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Macronutrients and Micronutrients: What are they, and how can they help us?
You might have heard the words ‘macronutrients’ and ‘micronutrients’ floating around the internet and then wondered exactly what they mean. These nutrients are more than just nutria-speak – they’re part of every single whole food at the grocery store and are essential for optimal health and weight loss. That’s why, in this article, I’m going to break them down for you, so you can use them to build your plate and wellbeing, so stay with me here.
There are three main macronutrients:
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are composed of sugar molecules that are linked together in various lengths. Carbs offer us a good source of energy often get a bad reputation during weight loss. Many people perceive carbs to be the enemy believe eating carbohydrates will cause them to store extra body fat. However carbohydrates themselves are not what lead to weight gain. The problem is that many people consume high quantities of low quality carbs or even an excess of starchy complex carbs.
The simple carbs – white rice, potato chips, sweets or candy, white bread, pasta, sugary breakfast cereal, etc. – are digested quickly and hit the bloodstream right away. These are going to play havoc on your blood sugar and hormones and a well-balanced blood sugar level is crucial to your overall fitness and well-being, regulating your hormones, triggering your body to burn stored fat, and increasing your metabolism to help you lose weight.
Complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains and most fruits and vegetables, are processed slowly. The longer the carbohydrate chain, the longer it takes for us to break down – leading to sustained energy throughout the day, which means we won’t be snacking on sugary goodies when it’s time for that morning or afternoon work break. So focus on these and especially the plants (veggies) when building your meals.
Now that we know quality matters, it’s important to understand that so does quantity for weight loss. So just because it’s a ‘clean’ carb, doesn’t mean you can scarf as much as you want and expect to drop a size! If we eat more than we burn and it doesn’t matter where it comes from you can gaurantee you’re gonna get some junk on your trunk or jelly on the belly!
- Fat: Fat is a part of every single one of our cells, so there is no reason to be afraid of the F word. Fat strengthens our cells, helps us make hormones, offers us energy, nourishes the brain and cardiovascular system, and gives our skin that to-die-for glow. Who doesn’t want that?
First of all it’s important to know that you can burn fat just by eating fat – after all this is a vital macronutrient. The trick is to know which fats to eat and how much a healthy serving is. Part of the reason fats has gotten such a bad reputation is because all varieties are lumped into the same category.
Healthy fats, like those found in eggs, nuts, seeds, coconut, butter, ghee, avocado, flax and chia, are highly anti-inflammatory as well. Aim for good quality fats and skip the processed oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, palm oil, peanut oil and safflower oil, as well as these only lead to inflammation and weight gain.
- Protein: We need protein to make enzymes, hormones and antibodies, to support brain and cardiovascular health, as well as to build muscle tissue and keep our skin, hair and nails beautiful. Protein is an energy source made of amino acids – most of which our bodies can make on their own, but there are nine essential amino acids we need to get from food.
- Choose high-quality protein sources like vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, fermented soy, organic meat and fish for your optimal health. If you are exercising on a regular basis, ensure you are consuming enough protein to aid with muscle-building, repair and energy levels. Research supports that protein speeds up metabolism: This happens because protein causes a thermic effect in the body, which basically means that the body needs to use more calories to break down, digest and metabolize the food.
Each individual’s needs are different so work out how much you need and make it a part of every meal if you are serious about dropping body fat
Within the 3 macronutrients above there are two main micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals
- Vitamins: Vitamins are not a source of energy. Instead, they are used along with enzymes to break down micronutrients so they are available for our bodies to use. They are essential for growth, immunity, digestion and overall health; when we are deficient in one or several vitamins, diseases can develop. For the most part, we can’t make vitamins – so we must get them from our food and that’s why I stress to buy the best quality wholefoods you can.
Some vitamins – A, D, E and K – are fat soluble and best absorbed alongside a good fat source, while the B vitamins and Vitamin C are water-soluble and aren’t stored in our bodies, so we must gobble them regularly via foods and/or a supplement
- Minerals: Remember learning the periodic table in high school and wondering along with algebra what the hell we’re supposed to do with this in real life? Well those are minerals – and they come from the earth. Like vitamins, minerals aren’t going to give us an energy boost. They do, however, act as cofactors in energy production and essential bodily functions. Minerals are further divided into macrominerals and microminerals, because we need more of some minerals than others. Though we only need all minerals in small amounts, they are definitely potent! Unfortunately, we can’t make any minerals ourselves, so it’s truly important that we get them in our diet.
The best source of macronutrients and micronutrients are fresh, whole foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Carbs, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals all work together – like those harmonizing boy bands you loved when you were a teenager. Each has an important role to play, and every nutrient works together in synchrony.
If you want to drop pounds and feel great, it’s not necessarily about eating less, although it does matter to some extent– it’s about consuming more nutrient-dense foods that are packed with micronutrients and within those the even more exciting categories of phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential fats, fiber and water. This is where the real magic happens that we need to support our bodies for optimal health.
So what are the best sources of macro and micronutrients? Here are some of my faves:
- Micro algae
- Sprouts and micro greens
- Cacao
- Salmon
- Berries
- Avocado
- Nuts and seeds
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Green leafy vegetables and herbs
When you start to incorporate these foods into your diet daily, you’ll likely find those extra pounds will melt away, you’ll feel more satiated and experience a boost in energy and mood levels.
If you want to know more about my services and how I work, visit my website www.fitandnutritious.com.sg get in touch and lets talk.
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