The thermThe thermic effect of food
With summer approaching, more and more people are thinking about losing weight. A slender figure is a dream not only of women but also of men. Weight loss is made possible by a caloric deficit, and to achieve this, you need to consume less energy than you spend.
A beneficial indicator is the thermic effect of food, which determines the body’s effort to digest a given food. Protein-rich foods will use differently than their fat counterparts. During a slimming diet, a significant issue is the feeling of hunger, which largely depends on the food placed on the plate.
The thermic effect of food – what is it?
The body constantly uses processes to use up the calories from food. To function correctly, the system must spend some of the obtained energy on digesting, metabolizing, and assimilating the supplied ingredients. Depending on the energy substrate (protein, fats, carbohydrates, alcohol), the work required to do it consumes different amounts of calories. Knowledge of these processes allows you to more effectively establish a daily menu and the implemented activities to a higher level of effectiveness.
The thermic effect of food is the amount of energy your body has to spend to digest and absorb nutrients. It is dictated not only by a specific type of food but also by genetic predisposition. It turns out that the organisms of different people cope with a given food differently.
Friends, it is essential in the energy context and the load on the stomach and intestinal peristalsis. Remember that your system is not an indestructible machine, and it is worth giving a moment of respite to the digestive system.
Postprandial thermogenesis is assumed to account for about 10% of the body’s daily caloric expenditure. The remaining “costs” are the energy used to meet basic life needs (breathing, blood circulation, work of individual organs), the effort devoted to physical and spontaneous training activities (walking home, walking around the office, going to the store). Therefore, The thermic effect of food remains a less significant part, but in the long run, it may turn out to be the missing piece of the “slimming puzzle.”
Find out how to burn 1 kg of fat.
The thermic effect of food
The thermic effect of food depends on the predominant nutrient in the meal. Protein has the highest index. It consists of endogenous and exogenous amino acids. The source of proteins is also essential (there are plant and animal sources). Depending on the particular configuration, the thermic effect of protein is even 25-30%. It is often called a bodybuilding ingredient because, in addition to high postprandial thermogenesis, it is the main building component of muscles. In addition to helping develop muscle tissue, the post-training supply of proteins has a positive effect on regenerative processes.
Fat is the ingredient with 1g of which provides the most calories (nine). However, its thermic effect is much lower than that of proteins. It is estimated that the energy required to utilize lipid calories is approximately 7%. However, the advantage of this type of food is its satiety, the addition of fat to a meal (e.g., a spoonful of peanut butter for an apple or olive oil for a salad), extends the time of being full. However, you have to be careful – it’s easy to go too far with the amount of this ingredient in your diet, and remember that it is high in calories.
Natural supplements for bursitis
Carbohydrates are an ingredient that the body digests and absorbs at the lowest cost; it needs 6% of energy compared to fats. It is worth remembering that they provide more than two times fewer calories (than fats) in one gram. However, the challenge is to choose the right type of sugars. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest, leaving you with high energy levels for longer; simple carbohydrates cause a sharp rise and a rapid decline, resulting in fatigue.
The thermic effect of alcohol is about 20%. It is high, but it does not have a positive impact on the body. The body treats it like poison and does its best to get rid of it in the first place. Simply put, the remaining ingredients wait their turn, depositing as adipose tissue. It should remember that alcoholic drinks are high in calories and increase the desire for unhealthy snacks.
Does The thermic effect of food matter?
Losing weight requires an energy deficit, which you can create by increasing physical activity, reducing the energy provided with food, or preferably combining both. If you do not get this state, other activities (supplementation, special diets, temporary fasts) are not available.
Many people maintain that despite being on a negative caloric balance, they do not lose weight. Most often, it is the result of a poorly implemented diet. However, if you are sure that you are doing it right, it is worth visiting a doctor who will help explain the cause of this state of affairs.
The thermic effect of food can make a difference if your diet is balanced correctly. Including products with a high index of postprandial thermogenesis in the menu will additionally stimulate your metabolism. It can achieve by increasing the amount of protein-rich foods. However, do not overdo the amount of protein. You need to pay special attention to fatty red meats that are high in saturated fatty acids. Unlike polyunsaturated counterparts, they do not have a positive effect on health.
Consider using plant-based protein sources as well. They do not have such a complete amino acid profile, but they will make your meal wholesome if skillfully combined. The three main groups of protein-rich plant foods are vegetables, legumes, and grains. If you include two of the three groups in your meal, you can ensure that your body will receive all the necessary ingredients. In addition to protein, they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that eliminate the harmful effects of free radicals.
The thermic effect of food – hit or put?
Nutrition science has two sides. On the one hand, it is straightforward because, in theory, it is based on counting and obtaining results with a few calculations. In practice, the complexity of the human body, and above all its psyche, makes each case individual. People like to look for dietary novelties and implement newly heard ideas. Most often, however, proven simple methods bring the best results. An energy deficit is necessary for the body to draw energy from its tissues and lead to fat loss.
The thermic effect of food is a nuance worth taking into account. Incredibly since protein foods are filling and can help you survive a hard time with an energy deficit. It also helps to understand the essence of nutrition better and know what foods contain a given nutrient.
All this means that your eating habits will be better and better, and the quality of the selected products will increase. However, the excess of proteins can be harmful to the body, so do not overdo it – it negatively affects the mineral balance, mood, and skin condition.
Several indicators can help you lose weight. The most popular is the glycemic index and the satiety index. They are a great way to control satiety and prevent the feeling of hunger for many hours. The thermic effect of food appears to be less critical, but it will improve your results to some extent. However, do not forget that a healthy lifestyle is a marathon, not a sprint, so you should familiarize yourself with the correct eating habits and try to follow them as often as possible.
Summary
The thermic effect of food is the energy expenditure that the body must take to digest and use the ingredients from a given product. Most calories will be consumed by protein, much fewer fats, and slightly less for carbohydrates. It is a beneficial ingredient that can help you lose weight, but remember that the basis of any weight loss is an energy deficit. It is essential to learn and follow healthy eating habits that will allow you to enjoy good conditions for many years in the long term.
The thermic effect of food (TEF), defined as the increase in metabolic rate after ingestion of a meal, has been studied extensively, but its role in body weight regulation is controversial. We analyzed 131 TEF tests from a wide range of subjects ingesting meals of varying sizes and compositions.
The thermic effect of food
