How to count calories
In the craze for healthy eating and weight management, calorie counting has become a focus for many people. Understanding how to accurately calculate food calories not only helps control weight, but also provides scientific basis for fitness and nutrition. This article will introduce the calculation method of calories in detail and attach the calorie data table of common foods.
1. What are calories?

Calorie is a unit for measuring food energy. 1 calorie represents the amount of heat required to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. In nutrition, "kcal" is usually used as the unit, 1 kcal = 1000 calories.
2. How to calculate the calories of food?
Food calories mainly come from three major nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. The calories provided per gram of nutrients are as follows:
| Nutrients | Calories (kcal/g) |
|---|---|
| carbohydrates | 4 |
| protein | 4 |
| fat | 9 |
Calculation formula:Total Calories = Grams of Carbs x 4 + Grams of Protein x 4 + Grams of Fat x 9
3. Calorie content of common foods
The following are the caloric reference values of some common foods (per 100 grams):
| food name | Calories (kcal) | Carbohydrates (grams) | Protein (grams) | Fat (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 130 | 28.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| chicken breast | 165 | 0 | 31 | 3.6 |
| avocado | 160 | 8.5 | 2 | 14.7 |
| eggs | 143 | 0.7 | 12.6 | 9.5 |
4. Things to note when counting calories
1.Impact of food processing methods: Cooking methods such as frying and sautéing will increase the fat content of food, thereby significantly increasing calories.
2.Hide heat: Condiments (such as salad dressings, soy sauce) and beverages (such as juices, carbonated drinks) may contain large amounts of hidden calories.
3.individual differences: Factors such as age, gender, weight and activity level will affect the total daily calorie requirements.
5. Daily Calorie Requirements Reference
According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the daily caloric requirements of adults are as follows:
| crowd | Daily caloric requirements (kcal) |
|---|---|
| light physical activity women | 1800-2000 |
| Light physical activity for men | 2200-2400 |
| Moderately physically active women | 2000-2200 |
| Moderately physically active men | 2400-2800 |
6. Tool recommendation
1.food scale: Accurately measure food weight.
2.Nutrition Calculation App: Such as MyFitnessPal, Mint Health, etc., you can quickly check food calories.
3.food labels: The nutrition facts table of prepackaged foods is a direct source of data.
By scientifically counting calories, you can plan your diet more rationally and achieve your health goals. However, it should be noted that calories are only one aspect of a healthy diet. Balanced nutrition and diverse intake are equally important.
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