The body burns energy by breathing, working, exercising and metabolizing the foods you eat. The metabolism of foods is associated with thermogenesis, or heat production by the body. This heat is either employed to carry out daily tasks or stored as fat. The body stores fat when it possesses a surplus of energy.
Definition
Diet-induced thermogenesis is the process by which energy is expended during digesting, absorbing and metabolizing the food you consume. Basically, thermogenesis is the number of calories burned when the body breaks down the food you eat. The main components contributing to diet-induced thermogenesis include the number of calories contained in the food you consume and the quality of the contents of those foods, according to a 2004 review study published by "Nutrition and Metabolism."
Energy Expenditure
Energy expenditure is the amount of calories burned to carry out a particular task. The thermic effect of food results in a very small portion of total calories burned on a daily basis. Approximately 10 percent of all energy expended comes from dietary-induced thermogenesis, according to Stanford School of Medicine. For example, if you burn 3,000 calories in a day, only 300 calories burned would result from the thermic effect of food. Calories burned during the thermogenesis are limited to a four-hour time frame after eating.
Foods
The type of food you consume can determine how long the thermic effect lasts and the amount of energy burned. Some foods, like high-protein foods, cause the body to use more energy during the metabolic process, producing a greater thermic effect. Carbohydrates require less energy than protein to metabolize, but burn more energy than fat. Fat is easily broken down by the body and does not require large amounts of energy during the metabolic process.
Negative Thermogenesis
Some foods produce a negative thermogenic effect or a catabolic effect. A negative thermogenic effect results when the food contains fewer calories than the energy used to digest them during the metabolic process. This creates a negative value, resulting in negative thermogenesis. Some foods that create a negative calorie balance include apples, grapefruit, blueberries, lettuce, pineapple, oranges, carrots, limes, spinach, lemons, watermelon, sweet potato, zucchini and cooked leeks.
References
- Stanford School of Medicine: Diet-Induced Thermogenesis (Thermic Effect of Food)
- "Nutrition and Metabolism"; Diet-induced Theromogenesis; Klaas R. Westerterp; August 2004
- University of California San Diego; Energy Balance and Regulation of Food Intake; April Apperson
- Syracuse University; Well Worth It; Julie See; March 2008
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