Tag: 4 9 4 method

The Atwater system, developed in the late 19th century by Wilbur O. Atwater, is the foundation for modern calorie counting. The standard Atwater value is the set of conversion factors—4 kcal/g for protein, 9 kcal/g for fat, and 4 kcal/g for carbohydrates—used to estimate the metabolizable energy in food. These factors are essential for creating the nutrition facts labels found on most packaged foods.

Did you know that the 4 9 4 method, a derivation of the Atwater system developed in the 1800s, has been used for decades to estimate the caloric value of food? This straightforward calculation helps you understand the energy breakdown from the three major macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, and fat—as part of a sound nutrition diet.