The storage of Calories obtained from carbohydrate and fat respectively.
A Calorie obtained from carbohydrate (starches and sugars) represents the same amount of energy as a Calorie obtained from fat/oil.
However researchers at the Medical School of the University of Massachusetts have reported an interesting observation concerning the amount of energy the body expends when it converts dietary carbohydrates and fats respectively into body fat (see next paragraph). This could be of especial significance to those who struggle to reach and stay within their health promoting weight range [see ‘Obesity simplex: Introducing the health promoting weight range (HPWR)’ of 9/11/07].
The body expends 23 Calories when it converts 77 Calories obtained from dietary carbohydrate into fat which it stores in its adipocytes (fat cells).
However it expends only 3 Calories when it stores 97 Calories obtained from dietary fats/oils.
What the above tells us is that the percentage (%) of unused Calories available for storage as fat (body fat) is 77 for carbohydrate and 97 for fat.
That is one good reason (there are others) for keeping a close eye on one’s fat intake (see: Obesity simplex: Lowering your intake of ‘fat’ Calories’ of 29/11/07).
However, it must be emphasised that under normal circumstances no one should aim for a totally fat-free diet.
Indeed it is generally recommended that 30% of one’s energy intake should come from fat (of which only 10% should be of the saturated type).
[A reminder:
a) 1 gram of fat/oil = 9 Calories (compared to 4 Calories for carbohydrate)
b) For a total intake of 2000 Calories:
c) Recommended 30% of fat = (2000 x 30) divided by 100
= 60000 divided by 100
= 600 Calories
In terms of grams of fat, 600 Calories = 600 divided by 9
= 67 grams (rounded off from 66.666)]