Question

What do calories measure?

Answer 1

Energy can be measured in many ways. The food that we eat also provides us energy and we can see that the energy contents of food are represented in calories and kilocalories on the back of food packages. 1 calorie is approximately equal to 4.2 joules.

Complete answer:
Our bodies need the energy to keep us alive and our organs functioning normally. When we eat and drink, the foods we eat provide energy so that our bodies can function and we can perform everyday activities which include everything from breathing to sleeping. The amount of energy in an item of food or drink is measured in calories.
A calorie is a unit of measurement. To be more specific, it is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.
In reference to the food, a calorie is used to measure the amount of energy we get from a food item or drink. A kilocalorie is another word that is commonly used. One kilocalorie (written as kcal) is equal to 1000 calories.
To maintain a stable weight, the energy we intake must be about the same as the energy we use through normal day-to-day functions and physical activity.
Hence, the energy content of an edible item is measured in calories.

Note:
When we eat and drink more calories than we lose through activities, our bodies store the excess as body fat. The stored fat is used by our body to stay healthy. But if this continues over a long time then we may put on weight and the excess of fat can also lead to many health problems.