Measuring the Calorie Content of the Different Types of Meat

Researchers Maria Dj Belina Virginia Kevin Viernes

University of Cebu Lapu-lapu and Mandaue

Abstract
Issue in health is gaining popularity in the modern era. As new types of disease
s are discovered, the demand for preventive measures, supplements and other prohealth alternatives is greatly being encouraged by the different sectors of the
scientific field. One of the main considerations held by experts is maintaining
proper and healthy diet. The food we eat is said to be one of the main factors a
ffecting our body. Meat, considered as one of the most consumed food products, i
s gaining a plenty of reviews ranging from their benefits up to their disadvanta
ges. The experts believe that meat contributes the highest amount of cholesterol
and calories to us among all types of food. As health-conscious individuals, th
e researchers are very eager to know how much each type of meat contributes to o
ur body. this investigation. Physics taught us that burning of calories produces
heat, thus giving the researchers an idea to investigate the relationship of he
at (i.e. change in temperature) and calories. In the research, it is found out t
hat there is a concrete relationship between the amounts of calories consumed to
the heat generated when a certain type of organic substance is burned. This the
n lead to the development of an experimental designed which aims to measure the
calorie content of a certain meat. The experiment uses four types of meat: pork,
beef, chicken, and fish meat. Each type is allowed to burn for the measurement
of calorie-content by using an improvised calorimeter. Among the four meat used,
it is found out that pork contains the highest amount of calories while fish me
at contains the least. The researchers then concluded that pork, being the one w
hich contains the most number of calories, is the one which imposes the greatest
possibility of affecting our health. On the other hand, beef, chicken and fish
meat which ranked second, third and last with respect to its calorie-content is
affect lesser to our body. This result is very important as it gives us a deeper
understanding on the food we eat and to their contribution to us. This led them
to conduct

Acknowledgement
The researchers would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the people who
have inspired them and who encourage them to continue this investigation. To th
eir parents, ________________ and ____________________; _________________ and __
______________, for their invaluable support. For the trust, the loyalty and the
understanding they have given to us during the conduct of this investigation. T
o our friends for the encouragement, the help and the

Chapter I - Introduction
Background of the Study
This study is about the calorie content of the four types of meat. It further co
mpares the results to determine which common meat contains the most number of ca
lories thus giving more energy. Utilizing an improvised calorimeter, three trial
s where take to measure the calorie content by burning the meat. The results whe
re then tabulated and compared vis--vis each other.
Statement of the Problem
General
To measure the amount of calories contained in each of the four types of meat.
Specific
To identify which amount the meats being examined has highest calorie-content. T
o develop a method of determining the amount of calories contained by organic ma
terials. To create an improvised calorimeter.
Hypothesis
All of the four types of meat have calories. Pork, being the fattiest among the
four meats, will have the highest calorie-content. Fish being the least fatty ha
ve the lowest calorie-content.
Significance of the Study
The Study is important as it will give the researchers better understanding with
regards to the calorie content of the different types of meat. This is also sig
nificant to community as it will give us information which may be used in planni
ng our respective diet. The students may also benefit in this research as we are
able to construct an improvised calorimeter used in measuring the calorie-conte
nt of organic materials which may be used on other experiments and research.

Scope and Limitation

The Study focuses only on the calorie-content of the four meats. The measurement
of the temperature is using the conventional method which disregards other fact
ors like exothermic reaction and other physical phenomena affecting the experime
ntal set-up by contributing in the heat loss.
Definition of Terms

calorie (cal)
A calorie, note the lowercase c, is a unit of energy equal to the amount of heat n
eeded to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degrees Celsius from
a standard initial temperature at 1 atmosphere pressure. This calorie is also ca
lled the small calorie or the gram calorie.

kilocalorie (kcal) A kilocalorie is equal to one thousand (1000) small calories

(calorie). The kilocalorie is equal to, or the same as the Calorie (note upperca
se C), the kilogram calorie or large calorie. The kilocalorie is the unit of heat
equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of w
ater by 1 degree Celsius at 1 atmosphere pressure. The kilocalorie is widely use
d, especially by professional nutritionists.


Calorie A Calorie, note the uppercase C, is unit which is equal to the kilocalorie
and is used to express the heat output of an organism and the fuel or energy va
lue of food. The Calorie is a quantity of food capable of producing such an amou
nt of energy. A Calorie is a unit of energy-producing potential equal to this am
ount of heat that is contained in food and released upon oxidation by the body.
As with the kilocalorie, the Calorie is the unit of heat equal to the amount of
heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsiu
s at 1 atmosphere pressure. Another way the Calorie could be used and said as is
a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1
000 grams of water by one degree Celsius at 1 atmosphere pressure. This unit is
used as a measure of the energy released by food as it is digested by the human
body. The Calorie is also called the nutritionists calorie, kilocalorie, kilogra
m calorie, the large calorie, or the food calorie.

Calorimeter A calorimeter is a device used for calorimetry, the science of measu

ring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as measuring hea
t capacity. There are many different types of calorimeters but a simple calorime
ter, as the one we are going to use in this project, just consists of using a th
ermometer to measure the temperature of the water in a metal container which is
suspended above a combustion chamber, where we are going to test and burn the fo
od.


Oxidation Oxidation is defined as the interaction and combination between oxygen
molecules and all the various types of different substances they may come in co
ntact with. It is a chemical reaction where there is a loss of at least one elec
tron where two or more substances interact. Those substances may or may not incl
ude oxygen. When the reaction involves oxygen, the process of oxidation depends
on the amount of oxygen present in the air and the nature of the material it tou
ches. We only see the large-scale effects as the oxygen causes free radicals on
the surface of one of the substances or materials to break away. For this projec
t all we will see is the burning of the food we will be testing, breaking and bu
rning away the radicals, or outer layers of the food, on the surface of our item
. The individual cells come in direct contact with the air and oxygen molecules
start burning them, as will what will happen and occur in this project. True oxi
dation happens on a molecular level.
Chapter II Review of Related Literature
Conceptual Literature
Calorimetry
Calorimetry is the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physic
al changes. Calorimetry is performed with a calorimeter. The word calorimetry is
derived from the Latin word calor, meaning heat. Scottish physician and scienti
st Joseph Black, who was the first to recognize the distinction between heat and
temperature, is said to be the founder of calorimetry.

Indirect calorimetry calculates heat that living organisms produce from their pr
oduction of carbon dioxide and nitrogen waste (frequently ammonia in aquatic org
anisms, or urea in terrestrial ones), OR from their consumption of oxygen. Lavoi
sier noted in 1780 that heat production can be predicted from oxygen consumption
this way, using multiple regression. The Dynamic Energy Budget theory explains
why this procedure is correct. Of course, heat generated by living organisms may
also be measured by direct calorimetry, in which the entire organism is placed
inside the calorimeter for the measurement. Calculation of heat
The specific heat formula is as follows:
where q is energy, or heat, m is mass, c is specific heat, T is change in tempera
ture.

Meat nutritional information

All muscle tissue is very high in protein, containing all of the essential amino
acids, and in most cases is a good source of zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosp
horus, niacin, vitamin B6, choline, riboflavin and iron. Several forms of meat a
re high in vitamin K2, which is only otherwise known to be found in fermented fo
ods, with natoo having the highest concentration. Muscle tissue is very low in c
arbohydrates and does not contain dietary fiber. The fat content of meat can var
y widely depending on the species and breed of animal, the way in which the anim
al was raised, including what it was fed, the anatomical part of the body, and t
he methods of butchering and cooking. Wild animals such as deer are typically le
aner than farm animals, leading those concerned about fat content to choose game
such as venison. Decades of breeding meat animals for fatness is being reversed
by consumer demand for meat with less fat. Red meat, such as beef, pork, and la
mb, contains many essential nutrients necessary for healthy growth and developme
nt in children. Nutrients in red meat include iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and prote
in. Most meats contain a full complement of the amino acids required for the hum
an diet. Fruits and vegetables, by contrast, are usually lacking several essenti
al amino acids contained in meat. It is for this reason that people who abstain
from eating all meat need to plan their diet carefully to include sources of all
the necessary amino acids (See Section Issues of Meat for more details) The tab
le in this section compares the nutritional content of several types of meat. Wh
ile each kind of meat has about the same content of protein and carbohydrates, T
ypical Meat Nutritional Content from 110 grams (4 oz or .25 lb) Source calories
protein carbs fat fish 110140 2025 g 0 g 15 g chicken breast 160 28 g 0g 7g lamb 25
0 30 g 0 g 14 g steak (beef top round) 210 36 g 0g 7g steak (beef T-bone) 450 25
g 0 g 35 g there is a very wide range of fat content. It is the Table 2.1 Compa
rison of the Nutritional Content of the different types of Meat

additional fat that contributes most to the calorie content of meat, and to conc
erns about dietary health. Advantages and Disadvantages of Eating Meat. Eating m
eat may be taboo for some people, especially vegetarians. Although it is not alw
ays harmful, but for the sake of health it is better not to eat meat too often.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of eating meat for health? Meat con
tains a number of essential nutrients needed by the body to perform vital metabo
lic functions, such as proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. All these nutrient
s are responsible for providing energy and keeps your body healthy. Here are som
e benefits of eating meat for health, according to Buzzle: 1. Protein Meat is a
rich source of protein, which is needed by the body in very high quantities. Pro
teins play an important role for various body functions, including development,
tissue repair and formation of antibodies that fight infections. In general, 1920 percent protein are contained in meat. Meat is considered as high quality pro
tein because it contains almost all essential amino acids. Thus, eating meat can
also strengthen the immune system and helps fast recovery. 2. Mineral Meat cont
ains a number of minerals, especially rich in iron, zinc and selenium. The body
needs iron to form hemoglobin necessary for transporting oxygen from the lungs t
o other body parts. Zinc increases metabolism and helps tissue formations. While
selenium helps in breaking fat and other chemicals in the body.

3. Vitamin Vitamins which are most prominent in meat are vitamin A, B complex (B
1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12) and D. Vitamin A promotes good vision, support the de
velopment of bones and teeth and maintaining healthy skin. Vitamin B supports th
e central nervous system and improving mental health. And vitamin D to increase
calcium and phosphorus, which in turn maintain healthy bones and teeth. 4. Fat F
atty acids in meat are linoleic acid and palmiotelik. These fats can prevent the
body from cancer and harmful viruses. It can increase endurance from environmen
t and conditions which are not favorable. The body also needs fat for brain deve
lopment. But, besides the benefits above, eating meat without balancing with eat
ing fruits, vegetables and exercising could be harmful for health.
In the other hand, here are some disadvantages of consuming a lot of meat:
1. Meat contains no fiber Fiber helps the digestive system in the body. Without
fiber, the body is at high risk of certain diseases such as cancer and heart pro
blems. Thats why many people who eat meat without balanced with other healthy lif
estyle, are at high risk of cancer.

2. High saturated fat Saturated fat, of course is not good for health. This is t
he main enemy for the blood vessels and heart. The result, many people have card
iovascular disease because of the habit of eating meat. 3. High in nitrate and s
alt Processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, ham and others are very bad for hea
lth. Meat can bring long-term negative effects because is contain many nitrates
and salt as a preservative. High content of nitrate and salt can cause high bloo
d pressure and trigger cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke. If
you want to eat meat, try to always eat natural meat that is not preserved. And
keep in mind not to eat meat every day, give your body a break because meat is
food that is hard to digest. But meat is still needed for health, especially for
children who are in its growth age. Are Calories Bad for You? (Excerpts from th
e article Learning about Calories) Calories aren t bad for you. Your body needs ca
lories for energy. But eating too many calories and not burning enough of them o
ff through activity can lead to weight gain.

Most foods and drinks contain calories. Some foods, such as lettuce, contain few
calories. (A cup of shredded lettuce has less than 10 calories.) Other foods, l
ike peanuts, contain a lot of calories. (A half of a cup of peanuts has 427 calo
ries.)
You can find out how many calories are in a food by looking at the nutrition fac
ts label. The label also will describe the components of the food how many grams
of carbohydrate, protein, and fat it contains. Here s how many calories are in
1 gram of each:


carbohydrate 4 calories protein 4 calories fat 9 calories
That means if you know how many grams of each one are in a food, you can calcula
te the total calories. You would multiply the number of grams by the number of c
alories in a gram of that food component. For example, if a serving of potato ch
ips (about 20 chips) has 10 grams of fat, 90 calories are from fat. That s 10 gr
ams X 9 calories per gram.

(http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/calorie.html)
Conceptual Framework

Chapter III Methodology

Research Design
Design and development of experimental set-up
Construction of calorimeter
Experimental design
Algorithm Development
Experimentation
Data Sources
Data collection
Quantitative
Initial Analysis
Qualitative
Analysis
Data Analysis
Tabulation and Graphical Representation
Results
Discussion and Conclusion

Materials
Homemade Calorimeter

two tin cans - one larger than the other pencil cork needle
Other materials for doing the experiment:

distilled water - 200mL for each food test Thermometer - calibrated in C (degrees
Celsius), range 20 - 100 or greater matches liquid measuring cup - (min. 200mL)
can opener pen & paper spoon 15 g pork 15 g beef 15 g chicken meat 15 g fish me
at

Procedure
Constructing the calorimeter 1) Select two cans (one larger than the other) to b
uild your calorimeter. They should nest inside one another. The smaller can need
s to sit high enough so that you can place the cork, needle and food item beneat
h it. 2) Remove the top and bottom from the largest can so that you have a cylin
der open on both ends. 3) Use a drill with a 5/32 inch drill bit to drill holes
in the bottom of the large can, to allow air to in to sustain the flame. 4) Dril
l holes with an 11/32 inch drill bit at opposite sides of the smaller can for th
e support to pass through. For this project I used a pencil for the support. Mak
e sure the support is longer than the width the large can. 5) Grasp the needle w
ith your hands and push its blunt end into the cork. You will put the food to be
tested on the sharp end of the needle. 6) The smaller can will hold the water t
o be heated by burning the food samples. Use the liquid measuring cup to measure
the amount of water used; the can should be about half-full. Put the supporting
rod in place through the two holes.

Experiment 1) 2) 3) Fill the small can about half-way with 200mL of distilled wa
ter. Measure the initial temperature (Ti) of the water. Put the food item (5g) o
n the needle.
4) Have your calorimeter pieces close at hand, and ready for use. 5) Place the c
ork on a non-flammable surface. Light the food item. 6) When the food catches fi
re, immediately place the large can around the cork, then carefully place the sm
aller can in place above the flame. 7) Allow the food item to burn itself out. 8
) Carefully remove the small can by holding the ends of the supporting rod, and
place it on a flat, heat-proof surface. 9) Carefully stir the water and measure
the final temperature (Tf). Make sure the thermometer has reached a steady level
before recording the value. 10) When the burnt food item has cooled, carefully
remove it from the needle. 11) Repeat these steps for all of the food items. 12)
Repeat steps 1-10 for the trial 2 and 3. 13) Analyze your data. Calculate the c
alories for each of the foods that you tested.
Calculating Calories for the foods: The increase in the temperature (in C) times
the mass of the water (in g) will give you the amount of energy captured by the
calorimeter, in calories. We can write this in the form of an equation:

Qwater = mcT The formula is as followed:

Qwater is the heat captured, in calories (cal); m is the mass of the water, in g
rams (g); m = 200 mL = 200 grams of water c is the specific heat capacity of wat
er, which is 1 cal/gC (1 calorie per gram per degree Celsius); and

T is the change in temperature (the final temperature of the water minus the init
ial temperature of the water), in degrees Celsius (C).
How to use the formula: Qwater = mcT =200g 1 cal/gC (Final Temperature C Initial Tem
perature C) =200g 1 cal (Difference in temperature; no degrees Celsius symbol) =
Amount of calories *Note - Notice that the grams (g) from the mass of the water
and the degrees Celsius (C) from the change in temperature cancel out with the gr
ams (g) and degrees Celsius (C) in the denominator of the units for specific heat
. That way you are left with units of calories (cal).
Data Gathering
Ti = Initial Temperature Tf = Final Temperature

Chapter IV Data Presentation, Interpretation and Analysis

Tables
Table 41 Temperature Measurements
Test Items Pork Beef Chicken Fish
Ti 28 28 24 30
Trial I Tf 34 44 34 38
T 6 16 10 8
Ti 26 30 32 30
Trial II Tf 54 46 44 38
T 28 16 12 8
Ti 32 28 32 30
Trial III Tf 46 52 52 34
T 14 24 20 4 Ti Tf T
Ti 28.67 28.67 29.33 30.00
Average Tf 44.67 47.33 43.33 36.67
T 16.00 18.67 14.00 6.67
Legend Temperature Initial* Temperature Final* Change in Temperature
*All Temperature must be in degrees Centigrade Table 42 Calories Burned
Test Items Pork Beef Chicken Fish
T 6 16 10 8
Trial I c C 1200 1.2 3200 3.2 2000 2 1600 1.6
T 28 16 12 8
Trial I c 5600 3200 2400 1600
C 5.6 3.2 2.4 1.6
T 14 24 20 4
Trial I c C 2800 2.8 4800 4.8 4000 4 800 0.8
Legend
Average T c 16.00 3200.00 18.67 3733.33 14.00 2800.00 6.67 1333.33
C 3.20 3.73 2.80 1.33
T c C
Change in Temperature small calorie Kilocalorie
Note: The kilocalorie (C) is the unit of heat equal to the amount of heat requir

ed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius at 1 atmo

sphere pressure.
Graphs

Temperature Recorded
60 Degrees Centigrade 50 40 30 20 10 0 Ti Tf Trial I Ti Tf Trial II Ti Tf Ti Tf
Trial III Average Pork Beef Chicken Fish
Graph 4.1 Recorded Temperature for the three trials and average
Temperature Change
30 Degrees Centirgrade 25 20 15 10 5 0 Pork Beef Chicken Fish Meat Type
Graph 4.2 Calculated Temperature Change for the three trials and average
Trial I T Trial II T Trial III T Average T

Calorie(small) Content of Meat

6000 5000 4000 cal 3000 2000 1000 0 Pork Beef Chicken Fish Meat Type Trial I c T
rial I c Trial I c Average c
Graph 4.3 Calculated Calorie (small) for the three trials and average
Calorie(Big) Content of Meat
6 5 4 Kcal 3 2 1 0 Pork Beef Chicken Fish Meat Type
Graph 4.4 Calculated Calorie (Big) for the three trials and average Note: 1 Kcal
= 1000 cal
Trial I C Trial I C Trial I C Average C

Results and Discussion

For pork meat the recorded temperature are as follows. Trial 1, the initial temp
erature is 28C and the final temperature is 34C with a difference of 6C. Trial 2, t
he initial temperature is 26C and the temperature final is 54C with a difference o
f 28C. Trial 3, the initial temperature is 32C and the final temperature is 46C wit
h a difference of 14C. The average initial temperature is 28.67C and the average f
inal is 44.67C with a difference of 16C.
For beef the recorded temperature are as follows. Trial 1, the initial temperatu
re is 28C and the final temperature is 44C with a difference of 16C. Trial 2, the i
nitial temperature is 30C and the temperature final is 46C with a difference of 16C
. Trial 3, the initial temperature is 28C and the final temperature is 52C with a
difference of 24C. The average initial temperature is 28.67C and the average final
is 47.33C with a difference of 18.67C.
For chicken meat the recorded temperature are as follows. Trial 1, the initial t
emperature is 24C and the final temperature is 34C with a difference of 10C. Trial
2, the initial temperature is 32C and the temperature final is 44C with a differen
ce of 12C. Trial 3, the initial temperature is 32C and the final temperature is 52C
with a difference of 20C. The average initial temperature is 29.33C and the avera
ge final is 43.33C with a difference of 14C.
For pork meat the recorded temperature are as follows. Trial 1, the initial temp
erature is 30C and the final temperature is 38C with a difference of 8C. Trial 2, t
he initial temperature is 30C and the temperature final is 38C with a difference o
f 8C. Trial 3, the initial temperature is

30C and the final temperature is 34C with a difference of 4C. The average initial t
emperature is 30.00C and the average final is 36.67C with a difference of 6.67C.
Conclusion
The researchers conclude that among the four types of meat it is beef which cont
ains the most number of calories which disproves the hypothesis that it is pork
which contains the greatest number of calories. It is also found out that fish c
ontains the least number of calories which supports the hypothesis. The results
also pave to the generalization that external factors affect the data causing a
variance in the recorded temperature.

Bibliography
Books
Laidler, Keith, J. (1993). The World of Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Pr
ess. ISBN 0-19855919-4. Babbie, Earl.1989. The Practice of Social Research. 5th
edition. Belmont CA: Wadsworth Sinha, R.; Cross, A. J.; Graubard, B. I.; Leitzma
nn, M. F.; Schatzkin, A. (Mar 2009). "Meat intake and mortality: a prospective s
tudy of over half a million people". Archives of internal medicine 169 (6): 56257
1. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.6. ISSN 0003-9926.
Journals
Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetari
an diets, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, American Dietetic Associ
ation and Dietitians of Canada, 2003, vol 103, issue 6, pp. 74865. doi 10.1053/ja
da.2003.50142.
Internet Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorimetry http://en.wikipedia.or
g/wiki/Meat http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/calorie.html

Appendix I - Documentation

Appendix III Time Table

Tasks Date January 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Research for a topic Selection of topic Writing the research proposal Submission
of research proposal

Appendix III Curriculum Vitae Name: