Many foods that we eat regularly do not appear to be particularly high in calories, high in sugars or high in fat. And yet, many foods contain unsuspected calories. PassportHealth tells you all about hidden calories.

The exact term that should be used is “kilocalories”. A kilocalorie is a unit of measurement for the energy value of food. It is used to quantify the energy expenditure of the body or the energy provided by the consumption of a food.

The number of calories eaten should not be a diktat. Knowing how many calories a food represents only allows you to better control your weight and know what you are eating. The important thing is to eat balanced and to know how to listen to your body in order to eat when you feel the need.

The recommended daily energy intake in kilocalories is measured according to the age and physical expenditure of each individual. These are benchmarks and not obligations.

Estimated daily energy requirements according to Health Canada For a sedentary adult male, they are between 2000 and 2500 kcal per day, for a little active adult man: between 2200 and 2700 kcal per day and for an active adult man: between 2500 and 3000 kcal per day. For a sedentary adult woman, they are between 1550 and 1900 kcal per day, for a less active adult woman: between 1750 and 2100 kcal per day and for an active adult woman: between 2000 and 2350 kcal per day.1

The daily energy intake recommended by the PNNS (National Nutrition and Health Program) in France is for a woman between 1800 and 2200 kcal per day, for a man: between 2500 and 3000 kcal per day and for a senior it is i.e. after 60 years: 36 kcal / kg per day (which corresponds, for a person weighing 60 kg to 2160 kcal per day).