by Alicia Delaney

What is a calorie?

The number of calories in a food is a measure of how much potential energy that food contains. One calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. Different food types contain different levels of energy and as a result varying amounts of calories. One gram of carbohydrate has four calories as does one gram of protein. One gram of fat has more than twice this amount at nine calories.

Why are calories so important to our bodies?

Human beings need energy to survive and the only way to acquire this energy is from food. Calories are simply how this essential energy is measured. Of course too much food and too many calories aren't good for you. But you should remember that eating fewer calories than you need is just as damaging than consuming more than you need.

Dangers of too few calories

We all know that too many calories leads to weight gain and potential heath problems. However, too few calories can cause just as many problems. Diets very low in calories deprive the body of the energy it needs to function properly. This can lead to a multitude of diseases and disorders. Children in particular need at least the recommended daily amount in order to grow and develop.

There are many ways you can cut back on the calories you consume each day. These are the most effective:

- try to cut back on the amount of meat you eat. Fish and chicken are preferable to red meat.
- eat as little fried food as possible. Frying food makes absorbs the cooking oil which is very high in calories.
- drink skimmed milk or at least semi skimmed. Full fat milk contains over 350 calories per pint.
- cut back on the snacks
- stop drinking so much. Alcoholic drinks such as lager are high in calories. Just think off beer bellies.
- if you need to have dessert after your meals try to have fruit rather than high calorie options like cake or pudding.

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