How Does the Body Use Calories From Fat in Carbs & Protein?
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Calories
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A calorie is the unit used to measure energy. When we talk about calories in relation to the body, we are referring to how much energy the body takes in versus how much energy it produces. Caloric intake is needed to generate the energy the body requires to maintain its normal metabolic functions and perform physical activities.
While all carbohydrates have the same number of calories per gram, simple carbohydrates that come form refined sugar and white flour do not provide as much nutritional value as the carbohydrates that come from foods high in fiber. But it makes no difference whether calories come from fat, carbohydrates or protein; when a person consumes more calories than the body burns, the excess is stored as fat.
Fat Storage
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Any extra carbohydrates and protein that the body does not need to use for energy are converted to glycogen and triglycerides in the liver. Triglycerides are transported from the liver and stored in tissue cells just beneath the skin and around the intestines. In other words, eating and digesting food is the body's way of storing or releasing energy, allowing individual cells the ability to produce and use energy as needed. While carbohydrates release energy faster than fat, carbohydrates are not as efficient as fat at storing energy. And despite protein not being a primary source of energy, if the body does not get enough carbohydrates and fat from food, protein can provide some energy. Nutritional guidelines from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommend a diet in which 45 to 65 percent of total calories consumed each day should come from carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and pastas, and low-fat dairy products. Between 10 and 35 percent of a person's daily caloric intake should come from protein, including lean meats, seafood, and skinless chicken.
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Digestive Process
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Most digestion takes place in the small intestine, where the food we eat is broken down into carbohydrates, protein and fat molecules to make energy. During the digestive process, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, whereas proteins are broken down into amino acids. These enzymes are then rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, where they are carried throughout the body to nourish cells. Since carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel source, the liver converts sugars such as fructose and lactose into glucose to be used as energy. Even though amino acids can be used for energy as well, these proteins are basically used to build and repair the body's muscle tissue and cells. Body cells are constantly wearing out, therefore, they need to be replaced. A surplus of either carbohydrates or protein is stored as fat or adipose tissue, which is the body's primary reserve of stored energy. Because fat is digested and absorbed by the body more slowly, unlike carbohydrates, it takes longer to convert fat into energy.
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