What is a calorie?
Kilocalories measure the energy you consume and that your body needs to function. Scientists define a kilocalorie as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one liter of water by one degree Celsius. The calorie content of a food tells us how much energy that product will provide.
The body continuously burns calories to maintain vital functions (breathing, thinking, sleeping) and also during physical activity such as walking. It is important to meet your energy needs throughout the day with regular calorie intake from food. "How do I know if I'm consuming too many or too few calories?" The energy the body needs depends on several factors, the main ones being age, sex, weight, height, and level of physical activity. When you consume an amount of food that provides as much energy as you burn during the day, you are in a state of equilibrium. You then maintain weight homeostasis, meaning your weight remains stable because all the calories consumed have been used up.
In situations where calorie intake exceeds daily energy expenditure, excess absorbed nutrients are stored either:
- In the muscle, in the form of glycogen and/or muscle proteins depending on physical activity, but in limited quantities
- In adipose tissues in the form of triglycerides called body fats responsible for weight gain.
Conversely, if energy expenditure exceeds calorie intake, you find yourself in a calorie deficit situation which will lead to weight loss.
Reminder.
A calorie is a unit of energy measurement. All foods contain calories. However, although all foods contain calories, they do not all have the same caloric value. This difference in the energy value of foods is explained by the macronutrients they contain.
What are the calories in our food?
Foods are composed primarily of macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They are all sources of calories, but the amount each contains varies.
- Carbohydrates: 4 kcal per gram
- Fat: 9 kcal per gram
- Protein: 4 kcal per gram
This makes a total of 386 kcal, the rest being provided by the fibers which are somewhat energy-dense.
1. Carbohydrates.
Often referred to simply as sugars, carbohydrates are an important source of readily available energy for your body. They are essential fuel for your system.
There are two types of carbohydrates:
- Simple carbohydrates: They are a source of energy that can be quickly used by the body.
→ Sugar, honey, syrup, candy, can of soda, fruit, etc.
- Complex carbohydrates: These are composed of a long chain of subunits. To be absorbed, the body must break down the chain to separate these subunits and use them. This process slows down digestion, and their slow assimilation therefore limits blood sugar spikes.
→ Cereal products (oat flakes, rice), legumes (peas, soybeans), bread (white bread, wholemeal bread…), etc.
For a daily caloric intake of 2000 kcal per day, ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) recommends consuming between 200 and 275 grams of carbohydrates per day.
2. Proteins.
Present in every cell of our body, they play a vital role in your growth, the building and renewal of your muscles, hair, nails, bones, and skin. “Amino acids are the beads of a necklace that form protein.” When you consume these foods, your body breaks down proteins into amino acids, the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids in total, 9 of which are considered essential. These cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be obtained through diet.
There are two sources of protein: animal protein and plant protein.
- Animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, etc.) contain all amino acids in large quantities.
- Plant-based proteins come from grains (oats, rice, etc.) as well as legumes (peas, soybeans, etc.). These proteins can be deficient in certain essential amino acids, which is why we combine legumes and grains in our OKR recipes to guarantee an optimal amino acid content.
ANSES recommends consuming between 50 and 100 grams of protein per day for a daily caloric intake of 2000 kcal.
3. Lipids.
Commonly called “fats,” lipids have a bad reputation because they are considered responsible for many diseases (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, etc.). However, depending on the type of lipid, they are just as important as other nutrients because, in addition to being excellent sources of energy, they are components of elements essential for the proper functioning of your body. The energy provided by lipids is stored in your body as triglycerides. While useful during endurance exercise, their accumulation can be harmful and a contributing factor to obesity.
There are different types of fatty acids within the lipid family:
- Saturated fatty acids: an important source of energy, it is still recommended to consume them in moderation because they can increase bad cholesterol levels.
→ Butter, cream, palm oil, coconut, chocolate…
- Monounsaturated fatty acids: also known as omega 9 and often considered good lipids because they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
→ Oilseeds, olive oil, avocado…
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: also called omega 3 and omega 6, these are essential fatty acids for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system.
→ Omega 3: oily fish (salmon, mackerel), walnuts, hemp seeds, flax seeds, almonds, etc.
→ Omega 6: sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashew nuts, etc.
Reminder.
Foods are made up of macronutrients, sources of energy, essential for the proper functioning of our body: carbohydrates: 4 kcal per gram lipids: 9 kcal per gram proteins: 4 kcal per gram According to ANSES and for an average need of 2000 kcal per day, it is recommended to consume daily: 200 to 275 gr of carbohydrates 70 to 90 gr of lipids 50 to 100 gr of proteins.
Are all calories created equal?
"If I eat 200 calories of chocolate, is that the same as eating 200 calories of rice?" You'll get the same amount of energy whether you consume 200 calories of rice or 200 calories of chocolate. However, because this energy comes from different nutrients, the nutritional values won't be the same, and you won't get the same benefits. Chocolate contains more sugar and fat and has a high glycemic index, which will generate energy for a short time shortly after consumption but won't provide a lasting feeling of fullness. Conversely, rice provides more complex carbohydrates and fiber, thus slowing down the absorption of these nutrients and therefore providing a longer-lasting feeling of satiety. This doesn't mean you should stop eating chocolate and eat only rice. However, regarding your daily calorie needs, it's important to be aware of this difference in order to adopt a balanced, healthy, and varied diet that provides your body with all the nutrients it needs. You shouldn't rely solely on the energy content (calories) of foods, but also on their nutritional composition. But what exactly does 2000 calories represent?
Here, you are highlighting that consuming 2000 kcal of yogurt or soda does not provide you with all the nutrients you need, even if it meets your daily calorie needs, unlike OKR products, which are nutritionally balanced.
Whether you're looking to lose weight, get back to your ideal weight, gain weight, build muscle, or maintain your current weight, it's important to be aware of both the calorie content and the nutritional quality of the foods you eat. This nutritional information allows you to optimize your daily calorie intake and overall nutritional needs through a healthy, varied, and balanced diet. It's important to consider food holistically and not demonize any particular food. All foods play a role in our nutritional balance and overall health.Reminder.
Not all calories are created equal; it's important to be aware of the types of nutrients you consume to better manage your diet.
How do you calculate the calories in your meal?
There are two ways to count your calories. You can calculate the calorie count of a meal by determining the exact amount in grams of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and fiber in the food. Knowing that 1 gram of carbohydrates and protein provides 4 kcal, 1 gram of fat provides 9 kcal, and 1 gram of fiber provides 2 kcal, you simply multiply these values to get the total calories in your meal. For example, OKR ready-to-drink meals provide an average of 430 calories. On average, they contain 15 grams of protein (15 x 4 = 60 kcal), 15 grams of fat (135 kcal), 55 grams of carbohydrates (220 kcal), and 14 kcal from fiber. Adding everything together gives you 430 calories. This can be a bit complicated and time-consuming. You can also use apps that allow you to calculate your calories more quickly. By taking a picture of your plate or entering the quantity of each ingredient it contains, the app can tell you how many calories you'll consume. Easy, right?
How many calories are in a glass of wine or a beer?
A glass of wine or beer does not provide the same number of calories. 100 ml of wine represents an average of 79.5 kcal according to CIQUAL. 100 ml of beer is equivalent to an average of 40 kcal. However, wine and beer are not generally consumed in the same way. A glass of wine corresponds to approximately 120 ml, or 95.4 kcal. As for beer, it is usually consumed in pints of 250 ml, or 100 kcal, or 500 ml, or 200 kcal on average. It should be noted that wine contains neither fats nor proteins. It therefore does not contribute to meeting your nutritional needs, even if it does provide vitamins and minerals. Beer contains less alcohol (1 g of ethanol = 7 kcal) but more sugar than wine. From a nutritional standpoint, alcohol (beer, wine or other) should be consumed in moderation because it is a source of calories described as "empty".
How many calories are burned during exercise?
When you exercise, the number of calories burned depends on the intensity of your effort as well as your metabolism. However, the more intense the effort, the more calories you burn, thus facilitating a calorie deficit and, consequently, weight loss. If you want to build muscle, it's important to be in a calorie surplus. This is why it's generally advised to limit very intense physical activities if your goal is to gain weight. This could delay reaching your goal and therefore prevent you from burning fat as much as you want to build muscle.
