Energy (RI: 2,000 kcal)

Calories are a measure of how much energy food and drink products contain. The energy a food delivers depends on the nutrients it contains.

sample labelA gram of carbohydrates has four calories as does a gram of protein. One gram of fat contains nine calories and a gram of alcohol has seven calories.

Eating too little energy'can be equally bad for health as it can mean the body isn't getting enough nutrients, which can be bad for health.

The Reference Intake for energy is 2,000 calories, which is based on UK government recommendations and is considered by experts as being an appropriate value for adults.