How to calculate food calories

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To calculate the calories of food, you must multiply the amount, in grams, of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, of each portion of the food, by its respective caloric value. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories, while carbohydrates and protein provide 4 calories per gram. For example, a tablespoon of olive oil contains 8g of fat and each gram of fat has 9 calories, so this serving of olive oil contains 72 calories.

Other practical ways to calculate food calories are using smartphone apps that determine the amount of calories for each serving of the food informed or by reading the nutritional information on the product label, checking the amount of calories informed by the manufacturer for each serving. of food. Understand how to read the food label .

Calories are the amount of energy that a food provides to the body, contributing to vital functions, such as breathing and heartbeat, and to everyday activities, such as working and exercising.

How to calculate food calories

To calculate the calories of food, you must multiply the amount, in grams, of carbohydrate, protein and fat by their respective caloric values:

  • For every 1g of carbohydrates, multiply by 4 calories;
  • For every 1g of protein, multiply by 4 calories;
  • For every 1g of fat, multiply by 9 calories.

For example: To find out how many calories are in a 100 g dark chocolate bar:

The first step is to calculate the amount, in grams, of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in 100 g of this chocolate. To verify these nutrients, you can use one of the professional food composition tables, such as TACO and INSA, or check the nutritional information on the product label.

In this case, the chocolate in question has 52.6 g of carbohydrates, 5.2 g of protein and 31.7 g of fat. After that, you need to multiply the amount of each nutrient by the caloric values ​​of each group:

  • 52.6 g carbs x 4 (each carb has 4 calories) = 210.4 calories;
  • 5.2 g of protein x 4 (each protein has 4 calories) = 20.8 calories;
  • 31.7 g of fat x 9 (each fat has 9 calories) = 285.3 calories.

When adding all these values, the result found for 100g of semisweet chocolate is 516.5 calories.

Food composition table

The following table indicates the amount of calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats for every 100g of some frequently consumed foods:

Food (100 g portion)

Calories (kcal)

Carbohydrates (g)

Proteins (g)

fats (g)

Whole grain bread

232 kcal

39.9 g

7.6 g

3 g

Ricotta cheese

140 kcal

3.8 g

12.6 g

8.1 g

mozzarella cheese

330 kcal

3 g

22.6 g

25.2 g

whole orange

37 kcal

8.9 g

1 g

0.1 g

Fried egg

240 kcal

1.2 g

15.6 g

18.6 g

Boiled egg

146 kcal

0.6 g

13.3 g

9.5 g

boiled sweet potato

77 kcal

18.4 g

0.6g

0.1 g

boiled potato

52 kcal

11.9 g

1.2 g

0 g

french fries

267 kcal

35.6 g

5 g

13.1 g

traditional popcorn

448 kcal

70.3 g

9.9 g

15.9 g

cooked brown rice

124 kcal

25.8 g 

2.6 g

1 g

Avocado

96 kcal

6 g

1.2 g

8.4 g

Silver banana

98 kcal

26 g

1.3 g

0.1 g

apple with peel

56 kcal

15.2 g

0.3 g

0 g

Simple tapioca without filling

356 kcal

87.5 g

0.3 g

0.2 g

skimmed natural yogurt

41 kcal

5.8 g

3.8 g

0.3 g

Whole natural yogurt

51 kcal

1.9 g

4.1 g

3 g

Grilled chicken breast

159 kcal

0 g

32 g

2.5 g

grilled beef

278 kcal

0 g

32.4 g

15.5 g

tofu

64 kcal

2.1 g

6.6 g

4 g

This table has just a few examples of food composition tables, which are commonly used by nutritionists and other health professionals to calculate the nutritional needs of diets.

Other ways to find out the calories in food

Another practical way to find out the calories in food is by reading the product label, checking the amount of calories informed by the manufacturer for each portion of the food in the nutritional information table, which is informed in grams and in household measures. Understand how to read the food label .

In addition, there are some applications that can be installed on the smartphone and that calculate the amount of calories for each portion of the food informed.

Why is it important to know the calories in food?

Knowing the calories in food is important, because the adequate intake of calories in the daily diet helps to maintain health and prevent various diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and even some types of cancer.

It is important to emphasize that, in addition to quantity, the quality of food calories is essential, as two foods that have the same caloric value may contain different amounts of fiber, water, antioxidants or other compounds that promote health and well-being.

How to reduce calories to lose weight

To reduce the calories in the diet to lose weight, one should reduce the intake between 250 and 1000 calories from the total daily caloric expenditure. See what your total caloric expenditure is .

Some tips to reduce diet calories are:

  • Prioritize fresh fruits , such as oranges, kiwis, strawberries, apples, pears, tangerines or papayas, as these types of fruits contain few calories, facilitating weight loss;
  • Consuming wholegrain cereals , such as brown rice, wholegrain pasta or wholegrain bread, as they are rich in fiber, which help control hunger, promoting weight loss;
  • Eat lean proteins with every meal , such as tofu, white meat fish, chicken or eggs, as proteins are digested more slowly, helping to control hunger. In addition, these types of proteins are less caloric, helping with weight loss;
  • Prioritize healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil, as healthy fats help speed up metabolism, promoting body fat burning and weight loss. Fats also take longer to digest, promoting satiety and controlling hunger for longer.

  • Prefer cooked or baked foods, as cooked or baked foods need less fat during preparation, helping to reduce meal calories and promoting weight loss.

In addition, planning a weekly or biweekly menu is a great way to control the quantity and quality of calories in meals and avoid excesses in everyday life. See more tips for planning a weight loss diet .

How to increase calories to gain weight

To increase the calories in the diet to gain weight, one should increase the intake of 500 calories from the total daily caloric expenditure. Know your total caloric expenditure .

Some tips to increase diet calories to gain weight are:

  • Make 6 meals a day, to facilitate the increase in the intake of calories in the diet;
  • Eat protein with every meal, such as tofu, chicken, eggs or fish, as protein promotes muscle mass gain, that is, weight gain;
  • Eat healthy fats daily , such as olive oil, avocado or coconut oil, as each gram of fat provides 9 calories, helping to increase dietary calories.
  • Drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day , as cells need water to increase in volume and thus promote weight gain.

Including fresh vegetables and fruits daily in the diet is also recommended for those who want to gain weight, as the vitamins and minerals in these foods are essential for the formation of muscles. Learn how to eat a balanced diet to gain weight.