How many calories should you eat a day? all about calories

Calories are still in the eye of the hurricane. The ultimate reason lies in the oversized value that is given to body image and the specific model of slenderness that we have all accepted as the ideal figure.

We have also learned that an important factor that contributes to the final design of the figure is diet, and in particular the energetic balance, that is to say, the relation between the calories that are ingested and those that the body expends. This is an important factor, without a doubt, although not the only one.

The history of calories began with the French chemist Lavoisierwhen he demonstrated in the 18th century that the life of organisms is only possible thanks to the combustion of food in the presence of oxygen.

He invented the calorimeter, a device for Determine the specific heat of substances. Thanks to this, it has been possible measure and express in the form of calories the amount of energy that food contains and that consumed by the body for its functions.

A kilocalorie is the heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree, specifically, from 14.5 ºC to 15.5 ºC.

In practice, In the field of nutrition and especially in colloquial language, the kilocalorie (kcal) is used less and less, and for convenience we talk about calories, as if it were the same. Thus, when it is said that 1 gram of sugar contains 4 calories, it is actually 4 kilocalories.

How many calories should you eat a day?

Today it is admitted that an adult man with regular physical activity has an energy expenditure of about 2,700 kilocalories per day (2,000 in the case of women).

ANDThis expense includes that of basal metabolism (to maintain the basic functions of the organism), that of the specific dynamic action (for the digestion and absorption of food) and that of the muscle activity.

Under usual conditions, carbohydrates should provide 50 to 60% of the total caloric value of the diet, fat 30 to 35%, and protein 12 to 15%.

Maintaining a caloric balance is essential. Quantitative imbalances lead to weight gain or loss, and qualitative ones, nutritional deficiencies or excesses, as well as metabolic disorders.

The reduction of activities that require movement thanks to the improvement of Technological resources have led to today’s daily caloric needs being lower than in the past. For example, it is not the same to plow a field with a tractor than manually or to go walking than by car.

How should the distribution of calories be?

It is currently recommended that breakfast provides 20-25% of total daily caloriesthat the food of the noon provide a 40-45% and the dinner, 30-35%. This is a good formula to guarantee energy and nutritional balance. If you decide to have a snack, you can lighten lunch or dinner.

Do children need more calories?

Yes, since to the costs of the body’s functions and physical activity must be added those related to growth, that is, the formation of new tissues that allow them to increase in size and volume.

Also the pregnant woman and lactating mother They need a higher caloric intake.

Does caloric expenditure change with age?

decreases with age the expense of the two main items related to energy consumption: basal metabolism and physical activity. Each case is different but it is estimated that by age 70 caloric needs are reduced by 20% in men and 15% in women.

How many kcal does 1 g of carbohydrates have?

In general, the less water and the more fat and carbohydrates the food contains, the more calories it provides.

Fats are the most caloric nutrient: 9 kilocalories per gram, while carbohydrates provide 4 kilocalories per gram, the same as proteins, although their function is not to provide energy.

What is a hypocaloric diet?

The one that provides less energy than the body needs, in order that the energy that is missing is provided by the body’s own reserves, particularly those of fat. In this sense, a very common proposal is to recommend the intake of 500 fewer calories a day than are supposedly needed.

What are “empty calories”?

It is a concept that is more graphic than scientific, but one that has gained acceptance. It refers to the foods that provide energy, or calories, but are devoid, or “empty,” of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, or fiber. The paradigm is refined white sugar.

How do you reduce calorie intake?

Reducing the consumption of foods that contain them. But care must be taken not to simultaneously decrease the intake of essential nutrients in a way that jeopardizes their balance. The best is reduce the consumption of superfluous and high-energy foodssuch as sugar and fats.

Calories of some foods (Content per 100 g of raw food, unless otherwise indicated)