Overview
Calories are the basic unit of energy within food. When you eat, your body converts calories into energy and uses what it can and stores the rest in the form of fat. A calorie is a calorie, whether it comes from a brownie or a serving of raw broccoli. The difference between them is the number of calories, nutrients, fat, and other ingredients in a typical serving.
Food | Serving size | Calories | Fat (grams) |
---|---|---|---|
Broccoli | 1/2 cup | 12 | 0.2 |
Brownie | 1 square | 160 | 3 |
Review Date 7/8/2023
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.