A calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise a gram of water by one degree Celsius. Although calories are associated with food, it is a unit of energy. Calories are the unit of energy used to evaluate food content. The three biomolecules--carbohydrates, proteins and lipids--each provide a different amount of calories for the body. Once you add up the content of a food product, you can then calculate how many calories are in a serving.
Step 1
Read the food label and take note of the fat content. Fats have the highest amount of calories per gram. Total fat is usually the first item on the nutrition content on the label. For each gram of fat in the food item, multiply it by 9. For instance, if a food item contains 10 grams of fat, the total amount of calories is 90.
Step 2
Read the food label and take note of the protein content. Protein is the other source of calorie content. For each gram of protein, four calories are consumed. For example, if 10 grams of protein are consumed, 40 calories are ingested.
Step 3
Read the food label and take note of the carbohydrate content. Carbohydrates also provide four calories per gram.
Step 4
Multiply by seven for each gram of alcohol. If you drink alcohol with the meal, it needs to be added to the calorie content. For instance, a glass of wine can add 60-150 calories to a meal.
Step 5
Add the total amount of calories calculated from steps 1-4. This is the total amount of calories consumed in a food item. This can also be used to calculate the total amount of calories in a meal.
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