What is Calorie Counting?

What Is A Calorie?

When we talk about eating or exercising, we usually speak in terms of calories. Menus for restaurants will list the number of calories for each meal. Treadmills display the number of calories consumed. Dieters track calories every day at mealtimes, while others exclaim that calories aren't important on weekends.

What exactly is a calorie in the first place?

"The calorie is nothing more than a measurement, just like inches or kilowatts," says Lauri Wright who is an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics in the University of North Florida and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "It just represents how much energy is contained in the food or how much energy is used by the body."

What's in a Calorie

When we speak of calories in our bodies as well as in our food , the issue is really kilogramcalories, Wright states.

A calorie, sometimes called a small calorie, is the quantity of energy needed to heat 1 gram of water to one degree Celsius. There are 1000 of these calories in a Kilocalorie or large calories. It determines the amount of energy required to increase the volume of water in a kilogram to one degree Celsius. From a scientific perspective, when we use the term "calorie" on nutrition labels or menus, and on counters for calories, they actually refer to kilocalories. (This article will use "calories" to refer to "kilocalories.")

Researchers can determine how much energy specific fuel or food has by burning it in a device called a bomb calorimeter. The heat produced by the reaction can raise the temperature of the water inside the device. The amount of temperature change is a measure of the energy in the food according to Wright.

A bomb calorimeter. (Credit: MEDIAIMAG/Shutterstock)

Foods are packed with calories in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates, including sugars, are mostly found in fruits, vegetables and grain products. Protein can be found in beans, nuts , meats, and legumes. Healthy fats are derived from fruit oils, plant oils, the fatty fish and vegetables.

Carbs and proteins both contain four calories per gram. In contrast, fats have 9 calories per gram, Wright says. In order to generate energy, the organs convert these nutrients into glucose. Simple sugar is the fuel for all processes within the body.about:blank

However, not every energy that comes from these nutrients is of the same caliber however. Our bodies were designed to use carbohydrates as sources of energy, as per Wright. Carbs are made up of numerous glucose molecules that are linked according to her explanation, and our bodies are able to break down into energy units that are capable of being broken down into smaller units. Fats and proteins are converted to glucose. This means that they are less efficient within the body.

Wright compares the human body to an engine for a luxury vehicle. The high-end cars are usually built to run on premium gasoline, which has more Octane. When you put regular gasoline to the tank, the engine is still operating however, it will not run as smoothly. This is also true for our bodies. The engine can run well on carbohydrates, but not so smoothly with proteins and even more so on fats.

This is the reason why Wright declares that she along with other nutritionists aren't a fan of keto-based diets. "Those ketones are alternate energy, so it's almost like putting leaded gasoline in your engine," Wright states.

Proteins and fats can be used in other ways within the body, aside from being fuel sources Wright says. Proteins, such as those, are great for building muscle or antibodies to fight illness. Omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fatty acids help your body to absorb vitamins and reducing the chance of developing heart disease and diabetes type 2 as reported by the Mayo Clinic.

It is essential to get your calories from various sources. (Credit: Ekaterina Kondratova/Shutterstock)

Counting Calories

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The general dietary guidelines suggest that an adult female consumes around 2500 calories every day, and the average adult male consumes around 2,500, Wright says. Although these figures are an estimation of calories required, the exact requirements vary between individuals Wright adds. The amount of energy your body needs is dependent on many aspects, including your level of activity and age, along with the height of your body, and many other factors.

If you consume more calories than you can consume during the day the body converts the energy that it's lost into muscles (short-term storage) or fat tissues (long-term storage). It's a way to protect itself in the event that you're not getting enough nutrients for your body. It will draw on the reserves of these stores to power itself. "The body once again is this amazing machine," Wright affirms.

In excess energy consumption, it can cause weight gain and health problems. One of the primary causes for weight gain within the U.S., where obesity affects more than 93 million adults are the foods that are a source of "empty calories." Soda is among them, Wright says. It's not nutritious and is stuffed with calories. If you are eating it, it's crucial to get the best bang for your buck she advises. Foods that supply calories and other nutrients like minerals, vitamins protein, and fiber.

In the final analysis, calories aren't the enemy, Wright says. Many people who want to lose weight are obsessed about the amount of calories they consume. However in reality, you need to think about calories as a function of your individual energy requirements Wright says.

If you're creating a list of calories or not, they're simply a measurement of energy. Making the most out of your energy is up to you.