All Glossary Terms
Nutrition
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
The energy expended to digest, absorb, and process nutrients.
The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the increase in metabolic rate after eating, accounting for about 10% of total daily energy expenditure. Protein has the highest TEF (20-30%), followed by carbs (5-10%) and fats (0-3%). High-protein diets slightly increase metabolism partly through increased TEF.
Examples
- Protein: 20-30% of calories burned digesting
- Carbs: 5-10% TEF
- Fat: 0-3% TEF