Macronutrients And Micronutrients

Not Skipping Your Macronutrients

 Macronutrients

Proteins, We only need about 10-35% of our diets to come from protein – most Americans get more than ample protein every day. Proteins are important for repair and growth of tissues, building muscle, enzymes, hormones, amino acids and our immune system.

Protein isn’t used immediately for energy – it’s more of a backup for our body.

Choose foods that have high quality protein: lean meats, fish, poultry, low fat cheese, milk, yoghurt, eggs, legumes, soy, nuts and seeds. ( 1 gram pf protein provides 4 calories)The average person needs 0.5-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight this will be explained in more depth a bit later on in the process.

Click The Word Icon Below For More Protein Information

Click The Word Icon Below For List Of Protein Sources Plus My Favourite Protein Sources And Why

Click The Word Icon Below For A Full list of vegetarian protein sources

Carbohydrates (Carbs)Contrary to many fad diets out there – Carbs are the main source of energy for our bodies. The most simple form of carbohydrate is glucose, the only substance our brains use for energy. Our kidneys, heart and nervous system also use glucose to function properly.

Out of our total energy intake for the day, it is recommended to get around 45-65% of energy from carbs. So in a 2000 calorie diet this is 900 to 1,300 calories a day, or 225 – 325 grams (One gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories). Our body can use the energy from carbs immediately, or store it for later use. Common sources of carbohydrates include breads, cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables What are some good sources of carbs.When choosing a carbohydrate, it is important to select something that is high in fiber, low glycemic index and as least processed as possible. Examples include wholegrain bread, apples, sweet potatoes, brown rice and oats.

low glycemic index (complex carbs) = slow burning carb = e.g. wholegrain, rice, sweet potato etc.

Medium low glycemic index (fast and slow burning carbs) = e.g. vegetables and some fruits etc.

high glycemic index (simple carbs) fast burning carbs = e.g.  sugars, fruits etc.

Click the word document below for more information on carbohydrates and my list of my favourite carbohydrates and what they do for the body.

Click the PDF below for a full List of good and bad carbohydrates.

Fats should make up about 20-35% of our diet. Unfortunately, they’ve been getting a bad reputation for decades. Nonetheless, fats are essential in our diet. Fats are important for protecting our organs, maintaining cell membranes, hormone balance, promoting growth and development and absorbing essential vitamins. One gram of fat contains about 9 calories (more than double a gram of carb or protein).

Which fats are good for you? Choose foods that contain unsaturated fats over saturated fats, such as oily fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado and canola oil instead of full cream milk, deep fried foods, cream, butter and animal fat.

Click The Word Icon Below For More Good And Bad Fats Information And My Favourite Fats List

Water, essential to the digestive system, metabolism, muscles, skin hair. We need 1.5-2.5 liters of water a day.

Click The word Icon Below For More Reasons Why You Need To Drink Water.

Micronutrients

Importance Of Vitamin C