Breaking Down the 3 Macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates
What Are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients are nutrients your body needs in large amounts to provide energy and support
bodily functions. The three main macro nutrients are Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates.
Protein
Protein is a macronutrient made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of the body. It plays a crucial role in building and repairing tissues, making enzymes and hormones, and supporting immune function. Protein is also vital for maintaining muscle mass, providing energy, and supporting bone, hair, and skin health. The body cannot produce all amino acids on its own, so we need to obtain them from food sources, making adequate protein intake essential. Without enough protein, the body’s ability to grow, repair, and maintain cells can be compromised, leading to fatigue, muscle loss, and weakened immunity.
Eat more of:
Chicken
Turkey
Beef
Fish
Shrimp
Sardines
Shellfish
Pork
Lamb/Goat/Duck
Tofu or Tempeh
Eggs (specifically the egg white)
Nutritional yeast
Greek yogurt (check the protein amount)
Hard cheeses like parmesan, hard cheddar, swiss
Cottage cheese
Edamame
Beans and legumes: black beans, lentils, kidney beans, garbanzos
Some Protein but not enough to make up a meal:
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Chia seeds
Peanuts
Nutritional Yeast
Eat less of:
Processed meats (deli meats, fried foods, sausage, ground beef, jerky)
Conventional meat with hormones and antibiotics
Fat
Their main functions are supporting the cells function, hormone production (testosterone and estrogen), supporting brain function, and protection of the organs. High quality fats can be super nourishing for you. These fats will slow the transit time of your food, meaning that your body will have the food longer, being able to keep you fuller and slow how fast your burn through minerals. On top, good fats help absorb fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) which are crucial for health and energy.
Eat more of:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (dark bottle are higher quality, dark + glass bottle even higher quality)
Nuts & seeds
Avocados
Omega 3 fatty acids
Salmon, sardines, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, walnuts
Ghee (high quality purified butter that’s great for cooking - lactose free)
Coconut oil or MCT oil
Egg yolks
Grass fed butter
High quality meat and dairy - Grass fed and finished pasture raised animal products are not the same as conventional at all. They have way more nutritional value and are digested and absorbed by the body a lot better. They are more expensive, but to put into perspective, think that if you have one piece of high quality meat and 3 pieces of low quality meat – you have way more nutrients in that 1 piece than those other 3 pieces combined. The same goes for dairy!
Eat less of:
Inflammatory/industrial seed oils (vegetable, canola, soybean, safflower)
Margarine
Vegetable shortening
Trans fats (fast food/fried food/Jiff peanut butter)
Conventional dairy products
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for the brain and muscles and help fuel workouts and daily activities. They also support digestion (fiber), heart health, and gut microbiome.
A simple and a complex carb both have their place in the diet but in your case with how you seem to be burning through nutrients, we want to increase those more complex carbs that take longer to digest so that it stays in your body and you use it for fuel and nutrients longer. On top, most complex carbs have a lot of fiber which is great for fat levels (cholesterol, triglycerides), liver health, and feeds our healthy gut bacteria.
Simple Carbs:
Great to use a pre-workout but be cautious because consuming too many refined carbs can lead to weight gain and spikes in blood sugar. The reason simple carbs can raise blood sugar is because it is small enough to be absorbed directly in the blood stream and used in that instant. We often get a “high” and then experience crashes after because it is not complex enough to last if not paired with other macro nutrients.
Examples:
White bread
White rice
Pasta
Cookies, cakes, pastries
Soda
Juices
Candy
Most snacks (chips, pretzels, cheetos, etc.)
Cereals
Fruit
Try to eat less of simple carbs in general but try to avoid:
Processed, pre-packaged foods, refined grains (white bread)
Artificial sweeteners
Added sugars
Refined sugars (high fructose corn syrup)
Complex Carbs / Fiber
Complex carbs are typically high in fiber, help maintain steady energy levels, regulate digestion, maintain healthy weight, and support heart health. Fiber is unique since your body cannot absorb it but it instead goes through you helping bulk your stool or feed you good gut bacteria. Fiber also helps slow transit time to absorb nutrients, improves liver health and blood sugar, increases satiation, and helps us detox and eliminate toxins from the body!
Examples:
Beans & Legumes: These are VERY high in fiber → Lentils, Chickpeas, Black beans, Kidney beans, navy beans, split peas, edamame
Vegetables: broccoli, brussel sprouts, artichokes, peas, collard greens, carrots, sweet potatoes with skin, etc.
Nuts & Seeds: flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, almonds.
Whole Grains: Quinoa, Whole Rolled Oats, Buckwheat
Keep in mind nothing “instant” or “quick” is a whole grain. The thing that makes them instant or quick is how they process and cut up the whole grain, leaving out the fiber part instead of leaving the WHOLE grain.
Some Fruits: raspberries, blackberries, pears, apple skins, kiwi, figs, prunes.
Goal: at least 30 grams per day but you must work your way SLOWLY
