The Science of Calories

INTRODUCTION

To help everyone reading this post understand why we need to care about caloric energy - and why at times it is important to pay attention to those "calories" on the packages we buy - (including me)....

it helps to understand how calories get measured and a brief overview of how they work within the body.

The following section should help you with this and assist in the secondary blog post "Fat by Percentage's not by Grams".

Happy reading!

THE SCIENCE OF CALORIC ENERGY

In the scientific community we measure calories based on the energy that a macro nutrient provides when its molecular structure is broken down through metabolism. When those bonds are broken, energy is released and is measured in “kcals”. For ease “Kcals” are refer to the energy stored in “grams”. This is why food labels are shown in total' grams.
For instance, protein provides 4kcal of energy per 1 gram of protein consumed. Carbohydrates provides 4kcal of energy per 1 gram of carbohydrates consumed and fat provides 9kcal of energy per 1 gram of fat consumed. These calories are the fuel your body uses to keep your body functioning. Just like a car uses gasoline to make the car go. That is why fatty foods are referred to as “energy dense foods” because the amount of total energy they can provide a person is much higher than protein or carbohydrates.

You should know, everyone’s body – not just those with LCHADD – use carbohydrates for energy first. It is the quickest and easiest energy source for a human body to use. This is why carbs are so encouraged for an LCHADD patient.

Protein is important for muscle health, hormone signaling and other bodily functions. Even fat has a small place in a person’s diet with a fatty acid oxidation disorder. Fats can provide a source of energy when the body burns through other energy sources, and can help you go longer in between meals. Fat is also key for brain development, protection of cell walls, and transport vital nutrients such as vitamin A. For those with LHADD and other fatty acid oxidation disorders fat needs to be regulated to ensure fatty acid build up is minimized. 

As always, if you have any questions - feel free to reach out to set up a consultation!