The number of calories in a food item depends on which factors?

• A. The vitamin content
• B. The amount of carbs, fat, and protein it contains
• C. The color of the packaging
• D. The sugar content only

Answer: (B)

Calories come from the energy provided by the macronutrients in a food: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Each of these contributes a specific amount of energy per gram, so the total calorie count is the sum of the calories from carbs, fat, and protein (with alcohol adding its own energy if present). Vitamins and minerals don’t provide meaningful calories, and the color of packaging has no impact on energy content. Saying calories come from sugar alone misses the energy contributed by fats and proteins, even though sugar is a carbohydrate. That’s why the factor that determines calories is the amount of carbs, fat, and protein it contains.