# data[].attributes.body
Study on the impact of Growth mindset on career readiness and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in teens.

# data[].attributes.body
Stories of mistakes and failures. Opportunities to teach students to accept failure and look for growth in mistakes.

# data[].attributes.body
Looking for various ways to help students set, track, and manage goals. Tech suggestions are key.

# data[].attributes.body
How does your diet impact your brain? Covers specific foods and the nutrients they provide to help with brain function.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Neuroscience for Kids - Nutrition and the Brain

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your brain must manufacture the right proteins and fats to do things such as grow new connections or add myelin, the fatty sheath to axons. You do this by digesting proteins and fats in food and using the pieces, that is, the amino acids and fatty acids, to make the new brain proteins and fats.

# data[].attributes.body
Portions can be tricky, but visual cues and daily recommended intake are helpful. Myplate is a visual cue that ensures a balanced meal.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If we eat more than we need to, our bodies take in more calories than they can burn. And this is easy to do because we've become so used to seeing (and eating) large portions.

Why do restaurants and food manufacturers like to serve larger portions? Because customers like getting the best value for their money! But the value meal is no deal when it has too much fat, sugar, and calories and sets the stage for health problems.

People who consistently overeat are likely to become overweight. This increases their risk for medical problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, and even depression. Later in life, people who are overweight have a greater chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

So what can you do to keep portions under control? A good place to start is knowing about serving sizes and portion sizes of different foods.

Serving Sizes, Portion Sizes & Recommended Amounts

Serving sizes. Look at the label on any food package and you'll see a nutrition information section that gives a serving size for that food. The serving size is based on the amount of food people typically eat, not how much they should eat. Serving sizes help you see how many calories and nutrients - including fat, sugar, and salt - you get from eating a specific quantity of that food.

Sometimes the serving size on a package will be less than you eat.

Portion sizes. The portion size is the amount you do eat. In some cases, like vegetables, it's perfectly OK (and even a good idea) to eat a larger portion than the serving size listed on the package.

But when it comes to foods that are high in calories, fat, or sugar, the serving size can alert you that you may be getting more than is healthy.

Let's say you buy a 3-ounce bag of cookies and you eat the whole bag. If the label shows the serving size is 1 ounce, not only did you have 3 servings, you also had 3 times the listed calories as well as 3 times the sugar.

Recommended amounts. Serving sizes tell you how much people typically eat and the nutrition in that amount. Serving sizes don't tell you how much to eat or which foods you need to stay healthy. That's where the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate comes in. It recommends the right mix and amount of food for you.

MyPlate is divided into four sections with dairy on the side to represent the 5 food groups:

The ChooseMyPlate website offers guidelines to help people figure out how much of these foods they should eat based on age, weight, gender, and activity level.

How to Use MyPlate Every Day

Serving sizes on food labels and recommended amounts on the ChooseMyPlate site are usually given in grams, ounces, or cups. Of course, most of us don't carry around food scales and measuring cups. So how can we translate those amounts into portions we can relate to? That's where visual cues come in.

A great way to "see" appropriate portions is to use the concept of the "divided plate." Similar to MyPlate, think of your plate as divided into four sections:

One quarter (1 section) of the plate is for protein.

One quarter (1 section) of the plate is for starches (like potatoes and corn) and grains, preferably a whole grain (like brown rice and whole-wheat bread).

Half the plate (2 sections) is for veggies (or fruit and veggies).

None of the foods should overlap or be piled high. Dividing your plate like helps you keep portions under control and helps you eat a balanced meal.

Another easy way to size up portions is to use your hand as a guide:

A clenched fist is about 1 cup - and that's the amount experts recommend for a portion of pasta, rice, cereal, vegetables, and fruit.

A meat portion should be about as big as your palm.

Limit the amount of added fats (like butter, mayo, or salad dressing) to the size of the top of your thumb.

Portion-Control Tips

Being aware of the right portion sizes and using the "divided plate" method can help you avoid overeating. But it's not easy to use these visual cues with foods that are hard to measure, like a casserole or sandwich. It's also hard to track portion sizes of foods like chips and cookies when you eat right out of the bag.

Try these tips to control portion sizes:

Eat your meals on a smaller plate so your meal looks larger. A sandwich on a dinner-size plate looks lost, but on an appetizer plate it looks downright hefty.

Avoid taking an entire bag of chips or a container of ice cream to the couch. You're much less likely to eat too much if you put your snack in a bowl, and sit at the table to eat it.

Don't eat in front of the TV or other screens.

Try single-serving size foods to help your body learn what a typical amount is.

Eat 3 well-balanced meals (with vegetables, fruit, proteins, and starch) and 1-2 healthy snacks at regular times throughout the day. Skipping meals or waiting too long between them can make you more likely to overdo it at the next meal.

Add more salads, other vegetables, and fruit to your diet, especially at the start of a meal. This can help control hunger and give a sense of fullness while controlling calorie intake.

Try not to rush through your meals. Eat slowly and chew well. Give yourself a chance to notice if feel full before you take more. If you do want seconds, go for more salad or veggies.

Be aware that most restaurant portions are much larger than you need. Try sharing meals with friends, ordering an appetizer as a main dish, or packing up the extra to take home before you begin to eat.

Don't be tempted to go for the giant value meal or the jumbo drink just because they're only a few cents more than the regular size.

Most important, make it a habit to let your stomach rather than your eyes tell you when you're done with a meal. Listen to your body's natural signals about when it's hungry and when it's full.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If we eat more than we need to, our bodies take in more calories than they can burn. And this is easy to do because we've become so used to seeing (and eating) large portions. Why do restaurants and food manufacturers like to serve larger portions?

# data[].attributes.headline
Pretty Simple Cooking: Cookbook through Google Books

# data[].attributes.subject
Pretty Simple Cooking: Cookbook through Google Books

# data[].attributes.body
Vegetarian and gluten free options. Great resource for the meal plan project!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sonja Overhiser is a writer, recipe developer, podcast host, and healthy and sustainable food advocate. Along with her husband Alex, she created the A Couple Cooks website, a collection of whole foods recipes and inspiration for healthy and sustainable eating. She is co-host of the A Couple Cooks podcast, which features conversations in food with personalities from local farmers to celebrity chefs. She loves a good cup of coffee, a morning trip to the farmer's market, eating pizza in Italy, and she has a hidden talent of salsa dancing.

Alex Overhiser is food photographer, recipe developer, podcast host and web designer behind A Couple Cooks. Alex's food photography is nationally known and has been featured in the Huffington Post, People.com, Food52, Buzzfeed, The Kitchn, and Indianapolis Monthly. In addition to A Couple Cooks, Alex maintains freelance gigs in food photography and web design. He loves a good cup of coffee, hiking, and his smartwatch.

Sonja and Alex are married and live in Indianapolis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Popular husband-and-wife bloggers and podcasters (acouplecooks.com) offer 100 recipes with an emphasis on whole foods and getting into the kitchen together. Pretty Simple Cooking was named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious and best healthy cookbooks of 2018 by Mind Body Green.A love story at its finest, Alex and Sonja Overhiser first fell for each other--and then the kitchen.

# data[].attributes.headline
Skinnytaste: Cookbook through Google Books

# data[].attributes.subject
Skinnytaste: Cookbook through Google Books

# data[].attributes.body
Although I don't love the title including "Skinny" the recipes in this book are tried and true healthier versions of classics like chicken parmesan.  We have this cookbook at school, but it's nice to have access to it through google books to search the recipes by ingredient or nutritent quickly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Gina Homolka is America's most trusted home cook when it comes to easy, flavorful recipes that are miraculously low-calorie and made from all-natural, easy-to-find ingredients. Her blog, Skinnytaste is the number one go-to site for slimmed down recipes that you'd swear are anything but. It only takes one look to see why people go crazy for Gina's food: cheesy, creamy Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli with only 420 calories per serving, breakfast dishes like Make-Ahead Western Omelet "Muffins" that truly fill you up until lunchtime, and sweets such as Double Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies that are low in sugar and butter-free but still totally indulgent.

The Skinnytaste Cookbook features 150 amazing recipes: 125 all-new dishes and 25 must-have favorites. As a busy mother of two, Gina started Skinnytaste when she wanted to lose a few pounds herself. She turned to Weight Watchers for help and liked the program but struggled to find enough tempting recipes to help her stay on track. Instead, she started "skinny-fying" her favorite meals so that she could eat happily while losing weight.

With 100 stunning photographs and detailed nutritional information for every recipe, The Skinnytaste Cookbook is an incredible resource of fulfilling, joy-inducing meals that every home cook will love.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get the recipes everyone is talking about in the debut cookbook from the wildly popular blog, Skinnytaste. Gina Homolka is America's most trusted home cook when it comes to easy, flavorful recipes that are miraculously low-calorie and made from all-natural, easy-to-find ingredients.

# data[].attributes.body
Provides nutritional information through access to several government databases; CDC, FDA, Health.Gov, and the USDA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nutrition.gov is powered by USDA Science and offers credible information to help you make healthful eating choices.

# data[].attributes.body
Interesting concept. Students could create short form videos to entice peers to incorporate fruits and veg into diet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Abstract

Social media culinary videos are a prominent feature across various social media platforms and constitute one of many media platforms that expose audiences to food. Given that there is a link between exposure to food content through food media and nutrient intake, our study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to social media culinary videos on adolescents' appetites. We conducted a pre- and posttest study with 126 middle school children ( M age = 13.9, SD = 1.2). Participants saw a social media culinary video either demonstrating the preparation of a sweet snack ( n = 50) or a fruit and vegetable snack ( n = 76). As dependent variables, we examined hunger, general desire to eat, liking of the foods portrayed, intentions to eat and prepare the portrayed foods, and actual food choice behavior. The findings showed that the videos had no effects on hunger or general desire to eat but influenced food choice behavior, liking of the foods, and intentions to eat and prepare the foods portrayed. The sweet snacks video reduced the liking of fruits and vegetables and indirectly reduced the odds of choosing a fruit over a cookie, through intentions to eat sweet snacks. The fruits and vegetables video reduced the liking of sweet snacks and resulted in higher intentions to prepare healthy snacks. In conclusion, a single exposure to short-form culinary videos had effects on various food-related outcomes. While the positive effects of the fruits and vegetable video frame these videos as potential platforms to stimulate healthy eating and food preparation, the effects of the sweet snacks video warn of negative influences. Further research on prolonged repetitive exposure is warranted.

View full text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The differential effects of viewing short-form online culinary videos of fruits and vegetables versus sweet snacks on adolescents' appetites

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media culinary videos are a prominent feature across various social media platforms and constitute one of many media platforms that expose audiences to food. Given that there is a link between exposure to food content through food media and nutrient intake, our study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to social media culinary videos on adolescents' appetites.

# data[].attributes.body
Looking to integrate more opportunities to reflect on improvement and growth. Helpful mantras and quotes.

# data[].attributes.body
Interesting study on the impact videos of cooking skills had on participants learning to cook. Confidence in skills were enhanced after watching the videos.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The impact of video technology on learning: A cooking skills experiment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This study examines the role of video technology in the development of cooking skills. The study explored the views of 141 female participants on whet...

# data[].attributes.body
This lesson includes readings and a video that breaks down digestion. There are two study sets of questions to go along with the video.

# data[].attributes.body
A lesson on healthy additions and substitutions to recipes. Includes outline for a lab.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intro to Culinary Arts: Recipe Adaptation | OER Commons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students will examine recipe adaptations that improve the nutritional value and/or meet the needs of a special dietary restriction.

# data[].attributes.body
This article details usage of Badgr to create and issue badges. I've been thinking about a way to add visual representation of skills to my students' reflection slides.

# data[].attributes.body
Free calorie tracker that pulls from a large database of foods. User can scan barcode or input details manually. Give a % breakdown of calories from fat, carbohydrates, and proteins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Build healthy habits with the all-in-one food, exercise, and calorie tracker.
Start Today

Get Results

Nutrition tracking works, here's the proof

"MyFitnessPal helped me gain muscle, get a 6-pack, and simply achieve all my body goals."

Synthia J.

"I was 307 lbs, and today I am 199 lbs. I participated in a diabetes prevention program, learning how proper nutrition and exercise are essential. That is when I began using MyFitnessPal. I still use it everyday."

Larry S.

"Once I started focusing on providing my body with nutrition for the purpose of building strength, my body has completely changed. More importantly, I'm feeling confident and empowered with who I am."

Brooke N.

"My biggest realization with MyFitnessPal was being able to understand the food I ate ... we don't need to jump on some diet fad, but understand our goals and adjust our calories and macros to achieve those goals."

Rohit S.

"The biggest realization is that I can do better. It is actually possible to eat healthy, and the food can taste good. MyFitnessPal helped me overhaul my habits."

Quincy D.

Have 2 mins?

Get your personalized daily plan

Take the quiz

Stephanie Nelson

MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian

Our Philosophy

Knowledge is power

"Studies show people who keep a food diary are more likely to hit their goals. MyFitnessPal simplifies nutrition and calorie tracking, provides the data you want, and helps you make sense of it all.

Healthy eating is a continuous journey of self-discovery. And the more you track, the more empowered you'll become to make healthy choices that support your goals."

MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian

As seen in...

From our experts

Essential Guide to Food Logging
Whether your goal is to lose weight, build strength, perform at your peak or improve your overall health, keeping an accurate food journal of what you eat and drink is essential. It provides valuable insight into your nutrition habits, so you can see trends and make adjustments as needed.
Read more on MyFitnessPal blog ›

Essential Guide to Healthy Eating
When you start learning more about nutrition, it can seem overwhelming. For people who are interested, there is definitely a lot to learn and explore, but, in the end, basic nutrition is quite simple. It's so simple, in fact, that we know you can eat better by focusing on these eight things.
Read more on MyFitnessPal blog ›

About MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is one of the best weight loss apps and fitness apps, helping nearly 1 million members reach their nutrition and fitness goals every year. Members use it as a calories tracker and calorie counter to log their foods, and take advantage of the app's food database that contains over 18 million foods. It's not just a free calorie counter app - it's also the best calorie counter app for people who are looking to take back control of their health and fitness.

3.7 Million
5-Star Reviews

"Helped me get moving on my goals and tracking my weight loss and bodybuilding."

Jason L.

"Good for tracking calories and macros with a huge database of food."

Iain M.

"Friendly, easy-to-use app that keeps me accountable."

Dinah L.

"Can't lose weight and stay on track without it."

Jennie S.

"Love this app. It keeps me on track with my nutritional goals."

Annette B.

Hit your health goals in 1-2-3

1

Track food, fitness & fasting

Tracking calories and macros is easy with our barcode scanner and device integration.

2

Learn what works

Personalized nutrition insights reveal what's working so you can make smarter choices.

3

Change your habits and reach your goals

Now you have the tools and knowledge to build healthy habits for life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Calorie Tracker & BMR Calculator to Reach Your Goals | MyFitnessPal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reach your health, fitness & weight goals with MyFitnessPal, the #1 nutrition tracking app. Macro & calorie calculator, food tracker, and fasting app in one. Download today!

# data[].attributes.body
Our bodies don't produce minerals, but they play an import role in many body processes. Which minerals do we need and which foods provide them?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Important minerals you need and the foods that contain them

# data[].attributes.body
Which vitamins are stored by our body? Are there some we need to eat everyday? Why the difference?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Want to know a little bit more about each of the necessary fat-soluble vitamins in your diet? Check out this site and learn the side effects of too much or too little of all these essential vitamins! What can you eat to improve your intake of these necessary parts of a healthy lifestyle? Harvard Medical Schoo l has an awesome link that provides a list of vitamins, foods they are found in and an interesting "did you know?" section. Read and learn what you need to change in your diet to improve your overall health!

Scientists and doctors have started to question whether vitamin supplements are necessary. Check out this New York Times article. "Should We Toss Our Vitamin Pills?" For a little debate, read this from Smithsonian Magazine and find out the five key essential vitamin supplements and why they are necessary. Which side offers the most evidence? What do you think?

Check out this cool graphic from Information is Beautiful on scientific evidence for supplements. Click to find out what various natural and vitamin supplements do. Get more knowledgeable by reading the lead scientific study linked to more information. What are superfoods? Click around this graphic on Superfoods. Read the Harvard Health article on "Superfoods" for heart health to find out how to be heart healthy at any age.

Want some information on how to ensure strong bones and teeth for a lifetime. This NPR Morning Edition will give you some ideas. Worried about developing high blood pressure and hypoglycemia? Could low vitamin D levels be the problem? Solve it by reading Low Vitamin D levels? Sardines to the rescue! Does this sound fishy to you? This All Things Considered audio file by NPR will provide all the reasons in the world you may want to add sardines to your diet.

Carl Zimmer adds some insight into how humans became so dependent on vitamins in the article, " Vitamin' Old, Old Edge." At this link, listen to the Science Times Podcast featuring Carl Zimmer on the "Science of Vitamins." Using vitamins against our enemies as weapons? Does this concept sound interesting? Read, "Learning from the History of Vitamins, " and discover!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How do vitamins work? - Ginnie Trinh Nguyen

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Vitamins are the building blocks that keep our bodies running; they help build muscle and bone, capture energy, heal wounds and more. But if our body doesn't create vitamins, how do they get into our system? Ginnie Trinh Nguyen describes what vitamins are, how they get into our bodies -- and why they are so crucial.

# data[].attributes.body
Learn about amino acids. Includes formulas to determine recommended daily amounts of protein for athletes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Protein? How Much Protein to Build Muscle?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NOW AVAILABLE* - PictureFit Tees, Tanktops, and more! Store: https://picfitshop.com Support PictureFit at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/picturefit Learn more about the macronutrient protein! If you enjoy these fitness videos, please show your support by liking and subscribing! Thank you for watching! Come join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pictur... Twitter: https://twitter.com/Picture_Fit Instagram: https://instagram.com/picturefit/

# data[].attributes.body
Fat gets a bad wrap, but there are good types of fat. Learn about the good, bad, and the ugly side of fats.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-fat-george-zaidan As the narrative goes, fat is bad. Well, it's actually more nuanced than that. The type of fat you eat is more impactful on your health than the quantity. George Zaidan examines triglycerides, the varied molecules that make up fat, and how to identify which types of fat you are consuming.

# data[].attributes.body
See how much you already know about the food groups. Pretest materials.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

# data[].attributes.headline
Website: Foodsubs.com A Digital Food Encyclopedia

# data[].attributes.subject
Website: Foodsubs.com A Digital Food Encyclopedia

# data[].attributes.body
Ingredient Encyclopedia. Photos and information on thousands of ingredients and kitchen tools. A nice feature is the produce entries include region and seasonal information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
FoodSubs is a cooking encyclopedia that covers thousands of ingredients and kitchen tools. Entries include pictures, descriptions, synonyms, pronunciations, and suggested substitutions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FoodSubs: Ingredient Substitutions and Ingredient Synonyms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
FoodSubs is a cooking encyclopedia with ingredient substitutions, ingredient synonyms, descriptions, photos, and nutritional information for thousands of ingredients.

# data[].attributes.body
Covers simple and complex carbohydrates. There is a connection between carbohydrates and blood sugar (energy).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Interested in knowing more about the glycemic index The glycemic index is a ranking system that depicts the glycemic response (change in blood glucose) caused by a food. The index was originally created to help people with Type 2 Diabetes make better food choices, but has been used in many additional settings including cardiovascular health and sports performance. The glycemic index of a food can vary depending on meal composition, cooking or processing measures, ripeness, etc. Furthermore, the glycemic index does not take in to account the amount of food chosen (i.e. a bite of white bread and an entire loaf of white bread has the same glycemic index). As such, an additional system called the " glycemic load" was subsequently created. This system takes into account both the glycemic index of a food and the amount of a food eaten.

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of symptoms that increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes. The underlying cause of metabolic syndrome is thought to be insulin resistance. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing significantly world-wide. There are five diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome:
1.Fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL
2.Blood pressure ≥130/≥85 or taking a medication to lower blood pressure
3.Waist circumference ≥35 inches for women or ≥40 inches in men
4. Triglycerides (fat in your blood) ≥150 mg/dL
5. HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) ≤50 for women or ≤40 in men

Insulin resistance is a condition where the body makes insulin, but the tissues response to that insulin is blunted. Insulin resistance is thought to be the underlying cause of metabolic syndrome, and is a hallmark of Type 2 Diabetes. Insulin resistance can lead to weight gain and disruptions in blood-fat levels ("triglycerides") and good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The things we eat and drink on a daily basis can impact our health in big ways. Too many carbohydrates, for instance, can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. But what are carbs, exactly? And what do they do to our bodies?

# data[].attributes.body
A guide to calories. Covers high calorie, low calorie foods, and empty calories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(Image: © designer491 | Shutterstock )

A calorie is a unit of energy. Historically, scientists have defined "calorie" to mean a unit of energy or heat that could come from a variety of sources, such as coal or gas. In a nutritional sense, all types of food - whether they are fats, proteins, carbohydrates or sugars - are important sources of calories, which people need to live and function.

"Our brains, our muscles - every cell in our body - require energy to function in its optimal state," said Jennifer McDaniel, a registered nutritionist dietitian in Clayton, Missouri, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "So for one, we want to nourish our body right and our brain right. If we don't get enough of those nutrients [that calories provide], there are negative consequences, whether its losing lean muscle mass, not being able to concentrate or not having the energy we need on a day-to-day basis."

The physics of calories

According to an article in the Journal of Nutrition, titled "History of the Calorie in Nutrition," in 1863, a calorie was defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water from 0 to 1 degree Celsius. In 1925, calories became scientifically defined in terms of joules, which are units typically used by physicists to describe the amount of work needed to force one newton through one meter. This is why you sometimes see calories being called kilojoules, especially in Europe and Australia. One calorie equals 4.18 joules; 1 joule equals 0.000239006 of a calorie.

The amount of heat needed to make a calorie differs at different temperatures, so scientists decided to create different types of calories according to their water temperature. Different temperatures yield different types of calories, such as the small calorie, also called the gram calorie or the 15-degree calorie. This calorie refers to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water from 14.5 to 15.5 degrees Celsius.

A calorie in nutrition is actually 1,000 of these small calories. Some researchers use the term kilocalories to refer to the nutritional unit of 1,000 small calories. These units of 1,000 small calories are also sometimes called large calories, dietary calories, nutritional calories, food calories and Calories with a capital C.

Therefore, what Americans see on food labels are actually kilocalories, or kilojoules. When the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that one medium-size apple contains 95 calories, it actually contains 95 kilocalories. (This article uses the term calorie instead of kilocalories.)

Different types of macronutrients have standard amounts of calories. One gram of protein has 4 calories. One gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories. One gram of fat has 9 calories, according to the McKinley Health Center.

How many calories should people eat every day?

How many calories a person needs in a day depends on the individual's activity level and resting metabolic rate, which can be measured at a doctor or dietitian's office, McDaniel said. "There's conventional wisdom that men shouldn't eat fewer than 1,500 calories and women 1,200 calories to ensure that they're getting a balance of major nutrients and micronutrients."

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides general guidelines of calorie requirements for various ages and activity levels. A middle-age moderately active female should consume 2,000 calories per day. A middle-age moderately active male should consume 2,400 to 2,600 calories per day.

What should those calories be?

The official Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends that for an adult, 45 to 65 percent of calories should come from carbohydrates, 20 to 25 percent should come from fat and 10 to 35 percent should come from protein. Children need a higher proportion of fat, between 25 and 40 percent of their calories. No more than 25 percent of total calories should come from added sugars.

McDaniel said that beyond those general guidelines the amount of macronutrients needed depends on the individual's activity level. An athlete, for example, needs more carbohydrates. Food preferences also play a role. "I love bread so I'd never go on a low-carb diet because I want a sustainable approach," she said.

What are high-calorie foods?

Foods that are considered high-calorie, or calorically dense, have a high amount of calories relative to their serving size, according to the Mayo Clinic. Oils, butter and other fats; fried foods; and sugary sweets are high-calorie foods. While high-calorie foods are often associated with junk food, some are high in nutrients, as well.

Healthy foods that are high in calories include avocados (227 calories each), quinoa (222 calories per cup), nuts (828 calories per cup of peanuts), olive oil (119 calories per tablespoon), whole grains, and, in moderation, dark chocolate (648 calories per bar), according to the USDA Nutrition Database.

Raisins are an example of a high-calorie food that might surprise some people; you could eat 1 cup of grapes and get the same amount of calories as from one-quarter cup of raisins, according to the Mayo Clinic. Dried fruits are usually calorically dense; for this reason, they are popular among hikers burning a lot of calories.

What are low-calorie foods?

Foods that are considered low-calorie have a low amount of calories relative to their serving size. Fruits and especially vegetables are usually relatively low in calories. For example, 2 cups of shredded romaine lettuce or spinach have 16 calories, a large stalk of celery has 10 calories, 1 large ear of corn has 123 calories, 1 cup of broccoli has 15 calories and an orange has 70 calories, according to the USDA Nutrition Database.

What are empty calories?

Empty calories contain few to no nutrients. They often come from added sugars and solid fats, according to the Choose My Plate campaign run by the USDA. Solid fats are fats that solidify at room temperature, like butter, shortening and fats found in some meats. They can occur naturally but are often added to foods.

Many typical American foods have a lot of empty calories. Choose My Plate lists ice cream, sodas, cheese, pizza and processed meats like hot dogs and sausages as examples of popular foods high in empty calories. Some of these foods, like cheese and pizza, also contain nutrients (cheese is high in calcium and contains protein; pizza sauces, toppings and crusts can have nutrients) but other foods, like sodas and most candies, contain only empty calories. Choose My Plate calls these empty-calorie foods.

Calories and weight loss

Though it is important to consume sufficient calories, counting and cutting calories can help many people shed pounds. Calories are expended through physical activity. For example, running a mile might burn around 112 calories, according to Runner's World magazine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refers to the balance of calories burned and calories consumed as caloric balance. It functions like a scale; when you are in balance, the calories consumed are balanced by the calories burned. This means you will maintain your body weight.

According to the CDC, if you are maintaining your weight, you are in caloric balance. This means that every day, you are consuming roughly the same amount of calories you are burning. If you are in caloric excess, you are eating more calories than you are burning and you will gain weight. If you are in caloric deficit, you are burning more calories than you are eating, and you will lose weight.

When people want to lose weight they often attempt to have a caloric deficit. But even a person with a caloric deficit needs to consume sufficient calories to function and stay healthy. Eating enough calories helps maintain muscle mass during the weight-loss process, McDaniel said. It also helps make weight loss sustainable. "If someone slashes calories to lose weight, where do they go from there? Does that mean they continue eating less and less?" she asked.

Consuming sufficient calories during the weight-loss process is also important to maintaining a healthy metabolic rate. "Chronic under-eating - eating 800 or 1,000 calories a day over time - lowers your resting metabolic rate, [which impacts] how many calories you burn, and your metabolic machinery," said McDaniel.

Counting calories and cutting calories for weight loss

Counting and cutting calories can be a practical approach to weight loss. There are, however, other approaches to weight loss for those who don't want to count calories, such as regimens that focus on changes in dietary behavior rather than calorie counts.

Whether someone chooses to count calories or take a behavioral change approach, McDaniel said it is important to "find ways to not just slash calories but replace them with healthier options that are still emotionally and physically gratifying for that individual."

Someone interested in losing weight should consider how many calories he or she is eating, how many calories he or she needs and the differences between those numbers, McDaniel said. If someone is eating more calories than necessary, that person will need to change his or her behavior.

It's important that behavior change to a "sustainable pattern that reduces calories," McDaniel said. She gave the example of a man who eats 300-500 calories of ice cream every night after dinner. "We might change that to putting a frozen banana in the blender and adding a little cocoa powder to make soft serve 'ice cream' ... This cuts the calories in half and he's still getting the same mouth feel, pleasure and sweetness."

Low-calorie diets

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines low-calorie diets as meal plans that provide 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day for men. That number is sometimes adjusted for age, weight and activity level. Low-calorie diet plans typically consist of regular food but sometimes contain meal replacements.

McDaniel does not endorse low-calorie diets. "Low-calorie diets are not something we've seen supported in research or in my practice as something that works long term," she said.

"It is not sustainable to slash calories. It also puts you at risk of losing lean muscle mass," she said. People often regain the weight that they lose on low-calorie diets when they return to regular caloric intake. "Sometimes, they've been following a low-calorie diet for so long that they find themselves desiring high-calorie foods or falling into a binge eating pattern," McDaniel said. The unsustainability of low-calorie diets coupled with loss of muscle mass means that regained weight is usually fat, not muscle.

When that happens, McDaniel said, it is doubly harmful. "Not only were they unable to sustain something, leading them to feel like they've failed, but then they've also disrupted the right ratio between good weight [muscle] and bad weight [excess fat] and put more [bad weight] on the body."

Though McDaniel does not recommend low-calorie diets be used consistently, she does say there might be a time and place for low-calorie meal plans. "The concept of intermittent fasting is gaining some popularity," she said. Intermittent fasting might consist of a day of low-calorie intake once a week. Intermittent fasting gained attention after a series of animal studies showed that it appeared to increase longevity. A 2014 review published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that in humans, intermittent fasting might help "reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis."

"Something like that might be one of the tools in someone's toolbox they can lose for weight loss," said McDaniel.

[ Related: The Best Nutrition Software of 2016]

Very low-calorie diets

Experts distinguish between low-calorie diets and "very low-calorie diets." According to the NIH, very low-calorie diets are special diets in which all meals are replaced with prepared formulas, often liquid shakes. These are not the same as shakes and other meal replacements found commercially.

Very low-calorie diets provide up to 800 calories a day. These kinds of diets require a doctor or other health care provider's guidance and regular monitoring. You should not start one on your own. People prescribed very low-calorie diets are usually obese and facing serious health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Additional resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Jessie Szalay - Live Science Contributor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
(Image: © designer491 | Shutterstock ) A calorie is a unit of energy. Historically, scientists have defined "calorie" to mean a unit of energy or heat that could come from a variety of sources, such as coal or gas.

# data[].attributes.body
Information on each of the food groups and their main nutrient. Visual cues for serving sizes and plating to meet nutritional goals. Some areas of information based on gender and activity allowing for personalization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Find easy, low-cost recipes

View delicious recipes in our very own MyPlate Kitchen! Search by ingredient to use what you already have or browse by category to find something new. Save your favorites, make personalized cookbooks, and more!
Go to MyPlate Kitchen

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MyPlate | U.S. Department of Agriculture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
View delicious recipes in our very own MyPlate Kitchen! Search by ingredient to use what you already have or browse by category to find something new. Save your favorites, make personalized cookbooks, and more! Go to MyPlate Kitchen

# data[].attributes.body
Calories are a measurement of energy. This is a difficult concept to wrap our heads around, but this video does a great job of simplifying it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Let's Begin...

We hear about calories all the time: How many calories are in this cookie? How many are burned by doing 100 jumping jacks, or long-distance running, or fidgeting? But what is a calorie, really? And how many of them do we actually need? Emma Bryce explains how a few different factors should go into determining the recommended amount for each person.

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here "

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We hear about calories all the time: How many calories are in this cookie? How many are burned by doing 100 jumping jacks, or long-distance running, or fidgeting? But what is a calorie, really? And how many of them do we actually need?

# data[].attributes.body
This search engine is comprised of quality resources. The resources were selected to focus on nutrition and healthy meal ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
Work through this interactive nearpod presentation to see how calorie math adds up. You'll how fat, carbohydrates, and protein grams convert into calories mathematically.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
No mobile devices in your classroom? No worries! You can enjoy Nearpod from any web browser :) Create, engage, and assess your students in every lesson!

# data[].attributes.body
Ed Puzzle: View this video from TedEd. Learn about dehydration and water poisoning. See food items that count towards your water intake.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Week 5 Tues: What Would Happen If You Didn't Drink Enough Water?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

# data[].attributes.body
Use this quizlet study set to practice your nutrition vocabulary. There are a few matching games to practice or use the flashcard option. Great for test prep.

# data[].attributes.body
This calorie calculator is simple and user friendly. Simply copy and paste your ingredient list with measurements and enter recipe yield. It works out calories per serving for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whip up a custom nutrition label and start making healthier choices! It's as simple as:

Editing Your Recipe

You can edit your recipe at any point.

Editing ingredients: Hit the pencil icon next to the ingredient name if you'd like to edit or delete individual ingredients. To add new ingredients, hit "+Add Ingredient."

Servings: Choose the number you'd like from the "Number of Servings" dropdown.

Starting over: Choose "Analyze New Recipe" or "Start Over." Note that these options will delete the current information, so if you want to save your current analysis make sure to grab the embed code!

Saving and Embedding the Nutrition Label

You can easily save the nutrition label by saving the provided embed code. Once you've finalized your ingredients and servings click or tap "embed this label," located under the nutrition label, to generate a code that you can insert into your blog or save to reference later.

Making the Most of the Recipe Nutrition Analyzer

The nutrition facts label is useful if you're tracking calories or just want to be more informed about your diet, but this recipe calculator is also helpful for making smarter food decisions.

Here are a few tips for how to make the most of it.

Ingredient swaps: Take a look at the calorie breakdown for individual ingredients if you'd like to adjust the calorie content of your recipe. Knowing where the calories are coming from can help you pinpoint specific ingredients to swap out or adjust quantities for.

Ingredient comparisons: How much of a difference will using whole milk versus low-fat milk make? Analyze a recipe with one ingredient, then edit it to use the second and compare the nutrition facts.

Recipe comparisons: Analyze multiple recipes and compare the nutrition labels to help you decide which is better for your diet and specific nutritional needs.

Troubleshooting Errors With the Recipe Analyzer

You might see an error message pop up once you analyze your recipe. Here are a few common ones and how to fix them:

Ingredient not recognized, please try editing: click or tap the ingredient for a dropdown of options to choose from. When you choose the correct one, hit "update."

Measurement not recognized, please try editing: click or tap the pencil icon next to the ingredient name. Choose a measurement from the dropdown, then hit "update." You can also easily convert the measurement with a unit converter if needed, to match the listings available.

Please make sure that you are using the most up-to-date version of your web browser in order to avoid potential errors. This recipe analyzer is not compatible with Internet Explorer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This recipe nutrition calculator will analyze the calorie and nutrition facts for any recipe. Simply enter the ingredients and serving size to get started.