Tag: Diet basics

Most people need between 1,600 and 3,000 calories per day to fuel their bodies, but few understand where this energy actually comes from. To put it simply, calories are not a physical substance but rather a unit of energy derived from the food we eat, specifically from macronutrients.

Globally, over 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, highlighting the critical importance of a balanced diet. This guide explains what are the three macronutrients and three micronutrients, detailing their unique roles in fueling your body and maintaining optimal health.

Did you know that a gram of fat contains more than double the calories of a gram of protein or carbohydrate? The 4-4-9 rule in nutrition uses this principle to help people estimate the caloric content of their food by assigning specific calorie values to each macronutrient.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of all deaths among children under five years of age are linked to undernutrition. Understanding what is nutrition in one sentence provides the foundational knowledge necessary to address this and other significant health challenges globally.

The biggest misconception in nutrition is the difference between a calorie and a kilocalorie, a unit of energy that is actually 1,000 times larger. When you see "4 kcal" on a food label, you might wonder if that's a small amount, but the answer is more straightforward than it seems.

The carnivore diet is built on the foundation of consuming only animal-based foods, and while eggs are indeed an animal product, they do not count as meat. The diet's definition is much broader than just muscle tissue, embracing other animal-derived foods such as eggs, dairy (for some), and fat.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a healthy diet should include a balance of all macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. However, not every food contains fat, and understanding the core differences is key to proper nutrition, which is not a source of fat but an essential part of a balanced diet.

According to the USDA, a 3.5-ounce serving of cooked, skinless chicken breast contains zero grams of carbohydrates. This fact is a major reason why chicken is a staple in many low-carb diets, but does chicken count as carbs in all its forms?

Fact: The most accurate conversion factor states that one kilocalorie (commonly referred to as a food 'calorie') is equivalent to 4.184 kilojoules. Understanding this relationship is crucial for anyone monitoring their energy intake from different food sources and labels around the world.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats supply 90% of the dry weight and 100% of the energy in our diet. These essential macronutrients are fundamental to providing the energy and building blocks our bodies need to function, grow, and thrive.