Calories - The Basics

The Energy taken from food and drink by the body is measured in calories. It is this that many people base their diets around 'How many calories have i had today?'

There are good and bad calories which affect the promotion of your health or chances of desease. The good foods contain calories that are released slowly and more likely to be used than bad calories or 'empty calories' which overload the body and are usually stored as fat.

What do we need to consider?

100 grams of protein is the equivalent to 400 calories.
100 grams of carbohydrates equal 400 calories.
100 grams of fat equals a massive 900 calories.

As everyone is different in genetic makeup, one one rule can be used (but as a guide only).

An average height male that is moderately active will need about 2500 calories and about 2000 for a woman. With everyone at different ages, weights, heights and jobs it is very difficult to pin point exactly how many calories you should be needing.

The more excercise you do the more calories you will need and the same rule is applied to water intake as well.

The Actual Translation

1000 Kilo calories make up one calorie, however we have taken on 'calories' to replace or mean kilo calories in the modern day jargon. Also one calorie (1000 kilo calories) equal 4.18 Kilojoules, which are used by some companies on their food products.