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Basic Nutrition The three major sources of calories are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, easily fit into one category (carbohydrates. Other foods, such as meat, obtain their calories from more than one category (protein and fat). For simplicity, we place these foods into the category that supplies the most calories. For instance, meat is classified as a protein because the protein in meat accounts for the largest number of calories. Carbohydrates The first major source of calories is carbohydrates. Carbohydrate are found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Foods in this category contain about four calories per gram. For good nutrition, carbohydrates should account for approximately 50-60% of your daily caloric intake. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates include refined products such as table sugar and candy. These carbohydrates do not offer the nutritional benefits of complex carbohydrates and sho