North Americans are the highest consumers of calories – especially in the last decade.
The slide below shows how Americans have taken the lead in eating well over 3000 calories per day (dark red is >3000 calories)! This has increased dramatically over the last 30 years.
The average normal caloric content should be between 1500- 2100 calories.
Food is addictive. People eat to satisfy food cravings, not hunger.
How long does it take to eat 3000 calories? See the chart below – if you are eating compulsively, not long at all. Some people can eat over 6000 calories a day, due to the strong compulsion to eat.
Calories in Fast Food & Junk Foods
Know the fats, cholesterol, calories and salt present in fast food and junk food items in the following table. The values in the table have been compiled from manufacturers brochures and Agricultural Handbook 8-21. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.- Composition of Foods: Fast Foods – Raw, Processed
| Item | Choles- terol (mg) |
Fat (g) |
Calories | Sodium (mg) |
| Meat Pie | 106 | 25 | ||
| Tossed salad, no dressing (1.5 cup) | 0 | 0.2 | 32 | 53 |
| Pizza supreme (1/3 regular) | 16 | 14 | ||
| English muffin w/ butter | 13 | 5.8 | 189 | 386 |
| Burrito w/ beans cheese | 13.5 | 5.8 | 188 | 584 |
| Grilled chicken breast sandwich, plain | 60 | 7.0 | 288 | 758 |
| Scrambled egg | 200 | 7.6 | 100 | 105 |
| Hamburger, lower fat, plain |
60 | 10.0 | 320 | 670 |
| Hamburger, plain | 44 | 17 | 275 | 387 |
| French fries, regular | 0 | 12.0 | 235 | 124 |
| Taco salad (1.5 cup) | 4 | 13.1 | 288 | 886 |
| Roasted beef sandwich, plain | 52 | 13.8 | 346 | 792 |
| Pancakes w/ butter & syrup (3 cakes) | 57 | 14.0 | 519 | 1103 |
| Hot dog | 44 | 14.5 | 242 | 671 |
| Cheeseburger, single patty, plain | 50 | 15.2 | 320 | 500 |
| Chicken, boneless pieces, breaded fried (6 pieces) | 62 | 17.7 | 290 | 542 |
| Sub sandwich w/ cold cuts | 35 | 18.6 | 456 | 1650 |
| Baked potato w/ cheese sauce | 31 | 21.9 | 481 | 701 |
| Fish sandwich w/ tartar sauce | 55 | 22.8 | 431 | 615 |
| Chicken fillet sandwich, plain | 60 | 29.5 | 515 | 957 |
| Cheeseburger,large double patty | 141 | 44 | 706 | 1159 |
| Egg & bacon biscuit (1 biscuit) |
353 | 31.1 | 457 | 999 |
| Egg, bacon, & cheese biscuit (1 biscuit) |
261 | 31.4 | 477 | 1261 |
| Low calorie cola (12 oz.) |
0 | 0.0 | 2 | 21 |
| Coco Cola Large | 0 | 0.0 | 205 | |
| Diet Coke Large | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | |
| Fanta Large | 0 | 4.5 | 260 | |
| Milk, 2% (1 cup) | 18 | 4.7 | 121 | 122 |
| Vanila shake (10 oz.) | 12.5 | 474 | ||
| Chocolate shake (10 oz.) |
37 | 13.1 | 494 |
What is a normal caloric content? Depending on the gender and weight of the person, an averaging out of the normal caloric content should be as follows, according to the World Health Organization: Note, this information was found from Leslie Sue Lieberman’s post on Caloric Content.
RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE FOR ENERGY (WHO)
| Recommended dietary allowances for energy | |
| Age (year) | Energy (kcal) |
| Infants | |
| 0.0–0.5 | 650 |
| 0.5–1.6 | 850 |
| Children | |
| 1–3 | 1,300 |
| 4–6 | 1,800 |
| 7–10 | 2,000 |
| Males | |
| 11–14 | 2,500 |
| 15–18 | 3,000 |
| 19–24 | 2,900 |
| 25–50 | 2,900 |
| 51+ | 2,300 |
| Females | |
| 11–14 | 2,200 |
| 15–18 | 2,200 |
| 19–24 | 2,200 |
| 25–50 | 2,200 |
| 51+ | 1,900 |
| Pregnant | +300 |
| Lactating | |
| 1st 6 mo. | +500 |
| 2nd 6 mo. | +500 |
BMR = 14.7(54.4) + 496 = 1,296 kcal
TDEE = PAL × BMR = 1.56 × 1,296 = 2,022 kcal.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/caloric-intake#ixzz1HjsrrIne
