Caloric Impact of Nutrients

When we talk about food, the focus often turns to the calorie content of specific items. Unlike the four essential nutrients or micronutrients, calories serve as units of energy. The body derives the necessary energy for its functions from carbohydrates, protein, and fats.

This energy is measured in calories, with approximately four calories per gram of protein, four calories per gram of carbohydrates, and nine calories per gram of fat. The rationale behind advising individuals aiming to lose weight to cut down on fatty foods becomes clear, as fat is more than twice as calorically dense as carbohydrates or protein on a gram-for-gram basis.

In addition to its higher calorie content, dietary fat undergoes unique metabolic processes. Due to its chemical resemblance to body fat, it requires less energy to convert into body fat. In fact, a mere 3 percent of the calories from carbohydrates and protein are necessary for their conversion into body fat.

Regardless of the nutrient source, if one consumes more calories than the body needs, the excess will be stored as body fat.
Caloric Impact of Nutrients