Questions about the thermic effects of food

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emmab0902
emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Firstly, is the estimated thermic effect of food a stable measure ie does it vary from person to person or is it always the same eg is the TEF for protein always around 25% for everyone? Secondly, How much if at all do we need to factor this into our diet, particularly if we eat higher levels of protein?

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  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    It varies based on the food. E. g. Celery has a higher TEF than sucrose. Exact numbers are not currently well-documented. When you get to the point where accounting for TEF becomes a concern, your diet should be so dialed in that you aren't using TDEE/BMR formulas any more, but actually know from experience what your gain/loss will be at a certain caloric intake with a general idea of your macronutrient breakdown. Otherwise, if your goal is weight loss, just ignore it and you will lose weight slightly faster than planned.

    Just my 2c.
  • tajmel
    tajmel Posts: 401 Member
    Well, I learned something new today! I was familiar with the concept of TEF, but not with the acronym or associated factors. I always appreciate the opportunity to google something, so thanks! :)
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
    Found this which is very interesting, especially the bit refuting the six meals a day myth.

    http://www.shapesense.com/nutrition/articles/thermic-effect-of-food.aspx
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    Found this which is very interesting, especially the bit refuting the six meals a day myth.

    http://www.shapesense.com/nutrition/articles/thermic-effect-of-food.aspx
    Thanks for that, I had actually not seen some of those studies before! All of them are already incorporated into my diet though, which is amusing.
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