A Calorie is a measurement of heat; it’s a unit of energy, etc… This is correct but what does that mean?
By definition – A calorie is the energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. What does that mean to you and me when it comes to food? What is a Calorie in its most basic form and how can this be explained in the most clear and concise way possible?
A Calorie is simply the Fat, Carbohydrates, and Protein found in a food…PERIOD! When you check the Nutrition Facts on a food label, the total Calorie count at the top comes from adding all the Fat, Carbs, and Protein found in that food – it’s that simple! Cholesterol, Sodium, Vitamins and Minerals, etc. have absolutely nothing to do with the Calories because they’re not Calories… Figure out the total Calories in any food by using this simple formula:
1g of Fat = 9 Calories
1g of Carbs = 4 Calories
1g of Protein = 4 Calories
For example:
Vegetable oil has 14g’s of Fat, 0g’s of Carbs, and 0g’s of Protein:
14g Fat x 9cal = 126 Calories
0g Carb x 4cal = 0 Calories
0g Protein x 4cal = 0 Calories
So, one serving (1 tbsp – 15ml) of Vegetable oil has 126 total Calories.
If you were to ask a thousand people what a Calorie is, most would say “it’s the thing in food that makes us fat.” This couldn’t be more incorrect and for some reason, Calories have received a horrible reputation and are considered by many to be the enemy.
Now here’s the question? Which Calories are bad and which ones are good? I’ll explain this in my next post: “What is a Calorie part 2.”
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January 20, 2012
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