CICO, TEF, and Metabolism
What You Should Know
Plus: Calories Per Ounce in 50 Popular Foods
Calories. The word carries weight—literally and figuratively. Whether you're looking to lose fat, build muscle, or just understand your body better, knowing how many calories are in the food you eat is fundamental. But calories aren't the whole story. To truly master your nutrition, you need to understand not just how many calories you’re consuming, but also how your body uses them.
In this post, we’ll break it down:
Calories per ounce in 50 popular foods
The truth about CICO (Calories In vs Calories Out)
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) and why not all calories are equal
A peek at metabolic pathways and how your body turns food into energy
What Is CICO? (Calories In vs Calories Out)
At its simplest, CICO means:
Calories In: The total energy from food and drinks you consume.
Calories Out: The total energy your body uses through:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The energy to keep you alive at rest
Activity: Exercise, movement, fidgeting
Thermogenesis: Heat production during digestion
If Calories In is greater than Calories Out, you gain weight.
If Calories In is less than Calories Out, you lose weight.
If Calories In equals Calories Out, you maintain weight.
This principle holds true regardless of the food source. But here’s where it gets interesting: your body doesn’t process all calories identically.
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
The Thermic Effect of Food is the energy your body burns to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. TEF varies by macronutrient:
Protein: 20–30% of calories burned during digestion
Carbohydrates: 5–10% of calories burned
Fats: 0–3% of calories burned
This means 100 calories of protein might leave you with only 70–80 usable calories after digestion. 100 calories of carbohydrates leaves about 90–95 calories. 100 calories of fat leaves nearly all 100 calories.
It’s not a free pass to overeat steak and chicken, but it highlights why high-protein diets often help with weight management.
Metabolic Pathways: How Your Body Uses Food
Your body has several metabolic pathways to process food:
Glycolysis (Carbohydrate metabolism): Converts glucose into ATP (energy). Preferred during high-intensity activity. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen or converted to fat.
Beta-Oxidation (Fat metabolism): Breaks down fatty acids for energy. Favored during rest and low-intensity exercise.
Protein Catabolism (Amino acid metabolism): Not preferred for energy but happens in fasting or low-carb states. Amino acids can be converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis.
Each macronutrient follows a unique path, but all lead to ATP—the energy currency of your cells.
Calories Per Ounce: 50 Popular Foods
Knowing how many calories are in 1 ounce (28 grams) of food helps you estimate portion sizes and stay on track.
Here’s a table of 50 popular foods:
So… Are All Calories Equal? Not Quite.
While CICO holds true on a physics level, the type of food you eat changes how your body responds.
High protein foods increase TEF and support lean mass.
Fiber-rich foods slow digestion and increase satiety.
Ultra-processed carbs and fats are easily overconsumed with minimal TEF.
Think of CICO as your starting framework, but remember: food quality still matters for metabolic health, energy, and hunger control.
The Takeaway
Counting calories helps you understand energy balance, but your body isn’t a simple furnace. It’s a complex biological system.
Prioritize high protein, whole foods for their metabolic advantages. Understand your portions—use the calories per ounce table above. Remember CICO, but also respect TEF and your body’s metabolic pathways.
Knowledge is power. Armed with it, you can make smarter choices for your goals.
Calories. The word carries weight—literally and figuratively. Whether you're looking to lose fat, build muscle, or just understand your body better, knowing how many calories are in the food you eat is fundamental. But calories aren't the whole story. To truly master your nutrition, you need to understand not just how many calories you’re consuming, but also how your body uses them.
In this post, we’ll break it down:
Calories per ounce in 50 popular foods
The truth about CICO (Calories In vs Calories Out)
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) and why not all calories are equal
A peek at metabolic pathways and how your body turns food into energy
What Is CICO? (Calories In vs Calories Out)
At its simplest, CICO means:
Calories In: The total energy from food and drinks you consume.
Calories Out: The total energy your body uses through:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The energy to keep you alive at rest
Activity: Exercise, movement, fidgeting
Thermogenesis: Heat production during digestion
If Calories In is greater than Calories Out, you gain weight.
If Calories In is less than Calories Out, you lose weight.
If Calories In equals Calories Out, you maintain weight.
This principle holds true regardless of the food source. But here’s where it gets interesting: your body doesn’t process all calories identically.
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
The Thermic Effect of Food is the energy your body burns to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. TEF varies by macronutrient:
Protein: 20–30% of calories burned during digestion
Carbohydrates: 5–10% of calories burned
Fats: 0–3% of calories burned
This means 100 calories of protein might leave you with only 70–80 usable calories after digestion. 100 calories of carbohydrates leaves about 90–95 calories. 100 calories of fat leaves nearly all 100 calories.
It’s not a free pass to overeat steak and chicken, but it highlights why high-protein diets often help with weight management.
Metabolic Pathways: How Your Body Uses Food
Your body has several metabolic pathways to process food:
Glycolysis (Carbohydrate metabolism): Converts glucose into ATP (energy). Preferred during high-intensity activity. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen or converted to fat.
Beta-Oxidation (Fat metabolism): Breaks down fatty acids for energy. Favored during rest and low-intensity exercise.
Protein Catabolism (Amino acid metabolism): Not preferred for energy but happens in fasting or low-carb states. Amino acids can be converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis.
Each macronutrient follows a unique path, but all lead to ATP—the energy currency of your cells.
Calories Per Ounce: 50 Popular Foods
Knowing how many calories are in 1 ounce (28 grams) of food helps you estimate portion sizes and stay on track.
Here’s a table of 50 popular foods:
| Food | Calories (per ounce) |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 251 |
| Butter | 203 |
| Walnuts | 183 |
| Peanut butter | 167 |
| Almonds | 164 |
| Chocolate (dark, 70-85%) | 151 |
| Cashews | 157 |
| Trail mix | 137 |
| Granola bar | 115 |
| Cheddar cheese | 114 |
| French fries (fast food) | 91 |
| Honey | 86 |
| Raisins | 85 |
| Pizza (cheese) | 80 |
| Ground beef (85% lean, cooked) | 77 |
| Bagel (plain) | 72 |
| Salmon (cooked) | 58 |
| Ice cream (vanilla) | 57 |
| Chicken breast (cooked) | 47 |
| Avocado | 45 |
| Egg | 41 |
| Pinto beans (cooked) | 38 |
| Black beans (cooked) | 37 |
| Pasta (cooked) | 37 |
| White rice (cooked) | 37 |
| Tofu (firm) | 28 |
| Sweet potato (cooked) | 26 |
| Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 25 |
| Banana | 25 |
| Wine (red) | 25 |
| Lentils (cooked) | 32 |
| Greek yogurt (plain, whole milk) | 18 |
| Carrots (cooked) | 16 |
| Blueberries | 16 |
| Apple | 15 |
| Beer (regular) | 13 |
| Soda (cola) | 12 |
| Strawberries | 9 |
| Spinach (cooked) | 7 |
| Cucumber (with skin) | 4 |
So… Are All Calories Equal? Not Quite.
While CICO holds true on a physics level, the type of food you eat changes how your body responds.
High protein foods increase TEF and support lean mass.
Fiber-rich foods slow digestion and increase satiety.
Ultra-processed carbs and fats are easily overconsumed with minimal TEF.
Think of CICO as your starting framework, but remember: food quality still matters for metabolic health, energy, and hunger control.
The Takeaway
Counting calories helps you understand energy balance, but your body isn’t a simple furnace. It’s a complex biological system.
Prioritize high protein, whole foods for their metabolic advantages. Understand your portions—use the calories per ounce table above. Remember CICO, but also respect TEF and your body’s metabolic pathways.
Knowledge is power. Armed with it, you can make smarter choices for your goals.
Updated: August 13, 2025 10:19
Comments
You must log in to post a comment.