All drinkables and eatable products, except water, contain calories.

When we hear something about diet, exercise, food, or nutrition, one word that usually strikes to mind is “CALORIE.”

Energy can be measured in terms of calories. It can be derived from different sources, such as coal, gas, and food. A book named “History of the Calorie in Nutrition” define calories as;

“Amount of energy required as heat to increase the temperature of the water, from 0 to 1 of 1 kilogram of water.”

• Calories measure energy and are essential for bodily functions, derived from all foods except water.
• The body processes calories from nutrient-rich foods differently, emphasizing mindful eating for effective weight management.
• Empty calories from sugary drinks and processed foods lack nutritional value, contributing to weight gain.
• Sleep quality significantly impacts calorie metabolism and weight management.
• High-calorie foods like nuts, oils, and dark chocolate support weight gain when needed.
• Proper portion control and hydration can aid in calorie management and prevent overeating.

Calorie consumption cannot be specified to a constant value. It depends on the different factors that help to calculate BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate).

“Amount of calories required for the complete functioning of the body.”

BMR is calculated by the Harris-Benedict formula, in which different factors like height, age, sex, body composition, and weight history.

Basal Metabolic Rate in female = 655 + (9.6 × weight in kilogram) + (1.8 × height in centimetres) – (4.7 × age in years)

Basal Metabolic Rate in male = 66 + (13.7 × weight in kilogram) + (5 × height in centimetres) – (6.8 × age in years)

A review by PubMed Central in 2010 states that weight training can enhance lean muscle working and reduce fat accumulation that can increase BMR.

The composition of the body is the main factor that affects BMR. Other factors are as follows:

Metabolic needs decline with age. At the child’s growing age, the metabolism rate is very high. In older age, muscles lose their tenderness, and fat accumulates. It ultimately led to a decrease in fat-burning activity.

There is a difference in the BMR of men and women. This is because men have an increased number of muscles rather than fat. Therefore, their metabolism activity is more as compared to females.

A review by NIH also stated in their research that it is due to their ability to regenerate.

The calorie-burning activity of the muscle is more than fats. Therefore, people who are fit and active can burn fat more easily than obese. You can burn calories other than what the body burns each day through workouts and different physical activities.

Many people cut down their calorie intake immediately because they fear becoming obese. Body cells cannot work properly without energy, which eventually causes cell death. 

Metabolism of the body is affected by the sleeping pattern of a person. Poor sleep quality and staying late at night can harm the health and calorie-burning activity of the body. Amazingly, we lose weight while sleeping, sweating, and breathing. 

The fat-burning efficiency environment around your sleeping place also affects your sleeping quality. Therefore, we should turn off all electrical equipment like mobile phones to decrease calorie count.

A report in a review by PubMed (2016) stated that healthcare professionals became fat after 3 months of night shifts. This shows that sleep disruption makes a person obese, irrespective of eating habits.

It can also develop some metabolic diseases because of the increase in the chances of associated risk factors.

Some surprising facts about calories are listed below: 

Tea and cold drinks add fewer calories to the diet. It depends upon the calories, whether solid or liquid, because our brain does not respond to liquid calories as they are too solid. 

Sugar-containing drinks increase weight and exhibit harmful effects on health. If a person is obese, food, fats, and sugar-containing drinks should be avoided. 

The variable amount of sugars added in these drinks are sucrose and heavy-corn syrup containing fructose. Therefore, for a healthy lifestyle, we should maintain a balance in the quantity of sugar

1tsp of White Sugar = 16 Calories

1tbsp of White Sugar = 49 Calories

White sugar does not contain any nutrition, so the number of calories a person consumes, while eating white sugar is empty calories. Thus, a substitute for white sugar is used due to its nutritional value. Brown sugar is refined white sugar, but unfortunately, it is just a parable.

1tsp of Brown Sugar = 17 Calories

Some calories add zero or a few calories to the diet of no nutritional value. Nutrients are a requirement for human survival. Water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals are essential for living. 

More than half of the population in the world prefers to take one sugar drink in the form of a cold drink, coffee, and tea. 

Studies conducted at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill revealed that Americans take 83 calories from sweeteners, also known as “Empty Calories.” For instance:

¼ Serving Cup-sized Pancake = 210 Calories

Empty calories are also present in oil and fat-rich foods. Although, there is a difference in the number of calories present in fats and proteins. Calories in fats are almost double in amount to the calories in proteins. For instance,

2 grams of fat = Around 18 calories

2 grams of protein = Around 8 calories

Mayonnaise, fast food, crackers, and frozen foods contain many calories. These days people want to avoid cooking their food at home because of their busy schedules. Thus, they like it better to buy it from a food café. Choosing these kinds of food is not a healthy choice.

People who diet to lose weight share a common practice of counting calories. You can use a calorie calculator. In Wright’s opinion, humans can take up to 2000 calories per day, but she revealed a general fact. 

She further adds that the requirement for calories depends on many factors, like a person’s daily activities. We can cut down, add, or count calories by taking energy from food and drinks, but they are very important for a healthy lifestyle. 

We cannot lose weight by changing eating habits only, as it can cause damaging effects on health. 

Additionally, we can do a lot of exercises and strenuous activities that aid in burning calories rather than counting on them.

Many people quit their weight loss diet because they feel like starving to death. It happens because they do not plan their eating schedule accurately. 

You can reduce your weight by eating your favorite food with low fat. If a person takes food that provides about 800 calories per day, it is better to consult a nutritionist. A moderate amount of fats (18g) does not make a person obese. 

Estimating the number of fats can be done by getting information from authentic online apps and reading nutrition labels’ facts and values.

Sleeping habit is another factor that influences calorie consumption. A review by PubMed (2017) states that bad sleeping patterns urge people to eat more and result in obesity.

Some people want to gain weight due to their illness. It is difficult to gain weight during diseases like cancer, hyperthyroidism, Diabetes (Type 1)) and diarrhea. If you want to gain weight, add high-caloric fruits to your diet. 

Adding 500 to 600 calories to your diet, eating five to six times a day, and taking more fats increase your weight. You can gain weight by adding soft drinks and using more milk daily.

It is a commitment to yourself for a better future. Your living standard defines your life. You can adopt some ways to live a healthier life, such as;

Body organs require energy for their proper functioning. It helps the lungs to breathe and the heart to beat. However, taking an active part in daily activities like playing games and watching movies can burn adequate calories.

During strenuous activities, the body uses calories in the form of energy. By increasing vigorous activities in the daily routine, we can burn calories in a sufficient amount. For instance, weightlifting can burn more calories than walking. 

Metabolism is a special process used to convert nutrition obtained from food into energy. The calories in the food are processed through this intricate process. Oxygen is combined with these calories and yields energy. 

The body uses this energy for its efficient working. Furthermore, when the body is resting, it is still busy converting energy, thus helping the cell properly function. 

Digestion, absorption, and food transportation are different body processes that use calories. Around 10-12 calories are consumed from the food to function these processes.

It is suggested that the calorie intake should equal the calories the body uses for daily operations. 

Fruits are the healthiest substances in our daily diet. However, many people do not like to eat fruits; they prefer to drink fruit juice rather than eat fruits, which can prove harmful. However, fruits can fill the stomach earlier when compared to other products and thus are not consumed in excessive amounts. 

Some fruits are mentioned below with their amount of calories.

Apples are the most nutritious and popular fruit in the world. One apple provides almost 60 calories and dietary fiber. It provides different flavonoids, minerals, and vitamins.

Grapefruit is a citrus fruit well known for its flavor and nutritional value. There are 36 calories in grapefruit. It has various uses for health and diet purposes. Usually, grapefruit is used to develop immunity against infections and helps to prevent insulin resistance. 

Strawberry contain only 41 calories. It is used to prevent certain diseases related to the brain and cardiac. It contains vitamins, folate, potassium, and manganese. It aids in the prevention of some diseases like cardiovascular problems and cancer.

There are only 30 calories in 100 grams of watermelon. It keeps the skin and body hydrated and is considered one of the best weight-loss fruits. Over 80% of watermelon is water, and it contains arginine (a good fat burner). 

Papaya is a round and orangish fruit, usually grown in tropical areas. One papaya has about 60 calories, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. The major functions of papaya are it aids in the digestion process and protects the eyes. 

When it comes to food, people like to eat a lot, for instance, in buffets. Therefore, to consume the correct number of calories, we should divide the food into small portions to avoid overeating. While eating, do not make yourself busy doing other activities because different studies showed it makes the person eat more.

There are different ways to control portion size. Some of them are listed below:

An ingenious trick can save you and your family from severe health issues. If your cooked dish is sufficient for 2 people, increase the portion to 4 by adding some healthy stuff, for instance, salad and protein-rich food.

Plates used in regular practice are large and deep, which urges one to eat and consume more calories. The cutlery used by our ancestors was sufficient in size for eating food, so we should use traditional crockery.

Always consult the nutritionist before following a diet plan. They are experts in estimating the calories in your daily diet. When people hang out with friends and family, they usually do not take care of their food and order calorie-rich food. Experts prefer to keep it simple when you move out to eat.

It is the most practiced technique used by people in our society. Usually, people replace their oily food with healthy and low-fat food products. Vegetables and fibrous eatables are considered ideal for this purpose. Instead of drinking black tea and soft drinks, people add green tea to their routine.

Water does not contain any calories or fats. It is a beneficial act to drink a glass of water 30 minutes before starting your meal. 

Researchers proved that drinking up to 500 ml of water reduces weight by about 45% in some weeks. Water fills the stomach earlier and prevents the person from eating more. 

Differences in the metabolic system of humans result in differences in the digestion of food. We can estimate the number of calories in our food by measuring the average amount of fats. Our body deals with several fruits according to energy expenditure. 

A healthy diet contains low-fat milk, fish, nuts, and less saturated fats. To summarize, one should manage the calorie and energy density while eating. Our muscles become weak and lean if we take in more calories than the body needs for daily activities. 

We should know the correct amount of calories in every food because it will help maintain the body’s weight.