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Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories/energy. The three classes include: carbohydrates, protein & fat.
Carbohydrates (CHO): Your body makes glucose from CHO which gives you energy
- Primary energy source for the brain
- Starches, fibers, and sugar are the major types
- Provide 4 calories per gram
- 50-65% of calories recommended
- Examples: Fruits and vegetables, grain products (bread, cereal, crackers, popcorn, pasta, cookies), milk
Ex. A 70 kg woman that weighed 160 pounds would need 2,718 calories a day to maintain her weight with 1,495 calories coming from carbohydrates.
Protein (PRO): during digestion and absorption, broken down into amino acids
- Major structural component of all cells in the body
- Provides power & strength for muscle repair
- 9 essential amino acids (must be consumed in diet) and 11 nonessential amino acids (body makes them)
- Provide 4 calories per gram
- 10-25% of calories recommended
- Examples: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts & seeds
Ex. A 70 kg woman that weighed 160 pounds would need 2,718 calories a day to maintain her weight with 544 calories coming from protein.
Fat:
- Helps maintain ideal competitive weight
- Insulates the body, preserves body heat, and maintains body temperature
- Essential for the digestion, absorption, and transport of fat-soluble vitamins
- Only get certain essential fats from the diet
- Provides 9 calories per gram
- <30% of calories recommended
- Examples: peanut butter, nuts, fish (salmon, tuna, herring, trout) fried foods, desserts, salad dressing, oils (peanut, canola, sunflower, olive, soybean, corn)
Ex. A 70 kg woman that weighed 160 pounds would need 2,718 calories a day to maintain her weight with 680 calories coming from fat.
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For similar articles, read Nutrition and Supplements