What are calories? Calorie norm

What are calories? The answer to the question you ask is below. In addition, in the materials of this article you will find information on how many calories contain such essential elements for the body as proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

What are calories?

Calories are a measure of providing the body with energy. As you know, in the body of each person there are reserves of this energy, which are stored in the form of fats and carbohydrates.

What are the calories needed for? Our body uses them for a huge number of different functions. Such supplies are extremely necessary for breathing, pumping blood, work and rest, exercise and even sleep. In addition, the energy that enters us plays an important role at the cellular level. So, thanks to it our cells grow, divide, recover.

Slimming Rule

What are calories? The answer to this question is known to almost every person who seeks to lose weight. After all, if you consume a lot of calories, and use very little, then the remaining amount is stored in the body in the form of fats (just in case). That's why overeating people who do not go in for sports are very often full. And to lose weight, they should only spend more calories than they consume.

Where do calories come from?

Having learned about what calories are, a new question arises: where do they come from? Experts respond to it quite simply. There are 6 classes of substances that are contained in food: fats, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water. And only the first 3 of them are able to provide the body with calories or energy.

So, let's consider in more detail what the caloric content of the dishes and products we eat each day can be. To do this, you need to know the following values:

• 1 g of fat is 9 calories;
• 1 g of protein is 4 calories;
• 1 g of carbohydrates is 4 calories.

By the way, calories are contained in alcohol. But alcohol is not a nutritious product. That is why it can not contribute to the repair, growth or recovery of cells. This is a kind of toxin, acting as a source of energy, which is converted to fat. Thus, 1 gram of alcohol contains about 7 calories.

How is energy stored in the body?

The functions of each calorie are to provide nutrition to cells and organs. So, carbohydrates are split to the state of glucose, which replenishes the needs of the human body for energy. Its excess is stored in the form of glycogen, necessary for long-term needs, as well as the work of the brain. In comparison with the stores of fat, the carbohydrate reserve is small (about 300-400 g). It is stored in the liver and muscles.

It should be recalled that the caloric content of foods and products is determined not only by the content of carbohydrates in them, but also by the presence of an element such as proteins. They are used as building and repair material for cells. Although with a deficiency of carbohydrates, proteins can act as the main source of energy. With such a prolonged process, the organism may well be poisoned by the products of its cleavage. Therefore, it is highly recommended not to use protein diets. By the way, the excess of this element is also stored in the form of adipose tissue.

Despite all the similarity of nutrients, some of them can supply the body more calories than others. But in any case, with their overabundance, a person will necessarily observe excess fat deposits.

Calorie norm

Energy needs of man are much more important than all other needs. After all, the minimum amount of energy that the body needs for life includes such basic functions of the body as cellular exchange, respiration, circulation, temperature control and gland activity. The rate of calories consumed per day depends on the person's age, sex, body constitution, sleep, food quality and even climate.

The amount of energy required to maintain the normal functioning of the body at rest is calculated as follows: 1 calorie per kg of human body weight per hour. After a short calculation, we can safely conclude that the minimum calories for an adult per day should be at least 1200 units for women and 1500 for men.

A popular weight loss scheme

How many calories should I consume to lose weight? This question is very often asked by representatives of the weaker sex, who seek to attain eternal harmony. The minimum number of calories per day for an adult is presented a little higher. However, these figures are correct only for an organism that is at rest. After all, with prolonged and active physical work a person needs more energy. That is why in its calculations it is necessary to take this fact into account.

Of course, the simplest way to lose weight is to significantly limit the amount of calories that enter the body with food. But in pursuit of "quick" slenderness, some ladies generally refuse to eat and begin to starve. And this is a big mistake. Why? The answer is slightly lower.

Declare a hunger strike!

The fact is that very complex defense mechanisms have been developed in our body. Once a person refuses to eat, his body begins to consume fat stores. But this happens only up to a certain point. Since the fatty tissue is a valuable stock designed for the most extreme case, after a few days the body stops using it and begins to expend muscle. And, as you know, most of them consist of most internal organs.

The consequences of the hunger strike

In the hope of losing weight with the help of fasting, a person can hurt himself physically. After all, when the amount of incoming calories becomes minimal, the body immediately reacts to this and tries to conserve energy, lowering the metabolic rate, but at the same time retaining adipose tissue. Thus, a hunger strike leads to a slight weight loss. Moreover, such a tough diet contributes to the emergence of health problems (disorders of the digestive tract, gallstones, gout, heart complications).

The most high-calorie foods

As stated above, the norms for the consumption of carbohydrates, fats and proteins depend on the physical activity of one or another person. The following indicators are set in our country:

• Proteins - about 65-70 g per day;
• Fats - about 70-80 g per day;
• Carbohydrates - about 280-360 grams per day.

Of course, each time to calculate the calories consumed is quite difficult. In this regard, experts advise simply to remember which products are the most "energy":

• Pork, lamb, beef, bacon, duck and goose meat;
• Cakes, sweets, chocolate, waffles, ice cream, cakes;
• Margarine, butter and vegetable oil;
• Wheat bread, homemade cakes (pies, patties, pancakes), drying, biscuits, gingerbread;
• Semolina, oatmeal, rice porridge;
• Boiled and smoked sausages, sausages, sausages;
• Canned food (fish, meat);
• Home marinades and pickles;
• Salmon, trout, pink salmon, herring;
• caviar;
• Hazelnut, walnut, almonds;
• Fried eggs and scrambled eggs;
• Beets, potatoes;
• Cheese, sweet curd, milk (the calories of these products depend on their fat content);
• Bananas, grapes;
• All dried fruits, especially dates and raisins;
• Milk shakes, cocoa, shop juices, coffee, carbonated drinks;
• Alcohol (vodka, beer, liquor and others).

Combination of incongruous

At present it is very fashionable to keep separate meals. And this trend has come to us with an ulterior motive. After all, experts argue that the most caloric dishes are those that contain a large number of nutrients such as carbohydrates and fats. That is why various confectionery products, which very often include culinary, animal and vegetable fats, as well as sugar and its substitutes, represent the first danger not only for the figure, but also for human health. In this regard, all nutritionists advise their customers to flatly refuse from high-calorie bakery and confectionery products.

Let's sum up the results

In this article we gave you a definition of calories, told about the role for the body, ways of losing weight. Thus, it can be safely concluded that the energy that enters our body with food is not an enemy that must be combated in the name of beauty and harmony. However, an excessive amount of high-calorie foods can really hurt our body. That's why, sitting at the dinner table, you should remember that everything is fine, but in moderation. Only in this case, you save to old age and health, and attractive appearance.