Understanding Macronutrients - What Is Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein.

Becoming the expert on what our food is composed of will create understanding and better food choices for a healthier lifestyle. We see food labels containing carbohydrate, fats and protein content and these are the macronutrients.

Macronutrients are the building blocks of all food. We have all heard of them in some form or another, but do we know what they actually mean and how they affect our diet?

In this post I aim to break each macronutrient down and simplify its role within our diets, let's go.....

There are 3 Macronutrients, in no particular order:

1 . Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is used within the body as "fuel" for energy, it has NO other role. 

It's the equivalent of Jet A1 fuel used in our aircraft engines!

When Carbohydrate is digested ALL carbohydrates are broken down to glucose (sugar) whether complex carbs or simple sugars.

Foods with the highest ratio of carbohydrates compared to the other macronutrients include starches and sweets, such as cereals, bread,  pasta, potatoes, sugar, and sweets. These carbohydrates can be used for energy, however, we typically over eat this type of food which is paramount to us GAINING weight and body fat. Also, there is very little nutrition associated with these types of carbohydrates.

Non starchy vegetables, defined as "vegetables you can eat raw", such as spinach, lettuce, onion, mushrooms and peppers (typically salad foods) are the BEST form of carbohydrates offering an abundance of nutrients for a "low calorie" intake of carbohydrates. 

Other than potatoes, all vegetables will form the majority proportion of your meals to ensure nutrient dense fullness with carbohydrates.

2 . Fat

The breakdown of fats in the digestive system results in fatty acids.

Fats are "essential" to a healthy body, that is why they are called ESSENTIAL FATS. The term essential is used because the body requires these fats to function. However, the body cannot produce these fats for itself and therefore we need to consume essential fats within our diet from food. 

Fats play a vital role in cell repair and recovery, for example our nails and skin are made up of millions of cells that fats help to maintain them looking healthy and feeling strong.

Without fats, the body is UNABLE to accept some micronutrients, vitamins A D E & K are just some of the "fat soluble vitamins" we need for optimum health. That is why your vitamin tablets state you should consume vitamin supplements "with food".

However, not all fats are created equal. To keep it simple, fats found in natural, real food such as avocado, red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds provide us with an abundance of nutrients and essential fats.

Oils are 100% fat. Olive oil and coconut oil are used as part of the healthy way of living.  Use coconut oil to cook foods and use olive oil as a dressing.  An easy way to remember this is that coconut oil is solid at room temperature so heating it while cooking breaks it down. 

Dairy products such as milk and cheese, also provide fats in the diet, whilst butter can be used for cooking as an alternative to coconut oil.

Low quality fats found in fast food and processed foods will not provide you with the nutritional advantages of real food! 


3. Protein

Proteins are the building blocks of our living tissue, such as muscle. As carbohydrates are digested down to glucose, proteins are digested into amino acids. The body cannot produce all amino acids required for optimum health, therefore it is VITAL we consume high quality, complete proteins within our diet.

Protein is found in most foods, as with all the macronutrients. However, the highest quality proteins and most proteins per calorie can be found in foods such as the non starchy vegetables (spinach and broccoli), meat, fish and eggs....real food!

Some dairy products have a higher ratio of protein too, such as cottage cheese.

We all need to increase protein intake for improved health. Increased protein intake is key to weight loss with a real food diet. This is because protein makes you feel "fuller" for longer and this helps to avoid overeating wasteful calories that are otherwise stored as body fat!

The 3 Macronutrients.....

Thats the breakdown of the 3 Macronutrients within our foods, carbohydrate, fat and protein. They all form different ratios in all our food with a couple of exceptions:

1. Sugar = 100% carbohydrate
2. Oil = 100% fat

Understanding what the different macronutrients provide for us and what happens when we digest the food we eat is key to healthy choices and fuelling our body.  For example . If you have just undertaken a 60km bike ride that is now the time to fuel your body with carbohydrates and protein rich food to replace the energy used and rebuild muscle tissue.

Another example is one of a 4 hour flight sat on your backside. Minimal carbohydrates are needed as you are not using much energy. Protein and fat rich food (not processed) will help you feel full and no sugar spikes will help your concentration.

The common theme throughout the macronutrients is one of real food. The real food provides all the macronutrients in correct ratios and provides all essential nutrition for us....we just have to eat it!

Through greater understanding and armed with this basic knowledge of what makes up our food, you can make better decisions and food choices.

In further posts I'll dig a little deeper into each macronutrient and the science behind them...

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Keep flying and live healthy,

G