The number of calories in foods can be confusing. Calories are a unit of energy and are necessary for fueling the body, especially the heart, lungs and brain. Most people do not know how many calories are needed in a day. A person who goes over the amount of calories his body needs gains weight. Fortunately, it is easy to calculate the number of calories in foods and in recipes. Understanding this information can help a person eat healthier and stay within an appropriate weight range.
Step 1
Write the foods contained in the recipe on a sheet of paper.
Step 2
Calculate the number of calories in the prepackaged foods. The number of calories in a prepackaged food is usually on the back of the package. If a recipe calls for 3 tbsp. of oil and the package says a 1 tbsp. of oil has 119 calories, 3 tbsp. multiplied by 119 calories equals 357 calories of oil for the recipe. Do this for each prepackaged food.
Step 3
Calculate the number of calories in the foods that do not have calorie counts by finding an online source such as The Nutrient Data Laboratory on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website. The website allows a user to type in the total amount of the food that is in the recipe. Calories are listed as energy in kcal and kJ. Use the kcals for the calculating calories.
Step 4
Add the calories from each of the separate foods to come up with one number. This is the total amount of calories in the recipe.
Step 5
Divide the total amount of calories in the recipe by the number of servings. For example if a recipe has a total of 1,500 calories and contains four servings, the amount of calories per serving is 1,500 divided by four equals 375 calories.
Tips and Warnings
- The amount of calories a person needs to maintain his weight is dependent on height, weight, age and physical activity. The Mayo Clinic has a calculator to determine how many calories a person needs based on these factors. Choosing recipes low in calories and in fat can help a person maintain an appropriate weight.
Things You'll Need
- Pen
- Paper
- Online access
- Calculator
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