Tag: Physiological value

Despite what food labels might suggest, the total energy from food isn't fully available to your body. A key distinction exists between a food's actual calorific value and its physiological value, with the latter representing the energy your body can truly extract.

The human body does not absorb all of the energy contained within food, with a significant portion lost during digestion and metabolic processes. This means the real energy yield is less than the total energy measured in a laboratory setting.

Food science research, notably utilizing a bomb calorimeter, reveals that the raw energy content of a gram of food is higher than what our body can actually utilize. This disparity is precisely why understanding the physiological value of food is so crucial for proper nutrition and metabolic function.