Every day we change these essential nutrients, proteins, carbohydrates and fats in our diet. Some of us do it without thinking, while others count every kilocalorie derived from these macronutrients. For those of us who are on a weight loss program, in bodybuilding, or just want to follow a healthy lifestyle, let’s pay a little more attention to the proportion of these nutrients in the diet.
To be clear about what macronutrients are, they are substances obtained from 3 primary sources:
• Carbohydrates (carbohydrates)
• Protein
• Fats
We consume these three compounds in large quantities to provide us with total energy to move. We need these nutrients in the diet to build and repair tissues, regulate bodily processes, and fuel our bodies through metabolism.
Each of these nutrients provides calories in varying amounts:
• Carbohydrates: 4 kilocalories per gram
• Protein: 4 kilocalories per gram
• Fat: 9 kilocalories per gram
Let’s say you looked at the nutrition label on a regular jar of peanut butter, which provides 8 grams of protein per serving, and you want to calculate how many calories 1 serving will provide. This would be:
• 8 grams of peanut butter x 4 calories per gram of protein = 32 calories from protein
Yes, according to health recommendations, your body needs 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. If you weigh 120 pounds, this equates to 120 grams of protein that you need daily in your diet.
The peanut butter example would have provided you with 8 grams of protein and now you need to get the remaining 112 grams of protein, either from more peanut butter or with other animal and plant-based proteins, to meet your full requirement.
What is the acceptable distribution of macronutrients in the body?
Who decides how much of any nutrient should be ingested into the body to promote health and prevent deficiencies such as kwashiorkor and anemia? Since 1941, the scientific community has been making recommendations on what constitutes a balanced distribution of essential nutrients for the average individual.
The National Science of Academy regularly brings together a large group of experts to review the latest science. The recommendations are called the Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDA), but they have also been called the Reference Dietary Intakes (DRI).
The percentage of calories that come from protein, carbohydrates, and fat is a key component of the recommendations. The way macronutrients are distributed in the diet will put you on the path to health and fitness or, conversely, create a state of ill health and disease. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) for adults, as a percentage of calories is:
• Protein: 10% to 35%
• Carbohydrates: 45% to 65%
• Fat: 20% to 35%
This range is reported to be the most beneficial in preventing disease risks and deficiencies, while providing essential nutrients for improving health and maintaining weight.
Why are carbohydrates, protein, and fat essential for long-term health?
We all need these macronutrients in the diet, along with vitamins, minerals, and water to survive. These essential nutrients provide remarkable, sometimes incomprehensible, functions in our bodies that, if deprived of the proper proportions in our diet, we run the risk of abnormalities and death. These are just some of its important functions:
Carbohydrates:
They provide the highest percentage needed in the diet according to the DRI.
• They are the main source of fuel
• Found primarily in starchy foods, fruits, vegetables, and yogurt, and are important for gut health and waste removal.
• The body easily uses carbohydrates for energy; all tissues and cells use it
Protein
Did you know that protein is the second most abundant substance in the body, besides water?
We need protein:
• To build and repair tissues: found in meats, fish, dairy products, meat substitutes, legumes, cereals and nuts and, to a lesser extent, vegetables and fruits. The fruit contains about 2 percent protein.
• To create enzymes and hormones to regulate bodily functions.
• To provide energy when carbohydrates are not provided
Fats
Fats are essential for survival; it is the most concentrated source of energy. We need them to:
• Maintain cell membranes
• Normal growth and development
• Absorbent vitamins (such as ADEK and carotenoids)
• Moderate inflammatory actions
• Important for healthy skin
• Balance the hormone
• Cholesterol is moderated
The best fats for our diet are essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6). These can be found in fish and fish oil, nuts, seeds, legumes, and organic vegetable oils.
How can I achieve weight loss by counting calories?
To lose weight we need:
• Consume fewer calories than our body needs.
• Increase calories burned in physical activity.
• Or do a combination of both
The smart way to lose weight without depriving your body of essential nutrients is to cut calories from food in a way that still meets overall nutritional needs, plus 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, three times a week. The acceptable macronutrient distribution described above offers room for adjustment. Fats, for example, are recommended between 20% and 35%, so adjustments closer to the low end can be made to lose weight.
Begin by calculating how many calories are needed in your diet to promote weight loss. Then eat the required total amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from high-quality sources. Combine your favorite workout (dance, kickboxing, Pilates, karate, weightlifting, zumba, jogging or other) and watch the pounds drop.
In counting calories, your dietitian or fitness expert can help you determine how many calories you will need. There are also useful online calculators from trusted sources that allow you to enter the statistics necessary to provide you with an estimated number of calories.
To achieve a weight loss of one pound per week, for example, an individual will require a reduction of 500 kilocalories per day for 7 days. As a general rule of thumb, 1 pound (0.5 kg) of body fat contains 3,500 kilocalories.
If you choose to lose 20 pounds (9 kg), for example, using this rule, you will achieve your weight loss goal in about 20 weeks or 5 months.
The fundamental principles remain the same if we manipulate the macronutrients in our diet. An example would be substituting more protein for less carbohydrates in our diet. We would provide equivalent calories while staying within our body’s optimal carbohydrate requirement, ensuring that excessive amounts are not consumed that turn into fat. By understanding macronutrients, while staying within the recommended range, we can promote weight loss, build muscle, and maintain a fit and balanced lifestyle.