Food as a source of energy
Introduction
Food is the primary source of energy in a human’s body (Oliver and Gregory 258). Energy is vital in the body because different activities rely on it. These activities include processing information, movement, maintaining homeostasis, and responding to the environment. The main component tested is the number of calories since it determines the energy level of the food. Different laboratory methods can be used in determining the energy content found in food. This paper evaluates two of these methods; it discusses two diet-related diseases and offers suggestions on how they can be prevented.
The Soda Can Calorimeter Experiment
Many people who look at the nutrition labels of food before purchasing usually do so to ascertain the calories found in the menu. It is this number that helps such individuals to decide which food to eat and which not to eat (World Health Organization & others 1). In this method, a calorie is a unit of energy present in a particular food (Most, Tosti and Redman 37). In food calorimetry, equipment known as a calorimeter is used. This equipment is made in a way that it gauges the energy that is let out or absorbed in a chemical reaction or change of phase (Kempf 366). This method helps in finding the number of calories in every gram of food. The experiment involves heating a food sample and using the power released to heat a definite water quantity. The difference in temperature of the water, which is known as the temperature range is used to give the content of energy contained in the food.
During the process, safety measures are supposed to be observed. These measures include checking if one has any food allergies before putting the food samples into usage. One is also supposed to be cautious of the burning food samples and wear safety goggles. It is also required that one does not eat or drink anything in the lab during this process (Walters 161). Food calorimetry is a simple method used in the lab and several lab equipment and samples. The kit includes an empty can, a rod for stirring, a ring stand and a ring, a thermometer, a cylinder that is graduated up to 100ml, twist ties, a large paper clip, three different food samples which have nutrition labels, aluminium foil in small pieces, water, and matches (Bedoya, Marin and Mansanares 54).
Various steps should be followed during this process. First is to use the graduated cylinder to get 55ml of water and put it inside the soda can. Find the water mass and write it down. The paper clip should be held horizontally while the upper end is bent up to an angle of 90 degrees. Use a three grams food sample and put it on the paper clip, upward. The sample must stand freely and get support from the lower part of the paper clip. Find the mass of the sample at this stage and write it down. The picture below shows how the food sample should be suspended on the paper clip. In the experiment used for this evaluation, a nut was used. However, other specimens can also be used for the same activity; they include soft chips such as cheese, and also marshmallows can be of great essence (Shimizu, Ueki and Takagi 174).
Picture showing Food Sample on the Paper clip
After putting the sample, a piece of aluminium foil should be placed under the clip, ensuring that there is nothing that can lead to ignition. Put the rod intended to stir inside the can tab and put the can in the ring stand, this provides that the stirring rod supports it as in the picture below.
Put the ring on the stand to a level that makes the can be 4cm away from the food sample vertically and put the thermometer inside the can just a few centimetres above its bottom. Make sure to record the first temperature of the water inside the can and use a match to light the food sample. Let the sample being burned heat the water can and stir the water gently by use of the thermometer. Check which is the highest temperature observed and put it down in the data table. The diagram below shows how the lit sample heats the can.
Once the food sample has been heated, calculate the mass of the remaining sample and the paper clip, and put this value down on the data table. Repeat these steps for all the remaining food samples.
In this method, the food sample releases energy when burned, and this energy is absorbed by the water (D’Odorico, Davis and Rosa 457). Therefore, the temperature change observed in the water is due to the energy released by the food sample and indicates how much energy in calories that the food contains. One can also find the energy in kilocalories by equaling 1kilocalorie to 1000calories. It is also possible to find out the kilocalories /gram in the food by dividing the calories in every serving by the number of grams of each of the meals. This method is simple and allows one to get the most accurate amount of calories found in the food.
Checking on the number of calories in food before consuming it is helpful to an individual since it helps one to avoid foods that have a high number of calories. This is because diet-related diseases such as obesity are a result of consuming food that contains too many calories and then not engaging oneself in any form of physical activity. Eating a lot of calories makes one gain more weight, and when a person does not engage in any kind of physical exercise, the calories are not burned. Continuous consumption of such foods and sedentary behavior leads to the gaining of excessive weight. When a person hits a Body Mass Index of 30 and above, they are considered obese. This is a risk factor for many other diseases, such as heart problems and finding it hard to breathe. It is therefore recommended that a person should not consume food that exceeds 2300 calories in a day for adult women, and the men should not consume beyond 3000 calories in a day. This helps to keep body weight in check and prevents obesity.
The Bomb Calorimeter Experiment
In industries and other prominent research institutions, more sophisticated equipment is used to determine the content of energy in food (Otles 3). Similar to the first experiment, the main component that is being measured is calories since it is the determinant of energy in a food sample. A bomb calorimeter is one of the most accurate instruments of measuring the energy released from food in industries (Posom, Sirisomboon and Saechua 03049) . In essence, this is more advanced than the use of a soda can, as in the first experiment. In this experiment, a gram of food is put to weigh using a crucible, after which it is placed in a container made of stainless steel, which is filled with the oxygen of 30 bars. The food sample is then lit using a cotton string that is connected to a wire for lighting, which is found inside the stainless steel container; it is then burned.
In the burning process, the inner temperature of the crucible can increase up to 1000 degrees Celsius as the pressure also goes up for a brief period up to 200 bars, or at times, it might rise higher. All the biotic objects are burned in this condition, and they are also oxidized in the same. The mineral materials are oxidized, and at times there is verification. Different ways are used to determine the heat created during this process. To be able to tell the temperature of the water, sensors of warmth which are of exceptionally high resolution, are used. Various modes such as adiabatic or isothermal are used to operate the levels of decomposition in the vessels. After the calibration process, which involves the use of the vessel for dissolution and a matter whose heat level is known, it is clear how much heat is required to heat water to 1 degree Celsius.
After this process, the food gets burned, and the amount of energy released by the food is shown by the unit. The units are in joules or calories; this is known as the calorific value of the food. This involves oxidation of all the elements found in the food and change of their form. For instance, minerals will be oxidized, and nitrogen becomes nitric acid. Through observations, one will quickly notice that some of the food samples have a better ability to burn in the calorimeter than others. Some are extremely quick to heat, and therefore it is essential to find a better way of optimizing and controlling the burning process to the most ideal. In this, various combustion aid and methods can be applied. These methods include pressing pellets, the use of PE bags, using combustible crucibles, or even the use of acetobutyrate.
However, the human body does not burn consumed food at the same rate as this combustion vessel does, and therefore, the results obtained during this process may be slightly higher than the real one (Kenny, Notley and Gagnon 1766). Moreover, the human body does not get to digest other forms of food components such as fiber, and for other foods, the body needs energy at a particular level to digest it. Some parts are transferred into fats and are stored inside the body. Therefore, the process of changing food into energy while it is inside the body is very complicated. Additionally, human bodies function differently when it comes to burning calories; some will quickly burn calories due to their unique metabolism, while others have to work out extremely hard to be able to burn the calories. Therefore, determining the physiological calorific value of food requires adjustments to be made to get the most accurate benefits. For instance, for the case of animal food, the scientists take measurements for the food being ingested and the animal’s excretion, and this helps determine the effective foods for the animal. In this context, the food should be made ideal to acquire much better results.
It is therefore easy to note that due to lack of proper diet and sometimes the types of food and lifestyle, some illnesses may arise. Apart from obesity, there is diabetes mellitus. This term is used to refer to a cluster of diseases that mainly affect how a human body utilizes glucose or better known as blood sugar (Atlas 1). There are various types of diabetes, and this depends on their causes. However, all sorts of diabetes can lead to excessive sugar in the human’s blood. Chronic diabetes is diabetes type one and types two, and then there is diabetes, which can potentially be reversed. The last one is known as gestational diabetes, which is experienced when a woman is expectant; this form of diabetes can be resolved after the baby is born. Below is a picture showing the bomb calorimeter.
As mentioned earlier, diabetes affects how the body makes use of glucose, and therefore, this makes it a dietary related disease. However, diet is not the only cause of diabetes as other factors such as the environment and genes. For the case of gestational diabetes, the placenta releases hormones which are aimed at sustaining the pregnancy. It is these hormones that affect the blood cell’s response to insulin. When they become resistant to insulin, then the mother develops diabetes. It is therefore advisable that one should feed on healthy meals, get rid of excessive weight, and practice physical activities.
Conclusion
Human beings rely on food to gain energy; it is, therefore, crucial for human beings to eat healthy foods and maintain healthy calorie intake. Both simple laboratories and complex industries measure the number of calories in food through burning. This assignment has explained how the use of soda can and the bomb calorimeter help calculate the energy found in foods. The temperature change is used to count in joules or kilocalories. Too many calories may lead to diseases such as obesity and, at times, diabetes. These are dietary-related diseases, and therefore, the intake of healthy foods may limit their occurrences.