The Macro+Micro of Nutrition
Understanding what fats, proteins and carbohydrates really are and do
HEY! It’s Tru Valu’s Wellness Wednesday. Scroll to head into Week Two or click here to catch up on Week One. Your Health and Wellness Awaits.
To understand nutrition, we need to first understand nutrients. First and foremost, we get our energy from food. When we eat, our bodies metabolise this intake and it is broken down into energy. Energy from food comes in the form of a kilocalorie (kcal), although it’s most commonly referred to as a calorie.
Every person will have different energy needs either due to your:
- activity levels
- social and cultural practices
- psychological factors (stress, anxiety)
- body size
- work patterns
- illness/ disease
Typically however, the average male (aged 19–50 years) needs 2500 calories a day whereas the average female (aged 19–50 years) needs 2000 calories a day for healthy growth and function.
Ideally, we want to strive for a balance in our diet where the supply of food is equal to the body’s nutrient requirements to function regularly (supply = demand).
When supply does not meet the demand for a nutrient then it can cause the system to be out of balance. Over-nutrition will occur if we eat more foods containing nutrients than our bodies can handle at a time (supply > demand). For example, a common result of overnutrition results in increased fat storage and weight gain. Under-nutrition can occur when our intakes of food or a specific nutrient are poor or if our demands are increased (supply < demand). There are situations where our demands are increased and this includes pregnancy, lactation, and trauma (infection, broken/ fractured bones, surgery, and blood loss).
A balanced diet also means a varied diet, where it is rich in nutrients from different foods. Last week we spoke about the fact that food is made up of nutrients. These are broken down into two main categories; macronutrients and micronutrients. Essentially they are the two main groups which provide our body with energy as well as provide us with substances for healthy growth and development.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients consist of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. These three groups are essential for providing our body with energy and to function properly.
a) Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates occur in food as sugars (simple) and starches (complex) and are a major source of energy in the diet. They are very important as they are our brain’s preferred energy source.
i) Simple carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates are sugars. You can find these types of sugars in a lollipop, or when you add sugar to your tea. But you’ll also find simple sugars in more nutritious foods, such as fruit and milk. It’s healthier to get your simple sugars from foods like these.
Why? Because sugar isn’t added to them and they also contain vitamins, fiber, and important nutrients like calcium. A lollipop has lots of added sugar and doesn’t contain important nutrients. When we eat a lot of simple carbohydrates it’s common to experience a sugar-rush…and crash! This is because the body absorbs simple sugars faster, making our blood-sugar levels rise quicker.
ii) Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are pasta, and rice and starches which include grain products, such as bread, crackers. As with simple sugars, some complex carbohydrate foods are better choices than others. Refined grains, such as white flour and white rice, have been processed, which removes nutrients and fiber. But unrefined grains (whole wheat) still contain these vitamins and minerals.
They’re also rich in fiber, which helps your digestive system work well. Fiber helps you feel full, so you’re less likely to overeat. When we eat complex carbohydrates it takes the body longer to digest, which then causes a steady rise in blood-sugar levels which means no sugar crash.
b. Protein
Protein builds, maintains, and replaces tissues in your body. Our muscles, organs, and immune system are made up mostly of protein.
Our body uses the protein we eat to make lots of special protein molecules which have specific jobs! These are called amino acids. The body sends these amino acids to different parts to keep them healthy and growing.
Protein is most commonly eaten from animal sources however it is also available from plant sources. Animal sources include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese. Plant-based sources include tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans. Ideally it should only take up ⅓ of our plate.
c. Fat
Fats often get a bad reputation but fat is an important part of our diet. Fat from your diet gives you energy. Fats are necessary for many functions — for absorbing vitamins, protecting our nerves, keeping us warm, protecting our inner organs and more. As a bonus, fat in food helps you feel full, so you don’t eat too much.
Some foods, including most fruits and vegetables, have almost no fat. Other foods have plenty of fat. They include nuts, oils, butter, and meats like beef, pork, and lamb.
Some kinds of fat are better than others and are actually good for your health. Here are the three major types:
Micronutrients
Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, which are essential nutrients your body needs in small amounts to work properly. The majority of our vitamins and minerals come from a varied diet of starchy foods, meat, dairy products, nuts and seeds, and fruits and vegetables. Different fruits and vegetables include different nutrients which is why it’s important to include as many as possible. For example, carrots and other orange fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin A, while leafy greens such as spinach and lettuce are high in folate (folate is needed to keep our immune system strong).
There are two types of vitamins; fat soluble and water soluble. Water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in our bodies. If you have more than you need, your body gets rid of the extra vitamins when you urinate. Water soluble vitamins include B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed in the gut. These include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
Minerals that are essential to keeping our body healthy include calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, selenium. By eating a healthy, varied diet, most people should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals without taking a supplement.
Join us next week for an exploration on micro-nutrients and more! Information this week by: Kirstyn Church, an Associate Nutritionist with Nutrition Consulting Services
