A calorie is the basic unit of energy in the food and drink you consume on a daily basis. Knowing the number of calories in your daily diet is essential to maintaining a healthy weight or -- if you're overweight or obese -- losing weight and keeping it off. The U.S. government has established guidelines for helping you understand the number of calories in the food you buy.
History
In 1990, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began regulating calorie content information of all packaged food items in the United States. Under the law, food manufacturers were required to list the nutritional content -- including calories -- on the side of the food package. In 2010, a new law was passed requiring restaurants with more than 20 locations to list the number of calories next to each item on their menus. In addition, food vending machine companies with more than 20 machines were required to put the nutritional information of the vending machine products in plain sight for the consumer to see.
Benefits
Understanding the calorie content of the food you eat is the first step to managing your weight. Your body has a basal metabolic rate at which it burns calories during a normal day. Any calories above that number are stored in your body and, if not burned off, are turned into fat. By knowing the number of calories you eat every day, you can prevent this calorie excess and, if you need to lose weight, calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to drop those extra pounds.
Considerations
The number of calories per serving is listed on whatever type of food you buy. But if you're about to pick up an apple and have it for a snack, you may not know how many calories it contains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture keeps a nutrient database of most fresh foods with their calorie content and other nutrition information. As you're paying attention to calories, however, it's also vitally important to pay attention to the serving size listed for that number of calories. Eating more than the serving size means you are eating more calories than the label indicates. Carefully portioning out your servings ensures that you're getting an accurate number of calories.
Daily Calorie Requirements
Because everyone's body makeup is different and we all burn calories at slightly different rates, there is no single calorie recommendation. However, the FDA has based their nutritional guidelines and label requirements on a 2,000 calorie diet. MedlinePlus warns that men should consume at least 1,500 calories a day. For women, the number is 1,200 calories.
Counting Calories for Weight Loss
If you're paying attention to the food you eat and drink in order to lose weight, counting your calories can help you achieve your goal. Since it takes 3,500 calories in order to lose 1 pound, you'll need to create a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day in order to lose a pound per week. Use a calorie calculator, such as the one provided by MayoClinic.com to determine how many calories you need on a daily basis. Then, subtract the number of calories needed for your desired calorie deficit. The remaining number is your calorie goal for each day.
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