Using the Atwater system, calculate the calories for each macronutrient (carbohydrates, fat, protein), add them up for total calories, and then figure out the percentage of total calories that come from fat. In this case, the answer is 36% fat content.
The question asks for the calculation of the fat content percentage in a food item with a specific macronutrient breakdown. Given the macronutrient information, we know that there are 10 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein. We can use the Atwater system to calculate the caloric content for each macronutrient: carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 calories per gram while fat provides 9 calories per gram. Therefore, the calories from each macronutrient are as follows:
- Carbohydrates: 10g × 4 calories/g = 40 calories
- Fat: 4g × 9 calories/g = 36 calories
- Protein: 6g × 4 calories/g = 24 calories
Now, to find the fat content percentage, we divide the calories from fat by the total calories and multiply by 100:
Fat percentage = (Calories from fat / Total calories) × 100
Fat percentage = (36 / 100) × 100 = 36%
The proper answer to the question, therefore, is option (C) 36%.