Understanding How Many Calories Do You Burn From Eating Food?

October 27, 2025 •

3 min read

The average person's body expends approximately 10% of their total daily caloric intake just to digest, absorb, and metabolize food, a process known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). This article explores the science behind how many calories do you burn from eating food, highlighting the significant impact of macronutrient composition and other key factors on your metabolic rate.

Quick Summary

The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy expenditure linked to digesting and processing meals. Macronutrients like protein have a higher TEF than carbohydrates and fats. Factors such as a meal's size, composition, and a person's individual metabolism all influence this calorie-burning process.

Key Points

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The calories you burn from eating are primarily due to the energy required to digest, absorb, and process nutrients, a process known as TEF.
Protein's High TEF: Protein requires the most energy to digest, burning 20-30% of its calories in the process, making it the most thermogenic macronutrient.
Fats' Low TEF: Fats have the lowest thermic effect, with only 0-5% of their calories burned during digestion, as they are processed more efficiently.
Whole vs. Processed Foods: Minimally processed, high-fiber foods like whole grains and vegetables increase TEF more than highly processed, refined versions, which are easier to digest.
Debunking 'Negative Calories': The idea of 'negative-calorie foods' is a myth; while some foods are very low in calories, their digestion does not burn more calories than they provide.
Boosting TEF: Strategies to slightly enhance your TEF include prioritizing protein, eating whole foods, staying hydrated, and incorporating regular exercise.
TEF's Modest Impact: Although important, TEF represents a small fraction of your total daily calorie expenditure and is not a substitute for maintaining overall calorie balance and physical activity for weight management.

What Is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)?

The thermic effect of food (TEF), also known as diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process nutrients from the food you eat. It is a component of your total daily energy expenditure, alongside your basal metabolic rate and physical activity. This metabolic increase occurs for a few hours after eating. While a natural process, TEF is not a significant factor for rapid weight loss, but understanding it can help make more informed dietary choices.

How Macronutrients Influence Calories Burned from Eating

The most significant factor in how many calories you burn from eating is the macronutrient content of your meal. Different macronutrients require varying amounts of energy to process, measured as a percentage of the calories consumed.

Protein Has the Highest TEF

Protein has the highest thermic effect among macronutrients, requiring 20-30% of its calories for digestion. This high TEF, combined with its ability to promote fullness, makes protein beneficial for weight management.

Carbohydrates Have a Moderate TEF

Carbohydrates have a moderate TEF, burning 5-15% of their calories during digestion. Whole, fibrous carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables have a higher TEF than refined carbohydrates, as they require more energy to break down.

Fats Have the Lowest TEF

Fats are the most easily processed macronutrient, with a TEF of only 0-5% of consumed calories. They require the least energy to digest and are readily stored as body fat.

A Comparison of TEF by Macronutrient

The table below demonstrates how the TEF of different macronutrients affects the net calories absorbed from a 100-calorie portion.


Macronutrient	Calories Consumed	Estimated TEF (% of calories)	Calories Burned During Digestion	Net Calories Absorbed
Protein	100 kcal	20-30%	20-30 kcal	70-80 kcal
Carbohydrates	100 kcal	5-15%	5-15 kcal	85-95 kcal
Fat	100 kcal	0-5%	0-5 kcal	95-100 kcal

Other Factors Affecting Digestion Calorie Burn

Beyond macronutrient composition, other elements influencing TEF include how food is processed, meal size, individual metabolic differences, and physical activity levels. Processed foods generally have a lower TEF than whole foods. Larger meals can cause a greater temporary increase in TEF compared to smaller ones. Age, body composition, and genetics can influence an individual's TEF. Regular exercise, particularly strength training, may increase TEF and resting metabolic rate.

Busting the 'Negative-Calorie Food' Myth

The notion of 'negative-calorie foods' (foods requiring more energy to digest than they contain) is a myth. While low-calorie foods like celery are nutritious, the energy expended in their digestion is minimal and does not result in a net negative calorie balance.

Practical Ways to Maximize Your TEF

To slightly optimize TEF, consider prioritizing protein and whole foods, staying hydrated, potentially incorporating spicy foods, and engaging in regular exercise, particularly resistance training.

Conclusion

Understanding how many calories do you burn from eating food? involves recognizing that TEF is a modest part of daily energy expenditure, heavily influenced by macronutrient mix. Protein requires more energy to process than fats. While dietary choices can offer subtle TEF benefits, significant weight management relies on overall caloric balance through diet and exercise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, spicy foods containing capsaicin, like chili peppers, can temporarily increase your metabolic rate. However, the effect is modest and not enough on its own to cause significant weight loss.

Yes, but the amount is negligible. While chewing does require a small amount of energy, it's about 11 calories per hour, which is insignificant compared to the calories derived from food.

No, this is a common myth. The overall thermic effect of food is the same for the same amount of calories, whether they are consumed in a few large meals or many small ones. Some studies even suggest larger meals may produce a slightly higher TEF.

The biggest factor is the macronutrient composition of your meal. A meal higher in protein will lead to a higher thermic effect and greater calorie burn during digestion than a meal higher in fat.

No, the concept of negative-calorie foods is a myth. While it takes energy to digest food, the calories burned during digestion are always less than the calories provided by the food itself, even for very low-calorie items.

You can slightly increase your TEF by making smarter food choices, such as prioritizing protein and whole foods, but the effect is too small for substantial, long-term weight loss on its own. It should be part of a larger strategy involving overall caloric balance and exercise.

For most healthy adults eating a mixed diet, the thermic effect of food accounts for approximately 10% of their total daily energy expenditure. This varies based on the specific foods consumed and other individual factors.