1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 Calories; 1 gram of protein = 4 Calories; and 1 gram of fat = 9 Calories. If you eat 250 grams of a food which is 25% fat, 35% protein and 40% carbohydrate, how many total calories did you consume
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Step 1: Determine the grams of each macronutrient
- Fat: 25% of 250 grams
= 0.25 × 250 = 62.5 grams - Protein: 35% of 250 grams
= 0.35 × 250 = 87.5 grams - Carbohydrate: 40% of 250 grams
= 0.40 × 250 = 100 grams
Step 2: Multiply by calorie values per gram
- Fat Calories:
62.5 grams × 9 Calories/gram = 562.5 Calories - Protein Calories:
87.5 grams × 4 Calories/gram = 350 Calories - Carbohydrate Calories:
100 grams × 4 Calories/gram = 400 Calories
Step 3: Add the total Calories
Total Calories = 562.5 (fat) + 350 (protein) + 400 (carbs)
= 1,312.5 Calories
✅ Final Answer: 1,312.5 Calories
Explanation
Understanding how macronutrients contribute to total caloric intake is essential for managing diet and nutrition. Each of the three macronutrients — carbohydrates, proteins, and fats — provides a specific number of Calories per gram: 4 Calories for carbohydrates, 4 for protein, and 9 for fat.
In this problem, we are given a food item weighing 250 grams and are told the percentage composition of each macronutrient: 25% fat, 35% protein, and 40% carbohydrate. The first step involves converting these percentages into actual gram values. We multiply each percentage by the total weight (250 grams) to get the individual gram values for fat (62.5 g), protein (87.5 g), and carbohydrates (100 g).
Next, we calculate the caloric contribution of each macronutrient. Since fat is more calorie-dense (9 Calories/gram), it contributes a larger portion of the total calories compared to protein and carbs, even though its mass is smaller. Multiplying each gram value by its caloric equivalent gives us 562.5 Calories from fat, 350 from protein, and 400 from carbs.
Finally, summing these individual contributions yields the total energy provided by the food: 1,312.5 Calories. This number represents the total amount of energy your body can derive from consuming this 250-gram food portion. Understanding this helps with energy balance, weight management, and making informed dietary choices.
