Nutrition
Dietary Thermic Effect
Dietary thermic effect is calories burned digesting food—highest for protein. It nudges expenditure slightly but does not replace training or deficit discipline.
Dietary thermic effect (TEF) is energy burned digesting and processing food—highest for protein, moderate for carbs, lowest for fat. It is a small slice of total daily expenditure, not a fat-loss strategy alone.
Whole foods and higher protein meals raise TEF slightly versus ultra-processed equivalents at the same calories.
Common questions
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Does protein burn more calories than fat?
Yes—protein has a higher thermic effect, roughly 20–30% of its calories versus about 0–3% for fat. The absolute difference is modest at typical intakes.
Related terms
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