Protein, Carbs, Fat, Alcohol, how are calories calculated? What makes up our foods and why is it important to have a balance in our diets?
Calories are a measure of energy, the number we see on a label is how much energy will be given to our body when it is digested (metabolised) by the body. That number is made up of protein, carbohydrate and fat collectively called macronutrients or macro’s as they are commonly called.
These macro’s each have a different calorie value, and it’s worth noting that the labels are an estimate as measurements for food can alway vary (by unto 10%) when calculated.
So how do we know what is in each?
One common way of measuring food is using a device called a bomb calorimeter, this is an airtight chamber filled with pure oxygen and then placed in water, the food source is ignited and the change in water temperature measured to calculate the energy of the food source – all very cool. We should note that chemical analysis and the Atwater method are also used.
That calculation is not perfect as we work in a slightly different way to the chamber, this is because we use energy to replace muscle tissue, skin, hair and even mucus.
Tracking back slightly, I mentioned that each macronutrient has different energy value per gram:
Protein – 4 calories
Carbohydrates – 4 calories
Fat – 9 calories
And we’ll also include Alcohol at 7 calories.
The actually amount can vary, this could be down to the way it was measured, the structure of the food that was tested and even the way the food is prepared, as there is no guarantee that what we have matches the original test exactly. This is where the 10% deviation comes in.
Let’s take a look at each individually as they are not all created equally:
Protein – helps keep us satiated, feeling full for longer. Look for leaner options, these could be skinless poultry, fish and legumes. Protein helps to preserve lean muscle and is important in stabilising blood sugar. look for protein to be just over 1/3 of our plate.
Carbohydrates – Bright colours for the win, these typically have more fiber which aids with digestion, regulating blood sugar and help to lower cholesterol. Normally these should be about half of our plate – Carbs are not the enemy!
Fats – lot’s of talk about fats, good fats, bad fats the list goes on, healthy fats such as nuts, seeds including options like avocado and olive oil are all good choices here, fats help us to absorb nutrients whilst keeping us full, the key is to keep them to the last 10th of our plate, they can be very good for us but portion size is very important.
Whilst calories play a huge role in our weight loss or gain, ensuring we are moving and using that energy also helps.
Changes to diet should be steady and allow our body time to adapt, small changes lead to the best results over a longer period, that is true for both weight change and keeping that change.
Would you like some help with calorie intake? Speak to a member of team SF on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.