The caloric value of food refers to the amount of energy that is produced as a result of complete combustion of that food under normal conditions. Foods have energy which are stored in the chemical bonds that hold their molecules together. This stored energy is released when the chemical bonds are broken during metabolic processes such as respiration. The amount of energy in different foods differ and the quantity of energy in the chemical bonds that hold the food molecules together will determine the amount of energy that will be obtained from the food. In most food molecules, the chemical bond that hold the food molecules together is C-H bond. C-H bond is a strong covalent bond which give stability to the food molecule. The higher the chemical energy that is stored in this bond, the higher the caloric value of food. Thus, the calorific value of food is depended on the quantity of energy that reside in the C-H bond.
