ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Thermic effect of food

When you eat food, your body needs to use energy to break it down, absorb it, and store it. This process is called the thermic effect of food.

Imagine you are building a block tower. You need to use energy to pick up the blocks, stack them, and make sure they stay together. Your body is like a builder that needs to use energy to break down food and build new things.

Some foods require more energy to break down than others. For example, protein-rich foods like meat and eggs require more energy to break down than carbohydrates like bread and pasta.

When you eat, your body releases digestive enzymes that break down the food you ate. This process requires energy which is also called the thermic effect of food.

The more energy your body uses to break down food, the more calories you burn. That’s why high-protein diets are more effective for weight loss than low-protein diets.

So, the next time you eat, think about your body like a busy builder putting together blocks, and remember that your body needs to use energy to do the job.