We eat and drink foods to nourish and sustain our body through a complex process of digestion and absorption. Food provides us with energy to fuel our body and nutrients to help us grow and heal. Food is metabolised or refined during the digestion process to provide our body with body fuel. Just like cars require petrol in the tank to run, the food we eat puts body fuel into our bodies. In fact, body fuel is required for all body functions including our heart beat, brain function, movement and even sleeping.
The amount of body fuel a food provides us is measured in calories (or kilojoules). The more calories a food contains, the more body fuel it provides to our body. The total calorie content of food is determined by the amount of Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins the food contains – these are Macronutrients
- 1g carbohydrates = 4 calories
- 1g protein = 4 calories
- 1g fat = 9 calories
