Question

Bomb calorimetry is a poor choice to determine the number of nutritional Calories in food; it consistently overestimates the Caloric content because options: A) dietary fiber isn't used by the body. B) carbohydrates don't burn to completion. C) proteins don't burn. D) water has Calories and isn't burnable.

Answer 1

Answer:

A) dietary fiber isn't used by the body.

Explanation:

The food we eat contains certain nutritional contents that provides energy, measured in calories (CAL) to the body. A procedure called BOMB CALORIMETRY can be used to determine the energy contents of these foods. The energy-supplying macromolecules contained in food substances we eat are carbohydrate, protein, fats etc.

Bomb calorimetry uses the method of burning the food substance in a device called bomb calorimeter, and measure the caloric content of the burnt food. Bomb calorimetry measures all the present calories in a food substance, which can include dietary fibers. Due to this reason, it is considered a poor choice in determining the number of nutritional calories in a food substance.

Dietary fibers are indigestible carbohydrates that cannot be broken down and used by the body. They pass along the alimentary canal until they are egested. Hence, they are no source of nutrients to the body. Since bomb calorimetry measures all calories including dietary fibers, it is said to overestimate the caloric content of food substances.