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April 20, 2012

Strange But True!

Q. From a Parma, Ohio, reader: “I've been trying to find an answer to this question for years: I donate blood to the American Red Cross on a regular basis (over eight gallons). How many calories are in a pint of blood and how many calories are used to replace it in the body? Can I eat a piece of cheesecake guilt free after donating?”

A. Blood contains proteins totaling 33-38 grams per pint, answers Columbia University Doctor of Nutrition and Education Lora Sporny. At four calories per gram, this translates to 132-152 calories, plus a small number expended by the liver to generate plasma components. Beyond the roughly 150 calories of glucose, triglycerides, amino acids, and proteins, whole blood contains red and white blood cells and platelets, all generated within the bone marrow. Based on a review of the scientific literature, one can safely conclude that “to replace a pint of donated whole blood, your Parma reader will likely use at least 350-400 calories, or about the number in half a slice of The Cheesecake Factory's Original Cheesecake. So tell him to go ahead and enjoy a thin piece.”


 
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