What unit of measurement is used to quantify the energy supplied by foods and used by the body?

The correct unit of measurement for quantifying the energy supplied by foods and used by the body is calories. This unit is commonly used in dietary contexts to express how much energy food provides when consumed. Calories reflect the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius, which links to the body’s metabolic processes and energy expenditure.

Other units, while related to energy, are not typically used to measure food energy in the context of human nutrition. Grams measure weight, joules are a broader unit of energy often used in scientific contexts, and watts measure the rate of energy transfer rather than the total energy content of food. Calories specifically relates to the caloric content found in foods and how that energy is utilized by the human body for various functions and activities.