Energy in food

I found some information which relates to the practical we did earlier in the term on how much energy was in different food types.  UCLA (a uni in the U.S.) has found that the following foods contain different amounts of energy per gram:

Carbohydrate = 4 calories per gram

Protein = 4 calories per gram

Alcohol = 7 calories per gram

Fat = 9 calories per gram
The link is here if you'd like to find out more:  http://www.dining.ucla.edu/housing_site/dining/SNAC_pdf/CaloriesCount.pdf
Fats contain more energy per gram than carbohydrates do, but our bodies can digest carbohydrates more quickly than fats which is why they make up most of the energy requirements in a healthy diet.

If you're happy that different food groups have different amounts of energy per gram, and remember that we need to eat a balanced diet (enough but not too much of each food group) you should be fine for the quiz that we'll do next week.  Also knowing what each food group is needed for and what our body does with the energy it gets will be useful.