Nutrition 101: Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the three main components of a diet. They supply you with nutrients and calories. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are macronutrients. (Vitamins, minerals and water are considered micronutrients because they are required but offer no calories). So "calories" and "energy" in regards to nutrition are interchangeable and mean the same thing.

 We need food with calories in order to make energy- we cannot survive on a diet of water, vitamin and mineral supplements because they offer no calories to be converted into energy. So you may be able to lie in bed and breathe but not much else.

 

CARBOHYDRATES- sugars and starches which are naturally found in foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and some dairy.
Why we need it: carbohydrates provide instant energy that can be utilized for 2-3 hours. Also, carbs are the only energy source that can cross the blood brain barrier. Carbs are 4 calories per gram and should consist of 45-60% of your diet.
Reputation: carbs have gained a bad rep for causing excess fat, sugar highs and crashes, diabetes, certain cancers and much more. Some food trends have cut them out completely.
Reality: carbohydrates are energy and need to be replenished every 3 hours other wise you start feeling the "crash" effects.
Now what: eat carbs in their natural state of produce, whole grains and low fat milk and yogurt. The problem lies in the excess sugar intake that is not burned off and leads to insulin (hormone) imbalances.
Limit: foods with added sugars like baked goods, candies, sodas, ice creams, syrups, juices and anything else that is not naturally sweet

PROTEIN- are your meats, dairy, beans, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Why we need it: growth and repair of muscles and tissues. Cells are either being built or broken. There is very little storage for muscle. Protein consists of 15-25% of our diet and offers 4 calories per gram. It also staves off hunger because it take 6-8 hours to digest.
Reputation: often thought of as a superhero that can replace carbohydrates completely.
Reality: Protein cannot  store energy or create energy for the whole body . Muscles are greedy and don't share, for example, muscle energy in your fingers can't trickle down to your legs if you're running. (This is why you need to balance workouts.) Also without carbohydrates, muscles break down and can cause a build up of lactic acid aka- cramping. Moreover a high protein diet can put pressure on your kidneys where amino acids (the building blocks of protein) go through to get digested. 

*Note some studies suggest that this is a myth, however my opinion is moderation is key, excess consumption will lead to overuse of the kidney and can lead to kidney disease and potentially kidney failure.
Now what: lean proteins like chicken, fish, unsalted nuts, beans, legumes, liver and low fat dairy with every meal and snack will keep you full so be sure to eat them. But be mindful of portion sizes- meat servings should be about a deck of cards and follow the nutrition facts labels for serving sizes on other protein sources.
Limit: red meats and solely eating protein dishes without carbs.

FATS- butters, margarines, shortenings,  oils
Why we need it: protects cells by coating the membrane, provides insulation for the body, offers storage for energy (such as energy for sleep fasting or long periods without food), necessary for certain vitamin metabolism. Fat also provides flavor and "mouthfeel" of foods. We limit its intake to 20-30%. It boasts a whopping 9 calories per gram- that's more than twice the amount for carbs and protein! Also it takes 18-24 hours to digest fat, so the fatty foods you ate yesterday around this time, may not be fully digested.
Reputation: the nutrition bad guy- linked to almost every acquired nutrition ailment and disease.
Reality: Offers FINITE storage capabilities, meaning there is no cap on storing fat you just keep adding more and more fat to your body. Because it takes so long to digest- if it's just sitting in your belly, there's no need to take in more, but you do need some.
Now what: be sure to take in healthy fats.  Polyunsaturated fats are the best fats. Olive, flax seed, sunflower, safflower and canola oils offer a better alternative to vegetable oil and butter. If you do have a "heartier" meal, be sure to expend that energy by exercising to avoid it converting into fat.
*Note- oils will be less in fat and calories than solid fats
Limit: solid fats-mostly found in baked goods to help retain their shape.
AVOID: trans fats (such as some margarines) there is absolutely NO healthy amount of trans fats!!!

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Suha Najjar, RD, LDN