• bboplifa@lemmy.worldOP
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    3 years ago

    I think it is much more likely that the way a human being metabolizes food is different then what happens in bomb calorimeter and trying to draw conclusions based on said device is not very helpful to understanding human physiology, but then again i am just some schmuck on the interwebs and i dont even play a scientist on tv

    • DudeBro@lemm.ee
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      3 years ago

      I am a schmuck on the interwebs who went to school for microbiology and I can say for certain that the human body does not violate the 1st law of thermodynamics. Calorie deficit = your body must free up stored energy (in fat) to have enough energy to continue breathing = weight loss. Unless your body is able to create sustainable free energy out of a vacuum or unless you have a horrible genetic disorder that breaks down your bones for energy or unless you are dead

    • JWBananas@startrek.website
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      3 years ago

      Sure, but wouldn’t the calorimeter’s reading still be the theoretical maximum since it’s based on thermodynamics? In other words, an inefficient metabolism may see a net gain of fewer calories, but it shouldn’t ever see greater.

      • JWBananas@startrek.website
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        3 years ago

        They read as zero due to rounding. In packet form they’re almost always cut with dextrose/maltodextrin (which is definitely not zero-calorie).