DeusXM
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
In a blank moment, I just had a thought.
We know that different macro nutrients contain different amounts of calories - for instance, 1g of carbohydrate contains 4 cal (I think), whereas 1g of protein or fat contain around 8 or 9 cal.
However...the way calorie counts are calculated on absolute values. In a simplistic way, it like considering how long a flame can burn from them. What this doesn't take into account is the energy required to metabolise them in the first place.
To make it clearer, let's assume that 4 cal means a flame burns for 4 seconds. So 1g of carb lights a flame for 4 seconds, 1g of protein for 8 seconds. But...what happens when you metabolise them? Metabolic reactions are powered by energy in the first instance. Does this differ for differing macro-nutrients? For instance, do you need 6cal to metabolise 1g of fat (thus a net increase of 2cal) but only 1cal to metabolise 1g of carb (net increase of 3cal)?
I'm just thinking, if the body has a preference for deriving energy from a particular macronutrient, would that indicate that the preferred macro-nutrients offer a more efficient energy yield? If so, doesn't this then start to raise questions about going beyond just calories if you're dieting?
We know that different macro nutrients contain different amounts of calories - for instance, 1g of carbohydrate contains 4 cal (I think), whereas 1g of protein or fat contain around 8 or 9 cal.
However...the way calorie counts are calculated on absolute values. In a simplistic way, it like considering how long a flame can burn from them. What this doesn't take into account is the energy required to metabolise them in the first place.
To make it clearer, let's assume that 4 cal means a flame burns for 4 seconds. So 1g of carb lights a flame for 4 seconds, 1g of protein for 8 seconds. But...what happens when you metabolise them? Metabolic reactions are powered by energy in the first instance. Does this differ for differing macro-nutrients? For instance, do you need 6cal to metabolise 1g of fat (thus a net increase of 2cal) but only 1cal to metabolise 1g of carb (net increase of 3cal)?
I'm just thinking, if the body has a preference for deriving energy from a particular macronutrient, would that indicate that the preferred macro-nutrients offer a more efficient energy yield? If so, doesn't this then start to raise questions about going beyond just calories if you're dieting?
