Do you always look at the calories by shopping? Please note, the kilojoules are there too for a reason, but what are they really used for? We explain everything to you.
Consumers are increasingly warned and lend more Watch out for labels at the time of the races. But, all these figures on packaging are not so easy to decode. Most people are focus on calories And forget the kilojoules you kj.
While means this indicationbecause if it is there, it is good for something. An article from Women’s Journal enlighten us.
Two units, the same goal
The kilocalorie (kcal)she is the star of regimes. This figure is both feared and essential for people who watch their line. Kcals are used to measure the energy that a food brings to our body, our daily fuel. 1 kilocalorie = 1 000 caloriesbut in everyday language, we often talk about calories.
And kilojoule (kj)it comes from the international system. He is more precise, more scientificbut often completely ignored in the supermarket. Yet he measure the same thingbut in a little more technical version. 1 kcal = 4,184 kJ. So when you see 418 kj on a package, it environ 100 kcal.
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Zoom on the real culprits of the labels
All foods bring us energybut according to their composition, this energy varies. Lipids, proteins or carbohydrates: everyone has their energy power. The indications on the label gives you the energy brought by each macronutrient. And there, it’s quite simple:
- 1 g of lipids = 9 kcal or 37.66 kj
- 1 g of protein = 4 kcal or 16.74 kj
- 1 g of carbohydrates = 4 kcal or 16.74 kj
You can see that lipids are explode the scoring with 9 kcal per gram. Suffice to say that even A small spoon can increase the addition And it is clearly this figure that you should monitor.
The ideal dose per day
So how do you know if you are “In the nails” ? According to ANSES, a woman aged 20 to 40 needs approximately 2,200 kcal per daya man of the same age around 2 700 kcal. And after 40 years, it drops a little. Of course, if you are rather Team Netflix than Sunday marathon, you will have less need for energy than a sportsman.
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To sum up, the next time you read a label, do not panic in front of the kJ. They are right there to do like the kcalbut in more scientific mode. And if you have retained only 1 kcal = 4.184 kJyou are ready to do your shopping.
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Cuisine editor
After more than ten years in the food industry as a publishing manager, I continue to share what I like most through writing: cooking! Fascinated …
