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E is for Energy & Energy Balance

Energy in food is given as kilojoules or calories.

One calorie (kcal) = 4.186 kilojoules (kJ)

Energy is not a nutrient but is the amount of energy released from food nutrients such as carbohydrate, protein and fat.

• 1 gram carbohydrate = 17 kJ (4 kcal)
• 1 gram protein = 16 kJ (4 kcal)
• 1 gram fat = 37 kJ (9 kcal)

Energy Balance – to maintain weight we need to maintain energy balance ie. a balance between the amount of energy we take in (foods and drinks) and the amount of energy we expend (physical activity and metabolism).

If you want to lose weight you need to change this balance so that the energy you expend is greater than the energy you take in. This should include changes to the total amount of food you eat and the nutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) content of your meals AND increasing the amount of time you spend being physically active.