Diet and Nutrition

Calorie Counts of Some Common Foods

Calorie Counts of Some Common Foods

When it comes to weight loss, the one question that is on most people's minds is how many calories are in the drink you just had or how many calories are there in a pound of eggplant?

One of the reasons why this question is not just vital but important lies in the fact that your body processes the food you consume and then breaks it further down and stores the fat. While your body would require essential fats without which it cannot function seamlessly, it is important to keep track of what you consume on a daily basis.

So if you have ever wondered how many calories  are there in a pound or to be more specific, how many do I need to get rid off to drop a pound, you will be surprised to know that you may need to reduce as much as 3500 calories just to drop a pound. This number can vary depending on the dietician that you talk to, but the overall consensus is that you would need to shed off at least 3000 calories just to drop a pound.

And burning off the calories is not a joke either. Think about it this way, your body stores the fat cells which when you expend yourself in some physical activity is then released as calories. Therefore, you could make the argument that shedding calories enables you to lose weight quickly. While most agree that expending yourself does cause you to burn up the calories and this in turn burns off the fat, there are a few who find it hard to correlate calories and fat cells and refuse to accept this fact. But either way, burning off calories does enable you to shed weight quickly. By now, you are probably wondering how many calories are there in an egg, in an eggplant and so on. Well, read on to learn more about calories and how many calories are there in a pound.

What are Calories?

A calorie is an energy unit, the bare minimum energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through one degree. This has been widely accepted as the energy unit and it refers to the act of shedding body weight by burning off calories through physical and other activities. So when you come across a statement like “he just burnt off 500 calories” in one go, it means that the person in question indulged in a physical activity causing him to burn off those calories. It certainly does not refer to any bonfires or anything similar.

How many calories should you eat each day?

Well, the question is not easy to answer as you may think and it depends more on your BMI (body mass index) value and on your metabolism. That being said, most dieticians agree that men need to consume at least 1500 calories each day and women, about 1200 calories.

It all comes down to your metabolism which is why it would be a good idea to opt for a diet that actually helps to speed up your metabolism while helping to curb your appetite, as with chia seeds.

How many calories are there in a pound?

There are quite a few who think that cutting back by just 500 calories each day will result in an overall loss of one pound of body weight. The fact remains that as you cut back on those calories, your body starts burning up even less in order to work efficiently.

So cutting back on 500 calories per day for a week is not going to magically result in a one pound weight loss, rather it can push your body to stop burning up more calories and may even result in you gaining some weight.

So you may want to consult a dietician and determine the optimal way of going about it. It is a fact that one pound of body fat does contain 3750 calories and chances are that if you are able to cut back on the 500 calories per day and ensure that your body burns off calories as efficiently as before, you should be able to trim the fat, in more ways than one.

How many calories are there in a banana?

Banana is often considered to be an energy food and most athletes consume it either before or during the trials of an important match. Ever wonder why? That’s mainly on account of all the nutrients and proteins that the humble banana contains along with the fact that it contains approximately about 89 calories per one hundred grams.

The reason why bananas are favored by athletes is on account of the fact that they are extremely healthy and nutritious.

How many calories in an Egg?

The key to an effective weight loss diet plan is to ensure that you are able to consume a healthy meal, two times or three times a day, get the required essential fats, and nutrients and are able to cut back on calories.

Having an egg or two can provide you with the required proteins that you need, but you need to take care when eating hard boiled eggs for although it contains only about 72 calories approximately per boiled egg, the fact remains that the yolk which contains about 55 calories is quite high in cholesterol. You may want to opt for egg whites for breakfast, rather than the whole egg, especially if you are trying to shed some weight.

How many calories in an Orange?

Having freshly squeezed orange for breakfast is the norm, but have you ever wondered about the calories per serving in this orange juice? A single serving of freshly squeezed orange juice contains as much as 45 calories per one hundred grams and the good news is that it comes with just 1 % fat, which means that you can guzzle up on it, in moderation.

Just remember that the store bought orange juice is the processed sort, where most of the vitamins and proteins have all been made redundant.  Moreover, prepackaged orange juice is often loaded with sugar as well, so always opt for the fresh squeezed variety.

How many calories in a Potato?

The  potato has transformed the dining table to the point that it is used widely all over the world today. A single potato can provide you with the complex proteins, vitamins, carbs and of course, starch. As a result, it can provide you with the energy boost that your body requires, but the fact remains that it should be taken in moderation. Potato chips are often cited to be the main cause behind so many gaining weight within a short span of time. A potato contains 71 calories per one hundred grams.

There are various ways that you can cook the potato, the healthier option would be to bake it, and if you do not have access to an oven or a microwave, then boil it.

How many calories in a Chicken Breast?

If you happen to be a meat eater and are trying to slim down, then you may want to opt for choices like sea food, or chicken breast rather than steak. A single chicken breast can contain as much as 165 calories per hundred grams.

It is advisable that you opt for a vegetarian diet plan in order to shed weight the healthy way. Do consult your dietician, after which, you can chalk out a meal plan and prep your chicken breast.

How many calories in an Avocado?

Most dieticians would recommend that you try out avocado smoothies to jump start your morning for the simple reason that avocado comes loaded with all the complex plant compounds, proteins and nutrients that your body needs, without the fat, in more ways than one.

The avocado contains about 160 calories per hundred grams and it can actually enable you to shed weight easily. Moreover, it is known to reduce your cholesterol levels and helps to curb your appetite.

How many calories in a Tomato?

Today, the humble tomato is one of the most widely used fruits around the world. Apart from its tangy taste, the reason that the tomato stands out is because it can help boost your cardiovascular health by as much as 25% and can also be proactive in preventing strokes. Tomatoes are great for any diet plan since it contains only 18 calories per 100 grams and no fat.

The other great thing about tomato is that they are rich in dietary fiber, the soluble sort which can aid in digestion and go a long way to boosting your cardio health, prevent strokes, clean your body of toxins and help curb your appetite at the same time. This is why the tomato stands out when it comes to shedding those calories.

How many calories are in a Pumpkin?

The pumpkin happens to be one of the most nutritious vegetables out there; apart from being loaded with complex plant compounds that can help prevent cancer and even strokes, it is also one of the few that provides you with all the essential amino acids and even boosts your metabolism. As a result, you are able to burn off calories more efficiently with a glass of pumpkin juice.

The pumpkin contains about 26 calories per 100 grams with zero fat; and it is extremely rich in dietary fiber as well. This further serves to boost your cardiovascular health and should enable you to trim that waistline in no time at all.

How many calories in a Melon?

The melon is one of the most ubiquitous fruits that you are bound to come across in any part of the world. This fruit is loaded with all the valuable minerals and nutrients that your body requires and is extremely refreshing to have, during peak summer.

It is rich in dietary fiber which serves to boost your cardiovascular health and can even aid in prevention of strokes. Apart from this, melons are one of those fruits that provide you with the required energy you need, and yet at the same time, help curb your appetite.

As a result, you are likely to eat less with a steady diet of melon than otherwise; a melon contains about 36 calories per hundred grams and is quite effective in enabling you to shed that extra weight, the easy way.

How many calories are there in Clarified Butter?

Clarified butter is more widely used in the preparation of south Asian cuisine than in any other, a single serving of clarified butter can contain as much as 112 calories per spoon, so you need to be extremely careful when consuming clarified butter.

It does provide your dish with the required flavor, but given its high calorific count, you would definitely need to keep yourself in check where clarified butter is concerned.

Remember, if a single spoon of clarified butter contains so many calories, imagine how hard it will be for you to shed the same. This is why it is a better idea to control what you eat, and that way you can be trim and with the perfect figure.