Calorie Counts in Common, Day-to-Day Foods

The body acquires calories from carbohydrates, fats, proteins and alcohol. To burn one pound of body fat you need to eat 3,500 calories less than you burn; to gain a pound you must consume 3,500 calories more than your body can use.

Fats

Common day-to-day foods that contain calories from fats are cheese, hamburgers and nuts. One oz. of American cheese has around 95 calories per 1 oz. slice. A regular hamburger with condiments has around 300 calories; 1 oz. of walnuts, or 14 halves, contains around 185 calories.

Carbohydrates

Day-to-day sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, baked goods and breakfast cereals. A medium-size banana has 120 calories. A 3.5-oz. baked potato has around 195 calories and a plain medium-size bagel provides around 290 calories. A 2-oz. serving of bran cereal with 6 oz. of reduced-fat milk provides around 270 calories.

Protein

Rich day-to-day sources of protein are eggs, fish and lean poultry. A large hard-boiled egg has around 80 calories, one cup of tuna chunks canned in oil has 290 calories, and a 3.5-oz. portion of chicken breast has 165 calories.

References

• McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients: The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat
• Calories Per Hour: What It Takes to Lose a Pound
• United States Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database