A calorie counter is essentially a device used to track the number of calories you eat on any given day. It also gives you an idea of the fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates and protein in a serving of food. Each nutritional factor is quite useful for weight loss, weight management or better controlling medical conditions, like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, so it's really a tool for your overall health.
Identification
Each of our bodies has a very specific caloric need to maintain its weight, which means that the amount of calories you can consume varies from person to person. According to the Mayo Clinic, this number is based on five factors, including sex, age, height, weight and level of activity. If you're 5 feet 3 inches in height and 125 pounds in weight, your daily caloric need is different than someone measuring 5 feet 7 inches and weighing 150 pounds, even if your sex, age and level of activity are exactly the same.
Features
Most calorie counters require the name of the food in question to pull up various options based on the keyword. You may then select a listing from the results that best matches the food you're looking to eat. Not only does it indicate the calories and nutrients of the food, but it also informs you of its standard serving size. Let's say you were to type in spinach. The results pretty much run the gamut from raw or frozen to boiled or canned. Each of these products has a caloric and nutritional value based on its serving size.
Benefits
The most obvious benefit of a calorie counter is it gives you an idea of exactly what you're eating before you ever put in your mouth. If you're counting calories or carbs in order to lose weight or maintain your current weight, you know how much you can eat over the course of a day in order to achieve your weight loss goal.
Significance
Beside its benefits in weight loss and weight management, a calorie counter can also be an important tool to track saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, cholesterol and sodium. If you're suffering from a medical condition like high blood cholesterol or high blood pressure, your doctor has asked that you watch your consumption of these substances. According to the American Heart Association, your daily calories should only consist of 7 percent saturated fat, as well as between 25 and 35 percent total fat. Trans-fatty acids, also know as "trans" fat, should be kept at under 1 percent of your total calories, cholesterol should be fewer than 200 milligrams (mg) each day, and sodium should be less than 1,500 mg.
Considerations
While many people tend to rely on calorie counters when looking to lose weight or better manage a medical condition, it can also be a valuable tool to balance your family's diet. Consider taking some time to determine the nutritional value of a day's worth of meals and snacks. It can enlighten you on whether or not your family is maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Member Comments