Should you count calories?
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Bomb Calorimeter
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Human digestive tract
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Calories are the amount of heat energy that are released when a substance is burned. The complicated lab equipment pictured above is the tool used by food labs determine the Calorie values on nutrition labels. It's called a bomb calorimeter. Calories are real.
The human body (pictured to the right) isn't a bomb calorimeter. It is a complex biologic organism. Macronutrients (Fat, protein, carbohydrates, alcohol) cause unique responses in human biology. If all calories were the same, it wouldn't matter if you ate 100 calories in gummy bears or 100 calories in kale, tuna or coke. But it does matter. Although both carbs and protein contain about the same number of calories per gram, the body expends more energy digesting proteins.
Depending on what is eaten, the body subconsciously decides if it wants to keep eating or when it wants to stop.
I was taught throughout my schooling that because fat was the most energy dense macronutrient (9 Cal/gram) it was the most fattening. Sounds logical. Carbs are less energy dens (4 Cal/gram)
The human body (pictured to the right) isn't a bomb calorimeter. It is a complex biologic organism. Macronutrients (Fat, protein, carbohydrates, alcohol) cause unique responses in human biology. If all calories were the same, it wouldn't matter if you ate 100 calories in gummy bears or 100 calories in kale, tuna or coke. But it does matter. Although both carbs and protein contain about the same number of calories per gram, the body expends more energy digesting proteins.
Depending on what is eaten, the body subconsciously decides if it wants to keep eating or when it wants to stop.
I was taught throughout my schooling that because fat was the most energy dense macronutrient (9 Cal/gram) it was the most fattening. Sounds logical. Carbs are less energy dens (4 Cal/gram)
