Get into a metabolic chamber if you ever need definitive confirmation of how the human body operates. About 30 exist in the globe, each costing several million dollars. They utilize cutting-edge equipment to track every kilowatt-hour used or wasted.
Researchers can use these chambers to study the effects of many diseases on the human body, such as obesity and metabolic abnormalities. They also provide conclusive evidence that calories matter, which has been hotly disputed for decades. And they're the main reason why you put on or lose weight. Instead of asking if "a calorie is a calorie," we should ask why some calories are better than others.
What Is A Calorie?
Calories are generally associated with food, but they are only a measure of energy. Specifically, one gram of water requires one calorie of energy to heat up.
To what extent does water temperature impact the number of calories in a meal? Scientists use a method we're all familiar with: they burn the feed to determine its caloric content.
Bomb calorimetry is the name for this method of analysis. You begin by placing an ingredient in a water-filled, airtight stainless steel container. The meal is then subjected to high temperatures until it is completely burned. This chemical reaction produces a great deal of heat, warming the water around it. You can determine the number of calories in a meal by measuring the amount by which the water temperature rises, which is what scientists do.
Even though it's effective, this method needs to be revised. The USDA and FDA now use different methods to compute the most calorie counts. The total number of calories is calculated not by burning the food but by adding the calories delivered by its various parts. That calls for tallying up the calories from protein, carbs, fat, and alcohol.
Why Calories Are Not Equal (And What It Means For Your Meals)
It's not the number of calories in a product after it's been cooked or packaged that causes confusion, but rather how the body uses those calories.
In terms of complexity and efficiency, the human body is unparalleled. Everyday activities like breathing, walking, and thinking require a certain number of calories. Because calories are essential to your existence, your body uses them in many ways to meet your energy demands.
You can explain weight growth and loss by analyzing your energy balance or the age-old "calories in, calories out" argument. An individual's energy balance can be affected by numerous factors, but one of the most important is the types of foods eaten. It is why calorie counts can be misleading.