Calories - Who figured that one out???

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sniffles
sniffles Posts: 295
in Food and Nutrition
I'm just sitting here pondering; HOW do they measure how many calories are in any particular unit of food?

I feel a bit stupid. Perhaps I'm the only person in the world who doesn't know how that's done but I'd really like to know. :huh:

Replies

  • sniffles
    sniffles Posts: 295
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    I'm just sitting here pondering; HOW do they measure how many calories are in any particular unit of food?

    I feel a bit stupid. Perhaps I'm the only person in the world who doesn't know how that's done but I'd really like to know. :huh:
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    I leave that up to scientists! I envision them torching Twinkies to see how long they'll burn and then calculating numbers a lot... :laugh:
  • dclarsh
    dclarsh Posts: 364
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    They burn it and measure how much energy the food puts off by how much the heat raises the temperature of water. Or something like that.
  • agarlits
    agarlits Posts: 429 Member
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    Its figured up by how much of the food is Carbohydrate (4 cals) Protein (4 cals) or Fat (7 cal). I'm not sure if its measured in grams so I wont pretend to know that much. I think we learned the caloric values of carbs and such in junior high home ec class. Not sure why I remembered it
  • agarlits
    agarlits Posts: 429 Member
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    Calorie = the amount of energy it takes to raise one kilogram of water one degree
  • marshall153
    marshall153 Posts: 150 Member
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    I measured the calories in different nuts once for a science project at school. I stuck a needle in the nut and stuck the other end of the needle on an eraser to make it stand up and then i set the nut on fire :laugh: then i record the temperature of the water in a tin can above it and record the difference..... I won a prize or something for it but I also burnt a hole in the middle of my friends house
  • sniffles
    sniffles Posts: 295
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    Now I'm pondering if all scientists are pyromaniacs at heart...
  • Tri_Dad
    Tri_Dad Posts: 1,465
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    Now I'm pondering if all scientists are pyromaniacs at heart...

    As long as they keep it in the lab. I can see the eleven o' clock news now.

    "Tonight at 11. Scientist sets fire to a 12 story building downtown. When questioned by police he said he was curious how many calories were in a bank building."

    Oh golly :laugh: :laugh:
  • sniffles
    sniffles Posts: 295
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    Now I'm pondering if all scientists are pyromaniacs at heart...

    As long as they keep it in the lab. I can see the eleven o' clock news now.

    "Tonight at 11. Scientist sets fire to a 12 story building downtown. When questioned by police he said he was curious how many calories were in a bank building."

    Oh golly :laugh: :laugh:

    :D

    COME ON now though. Who thinks: Geez... I bet if I set this on fire I can figure out how much energy is it!!!

    HAHAH.
  • Innerglow
    Innerglow Posts: 1,074 Member
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    I've always wondered this myself but never had the nerve to ask, That is VERY interesting!:smile:

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