Components of Food If you are trying to make heart-healthy
changes to your lifestyle and diet, it is helpful to know some
basics about nutrition, starting with the components of food.
Facts about calories: You need enough calories to maintain your
energy level, but no more than you can burn off. This is called
an energy balance. If you take in more calories than you burn,
you gain weight. If you take in fewer calories than you burn,
you lose weight. If you balance the two, you maintain your
weight. Even when you are dieting, however, calories should not
be cut back so much that your energy needs are not met. The
number of calories you need depends primarily on age, gender,
and activity level. Facts about dietary cholesterol: Remember:
"cholesterol-free" does not mean "fat-free." Dietary cholesterol
is a fat-like substance found in all foods of animal origin: egg
yolks, meat, poultry, fish, milk, and milk products. Because our
bodies make cholesterol, it is not required in our diets.
However, because most peop