What Do Calories Found On Our Nutritional Labels Mean?

What do the calories found on our nutritional labels mean? “A kilojoule is a unit of measure of energy, in the same way that kilometres measure distance. Food energy can also be measured in terms of the nutritional or ‘large’ Calorie (Cal), which has the same energy value as 4.186 kilojoules (kJ). This should not be confused with the ‘small’ or gram calorie, which is used by scientists to measure the amount of energy required to heat water. There are 1,000 (small) calories in one (large) Calorie, which is why it is also sometimes known as a ‘kilocalorie’.” (https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov) In chemistry, a calorie is a unit of thermal energy required to raise a unit of water by one degree Celsius. Meanwhile, a nutritional calorie is a unit

The food we eat produces energy, which is represented in kilojoules. The rate it takes for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to be broken down, or metabolized, into sugar or glucose is dependent on the strength and energy of the bonds in the molecular level of the food. “The energy stored in the carbohydrates, fats and proteins in foods becomes available to the body when the energy stored in the chemical bonds of the macronutrients has been transformed into the high-energy phosphate bonds that are usable in the myriad metabolic processes of the body (Groff and Gropper).” (Carole A. Conn, Ph.D., R.D. & Len Kravitz, Ph.D., Remarkable Calorie, http://www.unm.edu/) This is the chemical breakdown of larger particles into smaller particles to energy. The concept of a food or drink being zero calories refers to the idea of taking more energy to digest the foods than they provide calories. Therefore, as “zero-calorie” foods and drinks contribute very little to one’s daily calorie total, the foods do not contain the essential nutrients to live a healthy lifestyle, do not provide enough energy for the body to sustain itself and create unhealthy long-term effects, and are not even proven by any evidence or

“Celery often tops lists of less-than-zero fare followed by lettuce, onions, cucumbers and a few citrus fruits as they share similar nutrition profiles: low in calories, high in fiber and water contents exceeding 90 percent by weight. These low-calorie, plant-based foods are an important part of a balanced diet, but, alone, lack adequate nutrients, including protein and fat, to sustain a healthy body.” (Christy Wilson RD, www.eatright.org) It is hard for one’s body to perform normal functions, such as digesting food, without the necessary energy and nourishment. This can affect one’s normal lifestyle rendering them unable to perform everyday