Nutrition Basics - Calories

By -
Salad

Foods provide human beings with the energy needed to perform vital functions. This energy is measured in kilocalories, defined as the amount of energy or heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. In general use, the term calorie is normally substituted for kilocalorie.

There is a direct correlation between calories consumed and body weight. Calorie intake needs to equal calorie expenditure in order for a person to maintain weight. Consuming more calories than expended will result in weight gain, while consuming fewer calories than expended will cause weight loss.

Although foods consist of many components, calories come from only four sources: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and alcohol. Carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram, fats have 9 calories per gram, and alcohol carries 7 calories per gram. Therefore, a food containing 10 grams of fat will contain 90 calories from fat.

Any food source that has a good supply of nutrients in relation to the number of calories it contains is considered nutrient-dense. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, poultry, and low-fat dairy products are all nutrient-dense foods. Foods and beverages that contribute little or nothing besides calories include beer, wine, and other forms of alcohol, doughnuts, jams and jellies, and candy.

In order to maintain good health, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that 55 to 60 percent of a person's daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates, and protein should contribute 12 to 15 percent. Fat calories should be limited to a maximum of 30 percent.
The Professional Chef, 7th Edition by The Culinary Institute of America

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amaretti

By -
Image
I kicked off our Christmas cookie season by whipping up a batch of Amaretti. Absurdly simple, these are some of my favorites ... basically meringue cookies with ground almonds mixed in. They were made much easier by the fact that I found Almond Meal at the Central Market so I didn't have to grind the almonds in the food processor. I also saw Pecan Meal and Hazelnut Meal there and am now wondering how those would work in variations. I'm not usually fond of meringues but love these so they had to go into the freezer ASAP otherwise we wouldn't have had many left. This recipe came from my mother and I'm not sure what cookbook it came from. However, it is not too different from other such recipes I've seen ... except it is a great deal simpler than some. Step 1: 2 large egg whites 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Beat egg whites until foamy, gradually beat in sugar and almond extract. Continue beating for several minutes until whites form very stiff, sh
Read more

Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

By -
These are from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking and they will completely revolutionize the image that springs into your head when someone says "fish cake." They are fresh, lively, and absolutely delicious. Notes: we made this with tuna canned in water and they seemed rather dry. Later I realized that tuna packed in oil is much more common and would be a better choice both for moisture and (possibly) to help hold them together better. We couldn't find the kaffir lime leaves and, behold, the dish was delicious without them! Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes 1 pound good-quality tinned tuna (we used four 6-ounce cans) 6 tinned water chestnuts, drained and finely sliced 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced 1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated 3 tablespoons chopped coriander 1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped (rehydrated for 5 minutes in boiling water if dried) 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce 2 eggs, beaten Vegetable oil, for fryi
Read more

Curried Cream of Chicken Soup

By -
This is from The Silver Palate Cookbook. It is simple, delicious, and a touch out of the ordinary, both because of the curry flavor and the "cream" method which calls for half-and-half but is just as good with regular milk! Step 1: 6 tablespoons butter (I use 2 tablespoons) 2 cups minced onions 2 carrots, peeled and chopped Cook over low heat, covered, until tender. Step 2: 2 tablespoons curry powder 5 cups chicken stock 6 parsley sprigs 1 chicken, quartered ½ cup rice Salt and pepper to taste Add all. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer until chicken is done. Cool chicken in stock. Remove meat from bones and dice it. Step 3: 1 cup half and half (I use milk, either whole or 2%, depending on what I've got around) 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted Remove fat from broth. Strain soup through strainer. Put solids and 1 cup stock in food processor and puree. Return to pot and add milk. Stir in reserved stock until
Read more