Learning About Calories

The body requires a certain number of calories to run normal body functions. The foods you eat contain calories that your body uses for energy. The more calories you eat, the more energy your body will be able to call on. A calories measures how much energy a food gives the body. Calories from food that are not used right away are stored either as glycogen, a complex carbohydrate that is found in liver and muscle, or as triglyceride, a fat that is found in adipose tissue located on the body.

Calories needs vary from person to person. The amount of calories your body needs depends on your age, weight, height, health, and activity level. To maintain a healthy weight, it is important to balance the calories in the food you eat with the calories used by the body every day. In most cases the cause of obesity is a combination of a calorie surplus and an inactive lifestyle. Too many calories and you will gain weight. On the other hand, taking in fewer calories than your body needs can result in weight loss. But an extremely low calorie diet will not cause harm to your body.