DEAR DR. BLONZ: There is an inconsistency I hope you will “weigh in” on. If a pound is the equivalent of 454 grams, and there are nine calories per gram of fat, this would suggest that a pound of body fat will have 4,086 calories. Please explain the common referral to a pound of fat having only 3,500 calories. The math does not add up. -- D.L., East Orange, New Jersey

DEAR D.L.: Fat is our most calorie-dense substance, and it is capable of providing an energy equivalent to nine calories per gram. It is utilized as the primary form of energy storage because humans, like other animals, need to be mobile. If our energy was stored as carbohydrate or protein, the human body would take up over twice the space it does now. Think what size pants you’d need then!

There are 454 grams in a pound, as you correctly point out. So how do we come up with 3,500 calories in a pound, when 454 x 9 = 4,086 calories? The answer rests with the fact that body fat is not pure fat. The adipose tissue that houses the stored fat contains a small amount of water and some structural material, accounting for close to 15 percent of tissue weight. It is this nonfat portion that helps explain why a pound of body fat is said to contain approximately 3,500 calories worth of stored energy.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I enjoy almonds in many forms, including almond butter, but have been wondering if I get the same nutritional benefits from roasted and unroasted almonds. And what about fat-roasted versus dry-roasted nuts? -- P.W., via email

DEAR P.W.: The roasting of almonds, peanuts or other foods helps to bring about flavor-enhancing chemical reactions in the food. With nuts, this can be accomplished with or without oils, which can impart their own flavor notes. Dry roasting requires specially designed ovens that use heated air to do the cooking. The processor can then add salt, paprika or other flavorings as desired.

Oil roasting adds only about a gram of fat per 1-cup serving. This small difference is explained by the fact that half the weight of the nut -- and more than 70 percent of its calories -- comes from the fats already present. The addition of flavorings, depending on the type used, can affect the level. Honey-roasted nuts, for example, contain less fat per serving because some of the weight is taken up by the sugary coating.

Roasting, being a high-heat process, does destroy some of the heat-sensitive nutrients, which include thiamine and vitamin C. But don’t view this as the deciding factor, as almonds are not the go-to food for these nutrients anyway. Other nutrients are unaffected. Check the complete list of nutrients for almonds at the USDA database: ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I have questions about caffeine and alcohol and their effects on hydration. A blog explained that caffeinated beverages are diuretics, and that when you drink 8 ounces of a caffeinated beverage such as tea, coffee or soda, your body will lose 12 ounces of water. That would mean that these beverages are dehydrating instead of hydrating. It made little sense to me, but this was written by people described as experts. Where does alcohol rank as a diuretic? -- M.S., Hayward, California

DEAR M.S.: A word about “experts” on blogs, podcasts or whatever: Have filters in place when you encounter “expert” as a descriptive. Keep the information they offer “on hold” until you are confident of their training and ability to demonstrate an objective, evidence-based foundation for their statements. There are a variety of unaccredited “pay-to-play” organizations selling what appear to be legitimate advanced degrees or proclamations of “board-certified” expertise. Some of these dubious credentials require nothing more than a hefty check, with perhaps a few online courses. Not really what you would assume from one claiming expertise. Some posers are great salespeople -- another red flag being when messages are associated with products being sold.

Diuretics are substances that increase urine output. By this definition, even water could be considered a diuretic. Caffeine is considered to have a mild diuretic effect, but caffeinated beverages such as those you cite would not draw more water out of the body than they contribute. If, however, you were to take caffeine as an over-the-counter or dietary supplement product, it makes sense to be well-hydrated before you start.

The National Academies of Science’s Health and Medicine Division has established a Daily Reference Intake (DRI) for water. The guidelines state that adequate hydration is a daily intake of 2.7 liters (91 ounces) of water for women over the age of 19, and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) for men. Those who are active or live in hot climates may need to consume more. About 80 percent of this total would come from drinking water and other beverages, including caffeinated beverages. The rest comes from food. Vegetables and fruits, for example, are mostly water by weight.

Alcohol also has a mild diuretic effect, but it works differently. One of its effects is to inhibit the release of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), a hormone that limits the amount of urine produced in the body. When alcohol is around, less ADH is released, which translates to more urine leaving the body. The effects are present in about 20 minutes, which any beer drinker is likely to affirm.

Alcohol’s diuretic effects play an interesting role, and many of alcohol’s effects depend on the blood concentration of its metabolites. The body has a rate at which it processes alcohol, and it uses its fluids as a storage queue for metabolic byproducts awaiting processing and elimination. As such, alcohol’s diuretic effect enhances the consequences of over-consumption.

Tolerance to alcohol is said to be weight-related: The larger you are, the more you can tolerate. This is not so much because larger individuals metabolize alcohol faster, but because a larger body has a greater blood volume to begin with.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: This is in response to your column about a soccer game, the provision of a sugary sports drink for children, and your concerns about active children having a drink with higher sugar content. Some years ago, a soccer coach sent me a study in the journal Pediatrics that discussed the best type of drink. Based on that study, a good choice would be a drink like Gatorade. I just went to my fridge and confirmed what I thought: Gatorade has 14 grams of sugar (50 calories) and 110 mg of sodium in an 8-ounce serving. This is exactly what that paper reported. It led me to believe this would be the ultimate drink for the children in this case, and would also have the benefit of saving 10 calories per serving, compared to the higher-sugar drink. -- F.S., Tempe, Arizona

DEAR F.S.: A sports drink can be helpful for those involved with hour-plus workouts or athletic events; this would especially be the case when exercising in warm and humid climates, or for any individual who tends to perspire heavily. Water is the key, but a properly formulated drink can help replace the sodium and potassium lost through perspiration. A small amount of carbohydrate sweetener helps make the drink more palatable, and it provides a small boost of the type of fuel that is in short supply during an extended workout -- especially one that requires periodic bursts of energy. You don’t want too much sugar, as that can work at cross-purposes by slowing nutrient absorption. I also advise against giving exercising children any drinks that contain stimulants, such as caffeine.

The article in the journal Pediatrics (tinyurl.com/ybxaf49z) describes a beverage where an 8-ounce serving contained 14 grams of sugar and 110 milligrams of sodium. This is the same formula found in Gatorade and some other sport drinks. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the products before you buy.

I encourage readers to make their own sports drinks from fresh juices (tinyurl.com/krkj8mx). Such a beverage not only provides the same water and electrolytes, but you get the bonuses of genuine flavors and the additional nutrients and phytochemicals in the fruit juice. Having young athletes involved with real-food functional recipes is also a great lesson to complement their workout. To date, I have made this drink using lemons and limes that grow on our property, but also from Concord grape, pomegranate and cherry juices. Any homemade sports drink is a perishable food, so keep it cool or frozen.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.