What is the Thermic Effect Of Food and how it can help you with your nutrition goals

Caitlyn Davey • April 2, 2025

At Rebuild Health and Fitness, we believe that understanding the thermic effect of food (TEF) can provide powerful insights into optimizing your diet and achieving your fitness goals.


Often overlooked, TEF plays a crucial role in overall energy expenditure—and learning how to leverage it can transform your results.


What Is the Thermic Effect of Food?

The thermic effect of food (TEF) refers to the increase in metabolic rate that occurs after eating.

In simple terms:

  • TEF is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, process, and store the nutrients from food.
  • This includes all stages from chewing and swallowing to producing digestive enzymes and metabolizing nutrients.


Because digestion requires energy, your metabolic rate temporarily rises after a meal.


How TEF Fits Into Your Total Energy Expenditure

TEF is one of three major components of your daily energy expenditure:

  1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — Energy used to maintain basic bodily functions at rest.
  2. Physical Activity — Energy used for all types of movement.
  3. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) — Energy used to digest and process food.


Though TEF is smaller compared to BMR and activity, it still matters, especially when you're aiming to optimize body composition.


Macronutrients and Their Thermic Effects

Not all foods impact TEF equally.
The macronutrient composition of your meals plays a big role:

  • Proteins:
    ➔ Highest thermic effect:         20–30% of calories consumed.
    (e.g., Eating 100 calories of protein burns 20–30 calories in digestion.)
  • Carbohydrates:
    ➔ Moderate thermic effect:         5–10%.
    (e.g., 100 calories of carbs burn 5–10 calories.)
  • Fats:
    ➔ Lowest thermic effect:         0–3%.
    (e.g., 100 calories from fat only burns 0–3 calories.)


Key takeaway: Protein requires significantly more energy to digest compared to fats and carbs.


How TEF Impacts Your Nutrition Strategy

Understanding TEF can reshape your approach to both weight management and muscle gain:


For Weight Management

  • Increase Protein Intake:
    Higher protein = higher TEF = greater overall calorie burn.
  • Promote Satiety:
    Protein keeps you feeling full longer, helping to         reduce overall calorie intake naturally.


For Muscle Gain

  • Support Muscle Synthesis:
    Protein is critical for         muscle repair and growth.
  • Boost Metabolism:
    A high-protein diet keeps your         metabolic rate elevated, supporting lean muscle gains while managing body fat.


For Metabolic Health

  • Balanced Meals:
    Consuming meals with a         mix of macronutrients can create a steady metabolic boost throughout the day.
  • Counter Metabolic Slowdown:
    As we age, a nutrition strategy that optimizes TEF can         help maintain a dynamic metabolism.


Key Takeaways

At Rebuild Health and Fitness, we emphasise that while TEF isn't the only factor in energy expenditure, it’s a powerful lever you can pull.

✅ Prioritise protein-rich meals.
✅ Balance macronutrients for sustainable energy.
✅ Use nutrition strategically to boost metabolism and fuel your goals.


Remember:
It’s not just about the calories you consume, but also how your body processes them.



By embracing the thermic effect of food, you can rebuild your health from the inside out, creating a more efficient and effective pathway to your goals.

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