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The thermic effect of food - calories you burn just eating

The thermic effect of food - calories you burn just eating

About 10% of the calories you eat get burned just digesting and processing that food. Protein nudges it up a little, but it is a small lever - the deficit does the work.

13 Jul 2026 · Burnie Academy
thermic effect of food TEF protein metabolism

Your body burns calories all day, even when you are not moving. One surprising place you burn them is while eating. Digesting, absorbing and storing your food takes work, and that work costs energy. Scientists call this the thermic effect of food, or TEF. It is not a magic weight-loss trick. But it is a real part of your calorie math, and knowing how it works helps you stop chasing silly myths and focus on what actually matters.

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