It is a common occurrence to hear someone asking about the fat content or calorie count when recommending a food item. For instance, when you get the best coconut oil for keto, you will want to know the calories and fat it possesses, but what exactly is a calorie? And what is body fat? Let’s find out.
What is a Calorie?
Contrary to popular belief that calorie is a nutrient or something of the sort, in fact, it’s a measurement that depicts the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1gram of water by 10C.
It is the measure of the amount of energy in all the foods and drinks consumed. For our bodies to function correctly, we need calories.
What is Body Fat?
Fat is categorized into four central types-white, brown, essential, and beige stored in different parts of our bodies.
White fat is found around body organs, and it’s a reserve for future utilization. An average person’s white fat percentage ranges between 14 and 24 for men and 21 to 31 for women.
It is responsible for the functioning of critical bodily hormones like estrogen, insulin, and cortisol. Are you wondering what body fat is obese? It occurs when white fat that is not managed correctly. Body fat with height and weight measurements correlate in calculating a person’s fat percentage.
Brown fat is what newborn babies survive on and is mostly located around the shoulder and neck. The infants burn fatty acids to warm their bodies. Beige fats are the transitioning fats from white fat to brown. Lastly, the essential fats are like the brain, bone marrow, and nerves. They aid in normal body functioning.
Body fat is important because it helps regulate hormones, brain function, nerve function, and other bodily functions.
Body Fat versus Calories
When it comes to comparing the two, the field is somewhat non-linear, mostly because one is an essential food nutrient, and the other is a measuring unit. The two can, however, be compared in terms of how many calories are available in fat!
Now, here is the kicker;
For weight gain, eating a diet with high-fat content can facilitate this and vice versa for a low concentrate diet. But for further enhancement of weight management, calorie intake should also be measured. When compared to carbohydrates, fat has double the amount of calories, reaching about nine calories.
A lot of calories consumed get converted to fat naturally. And substituting them with processed foods with a lot of sugar might cause more harm than good, making it hard to either lose or gain weight.
For weight loss, things like exercise also come in to help burn the excess calories.
How to Know the Amount of Fat and Calories You Are Eating
There are essentially two ways to know this for sure. The first is by reading the food labels, and the second way is by using modernized apps and the internet that automatically calculates for you both. This way, you get a comprehensive guide to both.
Final Thoughts
Live a healthy life by controlling your intake of fat and calories. If you have any more questions, please ask us in the comment section below.
