Mastering Macros: Your Essential Guide to Carbs, Proteins, and Fats
Welcome to “The Responsible Human”! Today, we’re diving into the fundamentals of nutrition: macronutrients. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply lead a healthier life, understanding the role of macronutrients is crucial to reaching your goals.
In this post, we will dive deep into the three major macronutrients —carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—and learn how to balance them in diet for optimal health and performance.
What Are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients, often referred to as “macros,” are the three primary nutrients our bodies need in large quantities to function properly: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These nutrients provide energy (measured in calories) and serve as the building blocks for the body’s processes.
In short, without these essential nutrients, our body would not have the fuel or structural support it needs to keep us healthy and active.
Carbohydrates: Your Body’s Primary Energy Source
What Are Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of energy. When we consume carbs, they break down into glucose, which fuels our brain, muscles, and organs. Carbs are crucial for maintaining energy levels, especially if one is physically active or mentally focused throughout the day.
Interesting fact: In humans, the brain accounts for ~2% of the body weight, but it consumes ~20% of glucose-derived energy making it the main consumer of glucose (~5.6 mg glucose per 100 g human brain tissue per minute)
Types of Carbohydrates:
- Simple Carbohydrates: These are quick sources of energy and are found in foods like sugars, syrups, and sugary drinks.
- Complex Carbohydrates: These are found in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. They digest more slowly, providing a steady supply of energy and helping to regulate blood sugar levels.
Simple carbohydrates are made up of either one or two sugar units and thus are broken down quickly in the body. This results in a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. All simple carbohydrates such as Fruits or rice are generally not a problem when eaten in right amounts and at the right time (30 min – 1 hour before or after an activity).
Why We Need Them:
Carbohydrates are essential for brain function, muscle performance, and keeping your nervous system in check. Additionally, fiber—a type of carbohydrate—promotes digestive health and keeps you feeling full.
Healthy Sources:
- Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa)
- Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes)
- Fruits (apples, berries, bananas)
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas)
Proteins: The Building Blocks of Our Body
What Is Protein?
When we hear the word Protein, usually a boydbuilder’s image comes to our mind. Howevevr, Protein has multiple other functions than just to build muscle.
Some other functions are as following:
Build and maintain Tissue: As mentioned, one of the functions of proteins in the body is to be used for the growth and maintenance of tissues. The body under normal circumstances breaks down the same amount of protein that it uses to build and tissues. In some cases, such as fighting an illness, during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or a period of high activity it can break more protein thus increasing protein intake needs.
Protein as enzymes: Enzymes in the body speed up chemical reactions such as digestion of carbohydrates or the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. For e.g one enzyme most of you would have heard about is Lactase. which breaks down lactose in the milk and in the absence of which Lactose Intolerance takes place. Some proteins in the body act as enzymes and thus act as catalysts to the various necessary chemical reactions in the body.
Protein as hormones: Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that are released by the endocrine system (a complex network of glands). They carry messages to various parts of the body and help regulate various bodily processes such as hunger, blood pressure, and sexual desire.
For example, when we eat a meal, the pancreas produces the hormone “insulin” which helps regulate blood sugar by opening the cells to accept glucose from the blood. When we press the car brakes hard suddenly to avoid a collision, adrenal glands produce the hormone “adrenaline” to help us act quickly At night time (around 10 PM) our pineal gland produces the hormone “melatonin” which makes us sleepy and helps us get a night of restful sleep.
Many of the hormones are made from protein.
Proteins provide structure: Some proteins provide structure to the cells and tissues in the body. Keratin, for example, is a structural protein found in skin, hair, and nails. Collagen gives structure to bones, teeth, and skin.
Proteins as antibodies: Antibodies blood that helps in protecting us from harmful bacteria and viruses. Protein helps form these antibodies to fight infection.
Proteins as transporters: Some proteins act as transporters and help move nutrients such as vitamins/minerals, cholesterol, and oxygen. For example, hemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to other body tissues.
Proteins as a backup source of energy: With so many important functions to perform with proteins, our body prefers to use glucose (from carbohydrates that we eat or make it from stored glycogen in the liver) or fats (ketones) for the energy. As a last resort, however, for example in case of longer fasting or starvation, the body can break-down muscle into amino acids and then make new glucose through a process called “gluconeogenesis”.
Amino Acids:
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the basic building blocks our body uses to build muscle, skin, and other tissues. Proteins consist of 20 amino acids, 9 of which are considered essential—meaning our body cannot produce them, so we must obtain them through our diet.
Healthy Sources:
- Lean meats (chicken, turkey, beef)
- Fish (salmon, tuna)
- Eggs
- Legumes (lentils, beans)
- Plant-based sources like tofu and quinoa
Fats: Fuel for Hormones and Energy Storage
What Are Fats?
Fats serve as a dense source of energy and play a crucial role in producing hormones, absorbing certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K), and maintaining healthy cell function. They also help protect our organs and keep us warm.
Types of Fats:
- Saturated Fats: Found in animal products like meat and dairy, and should be consumed in moderation.
- Unsaturated Fats: Found in plants, nuts, seeds, and fish. These fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, are heart-healthy.
- Trans Fats: Found in processed foods. These should be avoided as they raise bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Why You Need Them:
Fats help regulate hormones, maintain healthy skin and hair, and support brain health. They’re also vital for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.
Healthy Sources:
- Avocados
- Olive oil
- Nuts and seeds
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)
- Coconut oil
How to Balance Macros in Your Diet
The key to building a healthy diet is balancing your intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats based on your individual needs and goals.
Balancing for Different Goals:
- Weight Loss: You may want to reduce carbohydrate intake and increase protein and healthy fats to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
- Muscle Gain: A higher protein intake (around 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) is essential for muscle recovery and growth.
- General Health: A balanced plate that includes all three macros (from healthy sources) — roughly 40-50% carbs, 20-30% protein, and 20-30% fats—will support overall health.
Calcuating and Tracking Your Macros:
- You can use an online calorie calculator to calculate your macro needs. (such as this one)
- You can use an app (my favourite is Cronometer) to track you macros for a few weeks.
Approximating Portion Sizes:
- Carbohydrates: A portion of complex carbohydrates should fit in your fist.
- Protein: A portion of lean protein should be roughly the size of your palm.
- Fats: A portion of fats should be about the size of your thumb.
Sample Meal:
- Grilled chicken or chickpeas (protein), quinoa or brown rice (carbs), and steamed vegetables drizzled with olive oil (fats) offer a balanced plate that fuels your body.
Quality over Quantity and Personalization over Generalization
After understanding the basics of our energy sources, the next important thing to understand is that the quality of these sources will determine how optimally our body and brain function. “Optimally” meaning here that all the bodily processes are functioning properly and cognitive abilities are sharp (focused, clear, sharp mind, and happy mood).
Another thing to understand is that for healthy sources of macronutrient, not all food items suit well to everyone’s body. You need to figure out which healthy sources suit well to your body as per your personal goals.
If 80% of macronutrients you eat come from healthy sources and food items that sit well with YOUR body, in addition to the weight goal, you will start feeling the difference in your gut, mood, and brain health as well.
Common Myths About Macronutrients
Myth 1: “Carbs Are Bad”
Contrary to popular belief, not all carbs are bad. Whole, complex carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, and grains are nutrient-rich and provide sustained energy. It’s refined carbs like sugary snacks that should be limited.
Myth 2: “Eating Fat Makes You Fat”
Eating the right types of fats (like omega-3s) can actually help you lose weight by supporting metabolism and hormone production. It’s trans fats and processed foods that lead to weight gain.
Myth 3: “More Protein Is Always Better”
While protein is essential, more isn’t always better. Eating excessive amounts of protein can stress your kidneys and isn’t always beneficial unless you’re aiming for specific goals like bodybuilding.
Conclusion
Understanding macronutrients and how they work is key to creating a balanced, nutritious diet. By focusing on eating the right types of carbs, proteins, and fats in appropriate amounts, you’ll fuel your body for optimal health and performance.
Need personalized advice? Book a consultation today and let’s create a nutrition plan that works for you.