In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleUnderstanding CaloriesHow Many Calories Do You Need?What Do Calories in Food Mean?What’s the Link Between Calories and Body Weight?How to Count CaloriesFAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Understanding Calories
How Many Calories Do You Need?
What Do Calories in Food Mean?
What’s the Link Between Calories and Body Weight?
How to Count Calories
FAQs
Close
Photo: Getty Images
Calories are undeniably mentioned everywhere you turn—from food labels to restaurant menus, recipe blogs, food tracking applications and even news headlines. All the talk about calories may have you wondering why they are so important. Better yet, what exactly are calories, and how do they work? Or maybe you have a general understanding of what a calorie is, but you are unsure of how many you should consume in a single day. Wherever you stand in your knowledge of calories, you’ll learn more here. In this article, we break down what defines a calorie, factors to consider when determining your unique caloric intake, the link between calories and body weight, and the basics of calorie counting.
What Is Noom and Is It Healthy?
Nearly everything we consume has a calorie count, and those calories come from three energy sources—carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Macronutrient Calories per Gram:
Carbohydrates
Of the three macronutrients that provide energy,carbohydrates often get a bad rap. However, when you eat carbohydrates, your digestive tract breaks them down into a sugar called glucose—the primary fuel source for your brain, red blood cells and nervous system. Depending on the number of sugar molecules they contain, carbohydrates can be classified as eithersimple or complex. Simple carbs found in table sugar and fruit juice can be easily broken down and utilized as energy, but they can also cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. Simple carbs are also present in whole fruits. But because whole fruit is packed with dietary fiber, the sugars are broken down more slowly. Complex carbs found in unrefined whole grains, legumes and vegetables are also broken down more slowly—providing longer-lasting energy. For every gram of carbohydrate consumed, 4 kcal of energy are produced.
Fats
Dietary fats play a pivotal role in protecting vital organs, insulating the body, producing hormones, and aiding in absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K, per a 2019 article inAdvances in Nutrition. They can also be broken down and used as a source of energy. Although carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source, fats are more tightly packed and store larger amounts of energy in less space. Therefore, fats are the body’s main long-term energy storage molecules. In fact, when excess calories are consumed, they get stored in adipose (fat) tissue. One gram of dietary fat contains 9 kcal of energy—making fat the highest energy-yielding macronutrient. The higher amount of energy in fat comes in handy during prolonged low-to-moderate activities, such as taking a brisk walk or riding a bike. Foodsrich in nutritious dietary fatinclude butter, eggs, fatty fish, avocado, oil, nuts and seeds.
Protein
Although energy can be obtained fromprotein, the body prefers to use this macronutrient to repair tissues, synthesize immune-protective antibodies, create enzymes, produce hormones, balance pH, and transport nutrients in and out of your cells. This means that protein is rarely used as an energy source. In order to reserve protein for its primary functions, carbohydrates and fats are used as fuel first. Therefore, consuming adequate amounts of carbohydrates and fats is crucial to spare protein from being converted into energy, per theUC Davis Library. However, if the body is not receiving a sufficient supply of calories from carbohydrates and fats, protein can be broken down to provide 4 kcal per gram consumed.Protein-rich foodsinclude meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts and seeds.
According to the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the total number of calories an adult aged 19 to 59 requires daily ranges from 1,600 to 3,000 kcal. More specifically, adult females require about 1,600 to 2,400 kcal per day, while adult males need around 2,000 to 3,000 kcal per day. Of the total calories consumed, 45% to 65% should come from carbohydrates, 20% to 35% from fats and 10% to 35% from protein. To determine your individualized caloric needs, it is important to consider the following factors.
Basic Metabolic Functions
Your body requires a minimum number of calories to carry out the essential metabolic functions that sustain life. These basic functions include respiration, circulation, cell production, protein synthesis, nutrient processing and ion transport. The minimum number of calories needed to fuel these activities is referred to as your basal metabolic rate. BMR accounts for 60% to 75% of your body’s total energy expenditure, per a 2019 article published in theEncyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Multiple factors influence BMR, such as age, height, weight, body size, body composition, body temperature, climate, sex and hormone status. Therefore, caloric needs are unique for every individual.
Exercise
Another important component of energy expenditure is exercise. Caloric needs vary depending on the type, duration, frequency and intensity of physical activity. For people who make exercise a regular part of their routine, energy requirements must be sufficient to fuel and maintain muscle mass. Individuals with higher amounts of muscle mass tend to burn calories more quickly. On the other hand, those who are physically inactive and have less muscle mass burn calories slower. Therefore, strength training exercises can help to increase the rate at which calories are burned.
Other Factors to Consider
Working with your primary health care provider or a registered dietitian is the best way to identify your caloric needs in every life stage.
7 Signs You Might Not Be Eating Enough Calories
Certain foods may have the same number of calories, but not all sources of calories are created equal. When considering the number of calories in a particular food, it is also important to assess its total nutrient content.
Calorie-Dense vs. Nutrient-Dense
A food or beverage considered calorie-dense contains a high number of calories per serving; some of these foods also have few nutrients. According to theAmerican Heart Association, these foods are often high in saturated fat, added sugars and sodium. Several examples of calorically dense, nutrient-poor foods include pastries, cakes, candy, sugary drinks, fried foods and highly processed meats.
Conversely, nutrient-dense foods contain high levels of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals, and sometimes with fewer calories. Nutrient-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy products, fish and unprocessed lean meat. These foods provide essential nutritional components for good health.
The key to creating a well-balanced diet is choosing nutrient-dense foods and limiting calorie-dense foods that are also low in nutrients, within your caloric needs.
Although there are several factors to consider for weight management, caloric intake plays a significant role. To maintain a stable body weight, the amount of calories you take in must be the same as those you expend through basic metabolic functions and exercise. However, if you wish to lose or gain weight, here is what you should keep in mind.
Weight Loss
Weight Gain
When your caloric intake is consistently higher than the number of calories you burn, you enter into a calorie surplus and experience weight gain. If gaining weight is your goal, not only is it imperative to consume more calories, but you should also consider weight training to increase your body mass in muscle. To reach your daily caloric target, it may help to consume five to six meals spread out throughout the day. It is also crucial to prioritizehigh-calorie foods that are also high in nutrientsto ensure your weight gain is healthful.
The Bottom Line
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Frequently Asked Questions
When your caloric intake is consistently higher than the number of calories you burn, you enter into a calorie surplus and experience weight gain.
TheDietary Guidelinesrecommend that adults aged 19 to 59 consume 1,600 to 3,000 calories daily. More specifically, adult females require about 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, while adult males need around 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day.
According to theAHA, foods containing empty calories have very few nutrients and a high number of calories.
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