kg) of coal, for example, contains 7,000,000 calories. There are two types of calorie:
1 kcal is equal to 1,000 cal. The terms “large calorie” and “small calorie” are often used interchangeably. This is misleading. The calorie content described on food labels refers to kilocalories. A 250-calorie chocolate bar actually contains 250,000 calories. The United States government states that the average man needs 2,700 kcal per day and the average woman needs 2,200 kcal per day. Not everybody needs the same number of calories each day. People have different metabolisms that burn energy at different rates, and some people have more active lifestyles than others. The recommended intake of calories per day depends on several factors, including:
The human body needs calories to survive. Without energy, the cells in the body would die, the heart and lungs would stop, and the organs would not be able to carry out the basic processes needed for living. People absorb this energy from food and drink. If people consumed only the number of calories needed every day, they would probably have healthy lives. Calorie consumption that is too low or too high will eventually lead to health problems. The number of calories in food tells us how much potential energy they contain. It is not only calories that are important, but also the substance from which the calories are taken. Below are the calorific values of three main components of food:
As an example, here is the breakdown of how a person would get calories from one cup of large eggs, weighing 243 g: Fat: 23.11 g 23.11 g x 9 kcal = 207.99 kcal Protein: 30.52 g 30.52 x 4 kcal = 122.08 kcal Carbohydrate: 1.75 g 1.75 x 4 kcal = 7 kcal 243 g of raw egg contains 347 kcal. 208 kcal comes from fat, 122 kcal is taken from protein, and carbohydrate provides 7 kcal. Fast food in American dietsResearchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report in 2013 showing that 11.3 percent of calories consumed by people in the U.S. come from fast foods. Nutritionists and healthcare professionals say this figure is too high. As people get older, they tend to get fewer of their daily calories from fast foods. Fast foods make up only 6 percent of the daily calorie intake of older adults. However, with the number of highly calorific meals served in restaurants or aimed at younger individuals, it is important that people pay close attention to where they get their calories. When should you eat?Share on PinterestA hearty breakfast can help the body to use calories more effectively.The time of day at which a person eats can shape how effectively their body uses calories. Researchers at Tel Aviv University wrote in the journal Obesity that a large breakfast containing approximately 700 kcal is ideal for losing weight and lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. A large breakfast may help to control body weight. When people eat matters as much as what they eat. Empty calories are those that provide energy but very little nutritional value. The parts of food that provide empty calories contain virtually no dietary fiber, amino acids, antioxidants, dietary minerals, or vitamins. According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, a diet management tool from the USDA, empty calories come mainly from solid fats and added sugars.
Added sugars and solid fats are said to make foods and drinks more enjoyable. However, they also add many calories and are major contributors to obesity. Alcohol can also contribute empty calories to the diet. One normal serving of beer can add 153 kcal to a person’s intake for the day. If beer is not your drink of choice, you can use this calorie calculator provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to work out how many calories alcohol adds to your diet. Sources of empty caloriesThe following foods and drinks provide the largest amounts of empty calories: Solid fats and added sugars
Solid fats
Added sugars
Sugary drinks are the leading source of empty calories for people in the U.S. Share on PinterestSugary drinks are the main source of empty calories for people in the U.S.More than half of all people in the U.S. have at least one sugary drink each day. There are ways of sourcing products with less solid fat or empty sugars. Rather than choosing the standard hot dog or a fatty cheese, for example, a person could choose low-fat options for either. However, even the lower-fat options are no replacement for calories consumed from sources that also provide nutritional benefit. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association (AHA), shared the following with MNT:
The intake of empty calories can be avoided or dramatically reduced by incorporating fresh, healthy food and drink into the diet. Calories seem to be linked only to weight gain and obesity, but they are vital for health. They only pose a health risk when people consume more than the recommended amount. When thinking about calories, you should not be considering just your diet but also your level of physical activity. A high intake of calories can be countered with regular, high-intensity exercise. |