Back to the basics

We have talked a lot about the complex nature and disease-fighting properties of food. This week we get back to the basics in food chemistry. Food is largely made up of four chemical structures: carbohydrates, fats, proteins and alcohol. These four macronutrients form the structure of all food. They account for all the calories and, therefore, the energy food provides. It is a common misconception that we get energy from vitamins and minerals. We do not.

1 gram (measure of weight) of each of the macronutrients provides the following calories:

• Carbohydrate 4
• Protein 4
• Fat 9
• Alcohol 7
  

You can multiply the grams shown on a food label for each of the nutrients to calculate the total calories. The newest food label already does this for fat calories.

Many diet plans restrict alcohol and fat since, by weight, they are so much more caloric than protein and carbohydrates.

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On a personal note, I sold my house and am buying another. My new place needs quite a bit of work. I’ll, therefore, be taking the summer off from blogging while I rewire, fix plumbing and paint. If you have nutrition questions in the interim, please feel free to contact me at by email at mark@betterliving.biz. Have a great summer and happy eating!