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Explain the thermic effect of food as you would to a capable student, in 3-4 sentences.

The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients you eat—essentially, the "cost" of metabolizing food. Different macronutrients require different amounts of energy to process: protein has the highest thermic effect at 20-30% of its calories, meaning if you eat 100 calories of protein, your body burns 20-30 calories just processing it, while carbohydrates use about 5-10% and fats only 0-3%. This is why protein is often emphasized in weight loss diets—not only is it satiating, but your body actually burns more calories digesting it compared to other nutrients. TEF typically accounts for about 10% of your total daily energy expenditure, though this can vary based on meal composition and individual factors.