Counting calories is part of any weight loss strategy. Since all packaged foods must include a nutritional composition, this is usually easy to do. If you don't know the exact number of calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrates in your diet, you'll need to count a little. If a food doesn't have a label, for example in a restaurant, try looking at the ingredients using an online food composition database or a calorie calculator. After reading this article, you can calculate your daily calorie needs.
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Method 1 of 2: Counting Calories Based on Nutrients
Step 1. Find the list of ingredients on the food packaging
Often, food manufacturers are required to include nutritional information on their packaging. This information is presented in the form of a list, which is usually on the back or side of the packaging. If you want to know the content of the food you eat, try looking for the packaging label first.
Food nutrition can tell you all the information you could want, including a list of ingredients and an overview of each major macronutrient
Step 2. Record the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat contained in the food
When looking for a food's nutritional value, look for three substances: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. These macronutrients include the sum of all the calories in a food (including alcohol). As a result, the exact amount of each macronutrient represents its proportion of total calories.
Alcohol also contains a lot of calories. Each gram of alcohol contains about 7 calories
Step 3. Multiply each macronutrient by its calorie equivalent
One gram of protein is estimated to contain 4 calories. One gram of carbohydrates also contains 4 calories, and one gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories. If the food you eat contains 20 grams of protein, 35 grams of carbohydrates, and 15 grams of fat, then you multiply 20x4, 35x4, and 15x9 to find the number of calories that contribute to each macronutrient, respectively: 80, 140, and 135.
Nutrients are always measured in grams. Make sure you use the correct units when calculating the calories in food yourself
Step 4. Total calories for each macronutrient
Now that you know how to divide calories, add up each nutrient to calculate the total calorie combination for a single serving of food. Using the previous example, 80 + 140 + 135 = 355 calories. This number must match the estimated calorie listed on the package.
- Splitting a calorie count based on macronutrients instead of just reading it on the packaging not only lets you figure out how many calories for a particular type of food are, but also how to include them in a balanced diet.
- 355 calories may seem like a lot, but if you're trying to lose fat, you'll now know that calories from fat make up almost half the total.
Step 5. Consider portion sizes
Note that the figures for calories and macronutrients listed in the ingredients are for one serving. If there are several servings in one package, the number of calories will certainly be more. This is important to keep in mind if you are monitoring your calorie consumption as part of a diet or exercise program.
For example, a meal that contains 355 calories per serving and contains 3 servings per pack has a total of 1,065 calories
Step 6. Compare the calories in various nutrients with their daily recommendations
According to dietitians and other nutritionists, 46-65% of the total calories consumed daily should come from carbohydrates, 10-35% from protein, and 20-25% from fat. The recommended daily value (aka DV) column in the composition list will show the proportions obtained from food.
- For example, a snack containing 35 grams of carbohydrates provides approximately 12% of the recommended daily value, which is about 300 grams.
- Daily values are averages based on dietary recommendations for adults consuming about 2,000 calories daily.
Method 2 of 2: Using a Calorie Calculator or Guide
Step 1. Use an online calorie calculator to quickly find nutritional information
If you have a computer or smartphone, there are many calorie counters that you can use. You can use the USDA's food composition database or the food calorie calculator. WebMD has nutritional data for almost any food and can be easily viewed with just one tap.
- Unpackaged foods, such as fresh fruit or vegetables and restaurant meals, of course do not provide relevant food composition information. Online calorie counters can be helpful when you want to know the calorie content of these foods.
- Some calorie counters only provide the calorie count and recommended serving size of the food you're looking for. Others may also list macronutrient values.
Step 2. Take a food composition guide with you when traveling
As an alternative to online tools, there are also books or documents that contain the nutritional value of common foods. Take this book with you when you eat out or go grocery shopping to find out how different foods are used in your body
- Some of the well-known guidebooks on food composition include “The Complete Book of Food Counts” by Corinne T. Netzer, “Nutritive Value of Foods,” by Susan E. Gebhardt, and “Handbook of the Nutritional Value of Foods in Common Units” by USDA.
- Some guidebooks even list the nutritional value of selected menus at well-known restaurants. If you want to know the number of calories in a dish at Outback Steakhouse, this book will help you!
Step 3. Find food or ingredients
Type in a name or open a food composition guide until you find what you're looking for. From here, you'll see your calorie count according to the USDA's recommended serving size, along with other info such as key macronutrient values and recommended daily value (DV).
- Make sure the exact size of the portion of the food you are looking for. Portion sizes are usually served in cups, ounces, or grams.
- The ingredients in a food composition list are usually sorted alphabetically or grouped by class (eg fruit, vegetables, meat, bakery products, or snacks).
Step 4. See ingredients for homemade foods separately
If you want to know how many calories are in an entire meal, it's a good idea to record the calories per ingredient individually. Later you add up all the numbers according to the amount of ingredients used to make food. Have a pen and notepad ready so you can take notes as you cook. That way, you can more easily add them up later.
- To find out how many calories in a bowl of beef stew, you'll need to look at the amount of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and broth you're using, and then figure out how many calories the recipe contains.
- Don't forget to include ingredients like butter, oil, and breadcrumbs. These ingredients are often overlooked in calculations because they are not considered a major component of food.
Step 5. Consider the nutritional differences between similar foods
Scan the ingredient list carefully and highlight the one that most closely resembles the food you're looking for. For example, skinned chicken has more fat and calories than skinless chicken. If you see it wrong, the calculated calorie estimates can be wrong and affect the health of your diet.
- Foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, meat, and cheese have a wide variety of calories. Potatoes alone have nearly 200 varieties with different calorie content.
- Packaged foods often also have a lot of variety. Sometimes there are 3-4 variations, including low-fat (low fat), high-protein (rich in protein), and whole grain (real wheat).
Tips
- Use a calculator to make sure you get the most accurate results.
- Look for fresh produce and other ingredients in plastic bags or containers that list the nutritional ingredients.
- Apps like HealthyOut were created specifically to help people count calories while ordering food.
- Watch for small print when eating out. In some places, the law requires restaurants to include the nutritional value of food on their menus.
- If you're serious about keeping track of your calorie intake, consider keeping a food journal to keep track of what you eat in the long term.
