How Many Calories You Need Every Day, According to Dietitians

KETO AND THE Mediterranean diet get lots of attention these days. But, old-school calorie counting remains a go-to habit.

In 2022, 52 percent of Americans said they followed some kind of diet or eating pattern in the past year, and 13 percent chose calorie counting, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2022 Food and Health Survey.

But, is calorie counting the best approach for achieving your health goals? Dietitians say it can be, but the quality of the calories you consume is just as important as the number.

“Calorie counting focuses people on numbers that don’t always have a correlation with the quality of food on the plate,” says Wesley McWhorter, Dr.PH., R.D.N., L.D., C.S.C.S., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “When we think of calories, it’s simply a measure of energy. That’s not equal to nutrition. Nutrition is much more than just energy.”

Think of it like this: Eating a 200-calorie candy bar that’s full of sugar isn’t the same as eating 200 calories of apple slices that are full of fiber and other nutrients. “Calories are not created equal,” McWhorter says.

Still, calorie counting can be a useful way to set parameters for the amount of food you’re consuming, he says.

“It can be helpful to gain a little insight into your diet and help people reach weight-loss or performance goals,” especially if it’s done on a short-term basis, says Tara Tomaino, R.D., director of nutrition at The Park.

While you don’t necessarily need to count every calorie to stay healthy, it helps to have a basic understanding of how your body uses energy gained from food. Here’s an overview of what calories are, what influences your energy needs, and how to estimate how many calories you need.

What Is a Calorie?

Kilocalories (kcal)—which we simply refer to as calories—are the amount of heat needed to boost the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by one degree celcius, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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So, calories are a measure of energy, which we need to function. We need calories to move around and carry out the basic body functions that happen when we’re at rest, from DNA synthesis to hormone production to sending chemical messengers throughout the body in order to keep things running smoothly.

The three macronutrients—fat, carbs, and protein—contain a set number of calories per gram, according to the USDA. Carbs and protein have 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9.

What’s the Minimum Calorie Intake for Men Daily?

Men typically need between 2,000 and 3,000 calories a day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But, your minimum (and maximum) calorie intake depends on several factors, including your height, weight, activity level, and age, Tomaino says.

“For a small man, I wouldn’t want them to eat less than 1,500 calories,” she says. “And, that would be for an individual looking for weight loss.”

If you’re not trying to lose weight, McWhorter suggests sticking to around 2,500 calories a day.

How Many Calories Do Men Need to Eat?

“The primary factors that determine how many calories someone needs include birth sex, age, genetics, body size, and daily activity level,” says Anya Rosen, M.S., R.D., a New York-based dietitian. “Other variables can play a significant role, such as body composition, dieting behaviors, injury, or illness.”

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In general, men burn more calories than women because they’re typically larger overall. Men are also predisposed to having more muscle and less fat mass, which impacts calorie burn, explains Kyle Gonzalez, M.S., C.E.S., C.S.C.S., an exercise scientist and performance.

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average American man under 40 is 5 foot 9 and weighs 197 pounds. At a moderate activity level (moderate exercise 3 to 5 times per week), he would need about 2,822 calories per day to maintain his weight.

To Lose Weight

Cutting 500 to 1,000 calories a day can help you safely lose one to two pounds a week. For the average guy, that’s between 1,822 and 2,322 calories per day.

When you drastically cut calories, it can backfire, as you may end up getting so hungry that you overeat.

It’s also important to factor in exercise: If you’re burning 500 calories a day through physical activity, cutting 1,000 calories would actually lead to a deficit of 1,500 calories, which is too much.

To Gain Weight

If you want to gain weight, the Cleveland Clinic recommends increasing your calorie intake by 300 to 500 calories a day—3,122 to 3,322 calories per day for the average guy, assuming his activity level stays the same.

Injury and illness can also temporarily increase the amount of calories you need.

Certain injuries or illnesses can mean you need extra calories. Healing from burns or large open wounds requires extra energy and protein. If you have a fever, you need more calories to make up for your higher body temperature. Even fighting off the common cold takes energy.

How Many Calories Should You Eat Per Meal?

Evenly spacing your calories during the day is the best approach.

Tomaino suggests eating three meals and two snacks a day, and divvying up your total calories for the day across your meals.

“If you’re having those three meals, they could be between 500 and 700 calories, depending on what the total calorie goal is at the end of the day, and then make up the remainder with those snacks in between,” she says.

But, it’s really a personal preference. Some people prefer eating a larger breakfast and smaller dinner, so being mindful about what works for you is the best approach, McWhorter says.

Does Calorie Intake for Men Change With Age?

Yes. Once you turn 60, you need 2,000 calories a day if you’re sedentary and between 2,200 and 2,600 if you’re moderately active or active.

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That’s slightly less than what you need earlier in life. Between ages 21 and 40, men need 2,400 calories a day if they’re sedentary, 2,800 to 2,600 if they’re moderately active, and 2,800 to 3,000 if they’re active.

In your 40s and 50s, you need 2,200 if you’re sedentary, 2,400 to 2,600 if you’re moderately active, and 2,600 to 2,800 if you’re active.

“Your metabolism is pretty much steady throughout most of adulthood,” Tomaino says. “Once you reach about age 60, your muscle mass is decreasing and the general aging of your cells slows down your metabolism in such a way that you don’t need as many calories.”

How to Calculate Your Calorie Needs

Although it’s possible to estimate how many calories you need in a day, there’s one huge caveat: “There are many different formulas available to determine calorie needs, but they all have large margins of error due to there being too many influential variables to control,” Rosen says.

Scientists use a method called indirect calorimetry to measure exactly how many calories a person burns in a day, but it’s expensive, time-consuming, and pretty inaccessible for most people.

If you’re curious about your exact calorie needs, here’s how to determine it.

Tracking Your Food Intake

“I find that the best way for you to determine your calorie needs (assuming you’re outside of a research setting) starts with ensuring that you are currently maintaining your weight,” Rosen says.

“Once weight is stable, track your food intake for one to two weeks without changing how you would normally eat,” she says. “The average calories across that time frame is a good estimate for your maintenance caloric needs, and you can adjust from there according to your goals.”

In other words: If your weight isn’t changing, you’re eating the right number of calories.

Using an app, like My Macros+, helps you count calories while focusing on your protein, carbs, and fat intake, Tomaino says. “If someone’s goal is to build muscle or to maintain muscle while losing body fat, it’s really important to know where those calories come from because plenty of foods can be equal in calories, but not nutrition.”

MyFitnessPal also lets you easily track calories, because you can scan barcodes on food packages or use its food database, she adds.

A Metabolism Calculator

You can also try using a formula to estimate your calorie needs, which is easy to do with an online calorie calculator from a trusted source. This one, from the American Council on Exercise, takes into account your age, weight, gender, height, and activity level, from sedentary to very active to determine your calorie needs.

How Does Muscle Mass Affect Calorie Burn?

Muscle burns more calories by weight than body fat, although the difference isn’t as big as it’s sometimes made out to be. “The claim ‘muscle burns more calories than fat’ is true, but misleading,” Rosen says.

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The best estimate is that a pound of muscle burns six to seven calories a day. Fat burns about two calories in the same time period.

So, increasing muscle will increase the number of calories you burn — as will gaining fat, though to a lesser degree — but not drastically. An extra 10 pounds of muscle may only add 60 calories per day to your overall calorie expenditure.

The size of other body parts probably plays a more significant role in your daily calorie needs. A 2011 study found that more than 40 percent of differences in total calorie burn between people could be explained by the variations in the size of their internal organs.

How Does Exercise Affect Calorie Burn?

Your activity level plays a big role in your energy needs. It’s not just your workouts that burn calories, it’s also how much you move around during the day.

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A physically demanding job burns far more calories than one where you’re sitting at a desk most of the day. Biking or walking instead of driving can make a big difference, as well. When determining your physical activity level, it’s important to take all of this into account.

You also need to factor in your workouts. “With cardio training, you tend to not only burn calories quicker, but you also burn more total calories per session,” Gonzalez says. “Strength training, on the other hand, is usually anaerobic (without oxygen) in nature and helps you build muscle and boost your metabolism. ”

You’ll burn fewer calories per strength-training session, he explains, but your metabolic rate (the number of calories burned) will remain elevated for longer afterward. Plus, you’ll build muscle mass, which slightly increases your calorie burn and can support better health overall.

“A healthy mixture of both strength and cardio training with varying intensity, frequency, duration, and type is always best when building out your exercise program,” Gonzalez says.

Do You Need to Count Calories?

Ultimately, there’s no need to count calories in order to be healthy. If you feel good and have consistent energy levels throughout the day, you probably don’t need to worry about calculating your calorie needs, because chances are you’re hitting your target.

But if you’re worried that you’re eating too few or too many calories, understanding what contributes to calorie burn can help you understand your body’s needs.

Just don’t get too caught up in the numbers, McWhorter says. “There’s nothing wrong with counting calories, as long as you focus on the quality of the food. What makes up the plate? It’s not just calories; it’s food.”

Making sure half your plate is fruits and vegetables, and the other half is whole grains and protein should be your goal, he adds.

Calorie counting isn’t a good idea for anyone with a history of eating disorders, Tomaino says. And, if you’re dealing with a medical condition, check with your doctor before calorie counting, and they can refer you to a dietitian to help you get it right.

Christine Byrne

Christine Byrne, MPH, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian and the owner of Christine Byrne Nutrition, a private practice serving clients in Raleigh, NC, and virtually across the country. She specializes in eating disorders and disordered eating, and takes a weight-inclusive approach to health. A longtime journalist, she has worked as a food editor at BuzzFeed and Self, and her writing has appeared in dozens of national media outlets, including Outside, HuffPost, EatingWell, Food Network, Glamour, Bon Appetit, Health, and more.

Erica Sweeney

Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.

Number of Calories Needed to Lose, Maintain, & Gain Weight

Written by Kathleen M. Zelman, RD, LD, MPH

Reviewed by Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on January 20, 2023

In this Article

• Daily Calorie Intake
• Calorie Intake Chart
• How Many Calories Should I Eat per Day?
• Calorie Calculator

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain weight, or stick to your current weight, you might be tempted to look up the suggested calories per day for your gender, age, and activity level.  

Your daily calorie intake is the approximate number of calories you should try to eat each day. It varies widely from person to person. The chart below shows some ways to estimate yours. The chart should only be used as a reference point because every person is so different metabolically even when they are the same size and gender. The following suggested calorie ranges are generated using the Institute of Medicine’s estimated energy requirement calculation.

a These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. “Reference size,” as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males.

b Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

c Moderately active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life

d Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

To maintain weight, the chart shows you your daily calorie limit. It’s based on your age, activity level, and the BMI (body mass index) of 21.6 for women and 22.1 for men. For adults, the reference man is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds. The reference woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 126 pounds.

To lose weight: It used to be recommended that to lose a pound per week you would need to decrease total calories by 500 a day. Now researchers believe weight loss is a slower process and that consistency and setting realistic goals can lead to successful weight loss over time. The key is to be patient and work with a dietitian to help find the right plan for you.

To gain weight, it’s best to work on a plan with a dietitian. Go ahead and add calories, though.

For successful weight loss that you can maintain over time, experts recommend choosing foods that are lower in calories but rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.

A calorie calculator like this one allows you to enter the names of foods you eat and get calorie counts for them. Then, you can use the calculator to add those numbers to your daily totals and track how many calories you’re getting each day.

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Daily Calories for Weight Loss: How to Calculate

Reducing the number of calories you consume per day can be an effective way to lose weight. However, in this case, it is important to calculate very accurately how many of these same calories are needed to achieve the result. This figure depends on a large number of factors, including age, gender, activity level, and more. In this material, we will tell you exactly how many calories it is recommended to consume in order to lose weight or keep the weight at the same mark.

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To understand exactly how many calories you need to consume per day to start the process of losing weight, first you need to understand the base on which everything is based.

How many calories per day you need to eat on average

The number of calories you consume per day depends on your gender, age, height, current weight, level of physical activity, metabolism and a number of other important factors. When trying to lose weight, it is important to create a calorie deficit by eating less than usual or exercising more. Many people choose to combine the two: reduce their daily calorie intake and exercise more.

However, in your desire to lose weight as soon as possible, it is important not to go too far. To do this, you need to make sure that you consume enough calories per day in the process of losing weight in order to provide your body with the necessary nutrients. For example, many trendy diets involve reducing calorie intake to 1000-1200 per day, which is clearly not enough for most healthy adults.

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Too much calorie reduction can not only result in a number of side effects, but also lead to nutritional deficiencies in the body. All this can also come back to haunt with metabolic changes that will make it difficult to maintain weight in the long term.

We will tell you how many calories women, men and children should eat per day. These tips are based on the USDA’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

How many calories per day women should consume

As we said earlier, the number of calories per day for women depends on their age, height and level of physical activity. Most women over the age of 19up to 30 years of age, it takes 2000 to 2400 calories per day to maintain weight.

The 31 to 59 year old group of women generally require less energy. They are recommended to consume about 1800–2200 calories per day to maintain weight. Women over 60, on the other hand, have the lowest calorie needs: to keep their weight at one mark, they need from 1600 to 2000 thousand calories.

Keep in mind that the exact number of calories you need can be either in the upper or lower part of this range. You can even go beyond the established limits, depending on the individual level of activity, parameters and health status.

Also, these recommendations do not apply to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because they require significantly more calories.

How many calories per day men should consume

As with women, men’s calorie needs can vary depending on many factors. According to the latest dietary guidelines for Americans, men between the ages of 19 and 30 should consume between 2,400 and 3,000 calories to stay in shape.

Energy requirements decrease with age, so those in the 31 to 59 age group need between 2,200 and 3,000 calories per day. Men over the age of 60 usually need 2,000-2,600 calories per day to maintain weight.

Those who exercise a lot or have certain health problems may need more calories. The number of calories in the suggested ranges also directly depends on the indicators of weight and height.

How many calories per day should children consume

The energy needs of toddlers and adolescents vary widely by age and gender. While a three-year-old child may only need about 1,200 calories a day, a teenager will already need about 3,000!

Generally, children do not need strict calorie counting. Reducing their intake in the case of children can provoke nutritional deficiencies in the body, which is fraught with growth retardation and the development of an eating disorder.

Instead of counting calories, parents are better off preparing nutritious meals for their children, allowing them less unhealthy snacks, and encouraging them to be physically active regularly.

What are calories

In simple terms, a calorie is a unit of energy. It is in calories that the amount of energy in all foods and drinks is usually measured. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns in a day. And vice versa – in an attempt to gain weight, you must consume more calories than you expend.

Keep in mind that although this concept seems very simple, diseases, hormonal changes, genetics and age can slow down the process of losing weight or gaining the necessary weight. Developing a healthy eating plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long run takes a lot more effort than just cutting back on your daily calories.

How to reduce your calorie intake

Yes, reducing your daily calories can actually be effective when it comes to weight loss. However, in this case, it is simply impossible not to take into account exactly what foods you eat.

For example, nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits are more beneficial to our body than nutrient-poor foods like donuts, candy, and soda.

It is recommended to change your lifestyle and diet in accordance with the rules that will help you not feel constantly hungry and unhappy.

5 simple rules to help you lose weight

• Eat more protein

In the process of losing weight, it is very important to consume enough protein. Many studies show that increasing protein in the diet helps us feel full faster and curb our appetite.

In addition, many protein diets help maintain muscle mass. If you want to achieve sustainable weight loss, consider including eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes in your diet.

• Avoid sugary drinks

Another simple rule is to eliminate sugary drinks from your diet as much as possible. This is primarily about soda, fruit juices, chocolate milk and other sweet drinks.

Our brain perceives liquid and solid calories differently, so drinks fill us up differently than ordinary food. In addition, many studies have linked the consumption of sugary drinks to an increased risk of obesity. Added sugar to drinks can not only affect weight gain, but also provoke other health problems: the development of heart disease, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.

• Drink more water

One simple thing you can do for your body is to drink more water. Proper drinking regimen not only improves brain function and helps control weight, but also reduces the risk of kidney stones.

What’s more, drinking water right before a meal helps reduce hunger and calorie intake. Proper drinking regimen, combined with a healthy diet, is effective in the process of weight loss. Try replacing sugary drinks with coffee, tea, and sparkling water.

• Exercise

Calorie restriction can slow down our metabolism and increase our appetite. In addition, reducing your calorie intake too drastically can also lead to muscle loss, which can affect your overall health.

Strength training is known to prevent muscle loss, which means it will help minimize metabolic changes during long-term calorie restriction. If you can’t work out in the gym, think about what you could replace the exercises at home: push-ups and squats are great.

Equally important are cardio activities such as walking, running or swimming. They help not only to effectively reduce weight, but are also good for maintaining overall health.

In general, exercise not only helps you lose weight, but also increases life expectancy, increases energy, improves mental health, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

• Reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates, also called refined carbohydrates, are those that are quickly digested and have a high glycemic index. These mainly include white bread, white rice, pastries, pasta and sweets.

Processed grains do not contain fiber, which both promotes weight loss by reducing appetite and also leads to a greater feeling of satiety. Reducing the amount of simple carbohydrates in the diet also contributes to weight loss by changing the level of a specific hormone, peptide YY, which regulates our appetite.

Yes, a low-carb diet isn’t for everyone, but replacing simple carbs with more nutrients and fiber will definitely benefit most of us. It is also better to remove fast food, ready-made snacks, sweets and sugary drinks from your diet in the process of losing weight. These foods not only cause sugar and insulin spikes, but also contain large amounts of preservatives, unhealthy fats and salt, which are of no benefit to our body.

A few simple weight loss tips

In addition to cutting calories, there are a few more tips to help you lose weight and keep it off.

• Practice Mindful Eating . It involves getting rid of distractions in the process of eating and paying closer attention to the texture, taste and smell of the food being consumed. This practice will help control food cravings and help you lose weight.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables . They are low in calories but high in fiber. Increasing the amount of these products in the diet will also contribute to the process of fighting extra pounds.
• Fill your fridge with healthy food . Sticking to a proper diet is much more difficult if your kitchen is full of high-calorie foods with a lot of sugar. Get into the habit of stocking your fridge with healthy foods that you can use to prepare meals for your main meals and small snacks.
• Find a soul mate . Research shows that social support can also promote effective weight loss. Team up with a friend or family member who also wants to lose weight. You can also find a like-minded person on the online forum – it will be much more fun to lose kilograms together!
• Prepare food in advance. If you don’t have the opportunity to prepare healthy meals for yourself every day, set aside one or two days for this. So you will save a lot of time and be able to enjoy delicious homemade food all week long.

Cons of calorie counting

Calorie counting is effective for weight loss, but it can lead to a number of side effects. Be careful not to cut your calorie intake too drastically and strongly. Otherwise, it can cause dizziness, headaches, constant fatigue and nausea.

Eating too few calories will also help slow down your metabolism, making it difficult for you to maintain weight in the long run. Sustained weight loss takes time, so focus on small and gradual changes rather than a rapid weight loss strategy.

Finally, calorie counting is not an exact science. Some days our body needs more calories, others less. If you focus exclusively on numbers, you will only upset your nutrition system.

FAQ

How many calories should I eat for breakfast?

The number of calories you should eat for breakfast depends on many factors. This should take into account your daily needs, personal preferences and overall diet. And if some people think that consumption of one third or one fourth of the entire daily diet at breakfast is suitable for them, then this is not suitable for others. The second group may need to adjust their calorie intake based on their individual needs.

How many calories should I eat for lunch or dinner?

Everything here also depends on a number of factors. For example, some people like to have a big lunch and a very small dinner, while others prefer to distribute the amount of calories consumed more evenly. Everyone has different preferences and needs, so find what suits you.

How many calories do you need to eat to lose weight?

To maintain sustainable weight loss, it is enough to reduce the consumption of highly processed foods. These include sugary drinks, fast food, and high-calorie snacks. Also try to increase your physical activity.

In any case, it is always better to consult a nutritionist with a nutritionist: he will help determine your individual need for calories and tell you how much to consume in the process of losing weight.

How many calories do you need to eat to gain weight?

To gain weight, you must consume more calories than you burn in a day. Try to eat more high-calorie and nutrient-dense foods: nut butters, high-fat yogurts, and oily fish.

How many calories do you need to eat to gain muscle mass?

Gaining muscle mass usually requires a lot of calories, which means you also have to consume more per day than you burn. For these purposes, you may even have to increase your calorie intake by several hundred per day. Here it is better to do without amateur performances: a nutritionist will help develop a competent plan for gaining muscle mass.

To sum up

The number of calories you consume per day depends on your main goal – whether it is to lose weight, maintain weight or gain it, as well as on gender, age, height, current weight, physical activity and individual characteristics of the body. It is important to eat a balanced diet and consider the overall nutritional value of the foods you eat.

Lose weight and improve health by making dietary and lifestyle changes that also include proper drinking and regular exercise.

Photo: Shutterstock, Chelsie Craig, Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh

How many calories should I eat per day? Calculation of the calorie content of the diet and norms BJU

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– All about proper nutrition – How many calories to eat per day

All nutrition recommendations are individual and depend on your goals.

According to the WHO, nutrition is the source of health. Physiologically complete healthy nutrition provides a person with normal growth and development, supports life, and contributes to the prevention of diseases.

What is a balanced diet

According to the theory of balanced nutrition, adopted back in the 19th century, the income of energy in calories received from food should be equal to the expenditure.

Energy costs are different and depend on gender, age, type of work activity, physical activity, physiological and genetic characteristics of a person, as well as on the environment. For women, energy costs are about 10% lower than for men, and for older people, they decrease by 7% every ten years.

For the normal functioning of the body, it is necessary not only to supply it with the optimal amount of energy and nutrients, but also to observe certain ratios of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that come with food.

Proteins

Protein as a plastic material is necessary for the construction of cells and tissues of the body. It is actively involved in all vital processes (digestion, growth, development, immunity), is part of enzymes, hormones, antibodies.

Protein in the intestine is broken down into free amino acids, which are used by the body to synthesize its own protein molecules. Amino acids according to their biological value are divided into irreplaceable and non-essential. Essential amino acids are not synthesized in the body, but are ingested only with food. Substitutables can be formed in the body from other amino acids.

The biological value of a protein is determined by the amount of essential amino acids. Proteins that contain all eight essential amino acids are considered complete. These are products of animal origin: milk, meat, fish, poultry, eggs. The source of non-essential amino acids is plant foods: bread, cereals, vegetables, fruits.

The average daily intake of protein for an adult is 0.75-1.5 g per kg of body weight, and 55% of this should come from animal proteins.

Fats

Fats are the most important component of a rational balanced diet. It is fat deposits that are the energy reserve of the body. So, when 1 g of fat is oxidized, 9 kcal of energy is released. Fat is part of the cell membranes and sheaths of nerve fibers, is involved in the synthesis of vitamins, hormones, bile acids.

Fats are divided into saturated (in animal products) and unsaturated (in vegetable products). The nutritional value of fats is associated with the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A. E, D.

The average daily requirement is 80-100 g of fat, of which 30% should be vegetable oils.

Carbohydrates

The main function of carbohydrates is energy – supplying the cells and tissues of the body with energy. When utilizing 1 g of carbohydrates, 4 kcal of energy is generated. In addition, carbohydrates (glucose) are constantly present in the blood, and in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. In combination with proteins and lipids, they are part of enzymes, hormones and other structures.

Great importance is attached to fiber, pectin, cellulose, which, being an integral part of dietary fiber, are almost not digested, but are required by the body for normal bowel function.

Depending on the structure of the molecule, carbohydrates are divided into:

1. Simple or monosaccharides (glucose, fructose), which are quickly absorbed by the body.
2. Complex sugars or disaccharides (sucrose, lactose) break down into monosaccharides when split.
3. Polysaccharides (starch, fiber, pectin) or “slow” carbohydrates that take several hours to digest.

Most of the carbohydrates (up to 45%) the body should receive in the form of complex sugars. Their assimilation is carried out according to a scheme that provides long-term and uniform saturation of cells with energy.

Simple monosaccharides in the total amount of carbohydrates should be no more than 20%, since their excessive consumption provokes obesity. The rest of the daily carbohydrate requirement comes from fiber and pectin.

Carbohydrates are found mainly in plant foods: vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts.

Calculation of calorie content and BJU norm

The calorie content of food is determined by the energy contained in nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates. According to WHO experts, the average daily caloric intake should not be less than 2500 kilocalories (kcal).

Energy costs are calculated in calories. The total energy consumption during the day is summarized from:

• Energy consumption for basal metabolism is the minimum energy required for the functioning of vital organs at rest.
• Energy expended on any kind of activity: physical and mental activity.
• The energy used to digest food.

Many formulas for calculating daily energy consumption have been developed. When calculating them, the following indicators are taken into account: weight, age, gender, level of physical activity, profession, climatic conditions and much more. Such complex “engineering” calculations are necessary in the practice of nutritionists, and in everyday life it is enough to master only a few simple tricks.

I – determination of the calorie content of the main metabolism:

• For women: 0.9 * weight (kg) * 24 = number of kcal / day.
• For men: 1 * weight (kg) * 24 = number of kcal / day.

II – calculation of the daily calorie intake necessary for optimal physical and mental activity.

The calorie content of the main metabolism is multiplied by the coefficient of physical activity:

• sedentary lifestyle – 1.4;
• average physical activity – 1.75;
• hard physical labor – 2.4 and above.

III – calculation of calories as a percentage of the main nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates:

Women:

• proteins – 25%;
• fats – 25%;
• carbohydrates – 50%.

Men:

• proteins – 25%;
• fats – 15%;
• carbohydrates – 60%.

This ratio most fully corresponds to the energy, plastic and other needs of the body.

Example: how to calculate calories for a woman with a body weight of 70 kg, with an average physical activity.

Basic metabolism: 0.9 * 70 (kg) * 24 \u003d 1512 kcal.

Average daily calories: 1512 * 1.75 = 2545 kcal.

The next step is to determine the optimal ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in the daily diet:

Proteins: 2545*25:100=626 kcal.

Fats: 2545*25:100=626 kcal.

Carbohydrates: 2545*50:100=1272 kcal.

Thus, a woman needs 2545 kcal per day to meet the physiological needs of the body. The share of proteins and fats accounts for approximately 626 kcal each, and 1272 kcal for carbohydrates.

In order to independently compose a diet, you can use special tables of caloric content of products.

If the energy potential of the food consumed corresponds to the needs of the body, the metabolic processes associated with the absorption of nutrients and the removal of toxic decay products work especially efficiently.

The daily norms of carbohydrates, proteins, fats are average indicators that are of a reference and informational nature.

The nature of nutrition affects all biochemical and physiological processes in the body. The lack or excess of certain food ingredients causes the launch of a pathological process, which leads to the development of diseases.

Therefore, it is so important that the balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals is observed in the diet, and the daily caloric content does not exceed the indicators recommended by nutritionists.

Basic nutrition

In order to stay healthy, maintain good physical shape, and not gain excess weight, a person must be guided by the principles of rational nutrition in his life.

Rational nutrition is based on scientific developments that take into account the individual characteristics of a person as much as possible: age, gender, health status, profession, amount of physical activity and much more.

General physiological requirements for proper nutrition:

• The diet should be balanced in terms of calories and basic nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates.
• Proteins are preferably complete with a set of essential amino acids: meat, fish, eggs, milk.
• The carbohydrate composition should be dominated by complex carbohydrates: cereals, legumes, whole grain bread, as well as vegetables and fruits, in which carbohydrates are combined with fiber.
• Fats are preferable to vegetable fats; among animals, sea fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is especially useful.
• The diet provides for the frequency and time of meals, the distribution by volume and energy value of the consumed products. Recommended 4 meals a day, intervals between meals no more than 4 hours.

The energy value of food should be:

• breakfast – 25% of daily calories;
• lunch – 35%;
• second breakfast or afternoon snack – 15%;
• dinner – 25%.