I’m sure we’ve all (mostly) heard of the term “Macronutrients” (or Macro’s for short) but do we actually know what they are and what they do for us?
Clearly we all need to eat, and know that what we eat affects our health and weight (along with our activity levels). What’s perhaps just as important is the balance of nutrients in our diets, from bulky matter to make us feel full to trace elements to keep vital functions going in our bodies.
As animals, we have developed and evolved over hundreds of thousands of years into the human beings we are today. We are also, fundamentally, exactly the same (physically) as we were 10,000 years ago, when we ate a totally natural diet of nuts, seeds, fruits and the vey occasional anima we managed to catch. Today’s diet of pizza and coke (yes that’s extreme but actually not far from the truth) is so massively different from what our bodies are built for that it’s hardly surprising we are a, on the whole, a pretty unhealthy species.
So, understanding why we need what keeps us functioning well is vital, and a big part of that is taking note of the Macronutrients, which we’ll look at in turn. There are three macros and they are as follows
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Proteins
Taking each in turn, let’s find out what they do for us
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy: They help fuel your brain, kidneys, heart muscles, and central nervous system. For instance, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion, helps you feel full, and keeps blood cholesterol levels in check.
Carbohydrates (per reidhealth.rog) are one of three macronutrients – along with proteins and fats – that your body requires daily. There are three main types of carbohydrates: starches, fiber, and sugars. Starches are often referred to as complex carbohydrates. They are found in grains legumes and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Sugars are known as simple carbohydrates. There are natural sugars in vegetables, fruits, milk, and honey. Added sugars are found in processed foods, syrups, sugary drinks, and sweets.
Why do you need carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy: They help fuel your brain, kidneys, heart muscles, and central nervous system. For instance, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion, helps you feel full, and keeps blood cholesterol levels in check. Your body can store extra carbohydrates in your muscles and liver for use when you’re not getting enough carbohydrates in your diet. A carbohydrate-deficient diet may cause headaches, fatigue, weakness, difficulty concentrating, nausea, constipation, bad breath and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
What are some healthy sources of carbohydrates?
To reap the benefits of carbohydrates, you should choose carbohydrates loaded with nutrients.
Healthy carbohydrate-rich foods (containing 12 grams of carbohydrates or more per serving) include
- Whole grains: quinoa, amaranth, barley, brown rice, oatmeal, whole-grain pasta and whole-grain breakfast cereals
- Fruits: berries, citrus fruits, melons, apples, pears, bananas and kiwifruit
- Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, yams, corn, peas and carrots
- Legumes: lentils, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, chick peas and soybeans
- Milk products: low-fat milk, plain yogurt and soy yogurt
Healthy foods lower in carbohydrates (less than 10 grams per serving) include
- Nonstarchy vegetables: leafy greens, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms
- Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts and pistachios
- Soy milk and tofu
FATS
Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell function. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb some nutrients and produce important hormones, too.
Low fat? No fat? Try more fat. Dietary fats are essential for maintaining good overall health, especially as you age. “Your body needs a regular intake of fat,” says Vasanti Malik, a research scientist with the Department of Nutrition at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Fat helps give your body energy, protects your organs, supports cell growth, keeps cholesterol and blood pressure under control, and helps your body absorb vital nutrients. When you focus too much on cutting out all fat, you can actually deprive your body of what it needs most.”
Two types of fats (taken from health.harvard.eu)
To understand the role fats play in a healthy diet, you have to look closer at the two types of dietary fats: saturated and unsaturated. (A third kind, trans fats, have been all but eliminated from U.S. foods.)
Saturated
This is the so-called “bad” fat. It’s primarily found in animal products like beef, pork, and high-fat dairy foods, like butter, margarine, cream, and cheese. High amounts of saturated fat also are found in many fast, processed, and baked foods like pizza, desserts, hamburgers, and cookies and pastries. These fats tend to more “solid” (think butter or lard) than healthier fats.
Unsaturated
This is the healthy kind, and there are two types: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados and peanut butter; nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, and pecans; and seeds, such as pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds. It is also in plant oils, such as olive, peanut, safflower, sesame, and canola oils.
Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fats are found in plant-based oils like soybean, corn, and safflower oils, and they’re abundant in walnuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, and trout.
The main health issue with dietary fats is how they influence cholesterol levels. Consuming high amounts of saturated fat produces more LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can form plaque in the arteries and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
“Many processed and fast foods made with saturated fat also contain high amounts of calories, which can lead to weight gain and further raise your heart disease risk,” says Malik.
In comparison, the unsaturated fats help to raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. HDL picks up excess LDL in the blood and moves it to the liver, where it is broken down and discarded. “You want to have a high HDL-to-LDL ratio, and unsaturated fats can help with this,” says Malik.
PROTEINS
Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women.
Why is protein important in your diet? (per Piedmont.org)
Are you getting enough protein in your diet? While you may watch your calories, sugar and salt intake, you should also make sure you are ingesting enough protein. It plays a key role in the creation and maintenance of every cell in our bodies. It fuels our cells and powers our bodies.
Nancy Waldeck, chef and dietitian at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, points out that our bodies do not store protein.
“It is important for individuals to consume protein every day. Daily protein intake plays a role in keeping your cells in good shape and should be part of your daily health maintenance plan.”
Protein is made up of amino acids, commonly known as building blocks, because they are attached in long chains. It is also considered a “macronutrient,” meaning that you need relatively large amounts of it to stay healthy.
Why your body needs protein
Here are five compelling reasons why you should make sure you are getting enough protein every day:
1. Build. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage and skin. In fact, your hair and nails are comprised mostly of protein.
2. Repair. Your body uses it to build and repair tissue.
3. Oxygenate. Red blood cells contain a protein compound that carries oxygen throughout the body. This helps supply your entire body with the nutrients it needs.
4. Digest. About half the dietary protein that you consume each day goes into making enzymes, which aids in digesting food, and making new cells and body chemicals.
5. Regulate. Protein plays an important role in hormone regulation, especially during the transformation and development of cells during puberty.
How protein can help you stay in shape
Eating high-protein foods has many fitness benefits, including:
- Speeding recovery after exercise and/or injury
- Reducing muscle loss
- Building lean muscle
- Helping maintain a healthy weight
- Curbing hunger
Waldeck points out another benefit of protein — it fills you up faster.
“Protein plus fibre keeps us full longer, which means you don’t feel the urge to eat as often. This helps keep weight down while fuelling our cells with the right nutrients they need.”