Nutrition 101: Macronutrients
Summer is almost here and many of us are trying on our bathing suits and not liking the way they look. Or we may be feeling a little blah, Covid-19 has had us stuck indoors, eating less than healthy foods and our energy levels have taken hit. Well there’s never been a better time to make a change and there’s no need to wait until Monday to start eating better and feeling better. I think that knowledge is power so these first few posts will go over some nutrition basics. Let’s get started!
To start, let’s go over “macros” or macronutrients. Macronutrients refer to the categories of foods we eat that provide us with calories. So when someone talks about their macros they are telling you where the calories are coming in from. Most foods we eat are made up of different amounts of these macronutrients. Most foods tend to be higher in one macronutrient than the others. So let’s take a closer look at the different macros that make up our diets.
Macronutrients are divided into three main groups, the first one we’ll discuss is protein.
Proteins are important structures that are involved in almost every process that goes on in our bodies. They are made of amino acids, which are tiny building blocks that fit together to make protein.
Amino acids are then used to make a variety of structures or perform functions in the body. For example the tryptophan found in turkey is an amino acid that body uses to make serotonin (feel good hormone) and also melatonin (go to sleep hormone)
Protein also gives our bodies the materials needed much of our body’s tissues like muscles, hair, skin, and even bone.
Best sources of protein are from animal sources or if the animal walks, swims, runs or flys it is a good source of protein, but there are also good sources of vegetable proteins, like pea protein.
Protein can also be used by the body to give you energy; it provides about 4 calories of energy per 1 gram.
Next up on our discussion of macronutrients are the carbohydrates. Carbohydrates or carbs, for short, are our bodies main source of energy, both short term energy and long term energy. Carbohydrates provide our body with 4 calories of energy per gram
They are made up of chains of simple sugars called saccharides. These chains can also be very intricate and complex – thus the term complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are also an important source of fibers and starches that keep our gut healthy and help us stay regular, i.e. go poop.
Most carbohydrates come from plant sources and when consumed in their least processed forms (fruits, vegetables) also provide us with needed vitamins and minerals.
And last up is fat. Fat also provides us with energy, 9 calories of energy per gram of fat, and they are involved in the structure of our cells and nervous system.
There are three main types of fats and the shape of the fat determines the type and how the fats will be used by the body.
Saturated fats > straight chain with no missing bonds, think full parking lot with no where to park any more bonds.
Mono-unsaturated fats > chain of fat that is missing two hydrogens and have one (“mono”) double bond, think of a parking lot with a couple open spaces for bonds to form.
Poly-unsaturated fats > chain of fat that is missing four or more hydrogens, think parking lot with lots of open spaces.
Fats do a lot for the body besides provide it with a source of energy. They make and balance hormones, form the cell membrane (outer covering of the cell), form our brain and nervous system, and provide a source of essential fatty acids: Omega -3 & Omega – 6
Whew! That was a lot of information, and that was just basic macronutrient information! Once you’ve been armed with the basics and know how to identify good healthy foods sticking to a healthy lifestyle becomes much easier. Keep checking back for more nutrition information and if you have any questions or would like to get started on the path to a healthier you, just send me a quick message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
