energy balance is a rule of thumb for full meals over a longer period of
time, it is not useful for judging single food items or for  short-time
effects since biochemical factors play a much bigger role here (insulin and
fat storage for instance when eating simple sugars and fat at the same
time.. or food components that influence satiety etc.).

The body regulates its calorie intake.  Something in the modern diet causes
that regulator to malfunction.  The key is not how many calories a single
portion of a particular food has.  The key is whether that food will
influence the calorie regulator, which some people call an "appestat."

If I understand your question, you would want to consume
energy-producing foods at a variable rate in response to demand. In
other words, if you are physically active consume more fats, if not
physically active, consume less. The problem is rigid eating habits.

   It is really not so "obvious" to one who knows what energy is; try
highschool physics for a start.
   Energy is, guess what?  Energy.  It does -not- contain any atoms,
molecules,  nor mass of ANY kind.
   Energy can NOT magically turn into mass: i.e. atoms that conveniently
arrange themselves into fat molecules.
   Although Einstein discovered that E=mc^2; the only direct evidence we
have of that equivalence is when very small amounts of mass are converted
into very large amounts of energy, say in an atomic bomb.
   The conversion of energy into mass; however, has not been observed,
especially not in the human being.
   Calories are not "burned", either.  Energy can not be "burned".
   Let's put to rest some of these outrageous lies being propagated in
contemporary nutribabble...

   Laurie