Demystifying Macros

Macronutrients (macros for short) are the nutrients your body needs in larger quantities to grow, thrive, and heal - these macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Each macro has an important role to play in the body, and eating them in the right balance for your body will make your food work for you. Calories come from these nutrients, and most people do best when the calories from each category are distributed relatively evenly - a "balanced" diet.

Eating in balance is important - think of protein as the "parts" and fat/carbs (energy foods) as the "labor" in an assembly line analogy. In a smoothly running system, you have just enough labor to install the parts without either a backlog of parts or your labor force standing around waiting for more. Excess protein, in the short term, tends to lead to discomfort (like constipation), while excess carbs and fats tend to lead to accumulation of stored energy (body fat).

Protein:

Protein is the main building block of muscles, hormones, and enzymes, but if you're after a body composition change that includes muscle gain, it is not a magic pill that will grow your lean mass for you. In the 'standard American diet', protein intake is often low, when compared to fat and carbohydrate intake. Sources of protein include animal-based foods like meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs, as well as plant-based sources like beans, soy, lentils, and even some vegetables.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates (carbs for short) include fiber, starch and sugar. Fiber's biggest role is to keep things moving - the gut is happier with adequate fiber intake. There is a growing body of research that has linked fiber to a healthier gut microbiome (which correlates with better health). If you aren't used to it, increase gradually, as some GI upset can occur with a sudden increase in fiber. Sources of fiber include foods like whole grains, beans, lentils, vegetables, and fruit. Starch should be the biggest portion of your carbs, as it provides easily accessible energy to fuel you through your day. Sources of starchy carbs include foods like potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta.

Sugar, while demonized by diet culture, can be part of a healthy diet for many people, when used strategically. Sugar makes many foods taste better. It is very easy to overdo sugar intake because it tastes good, but unless you're on a nutrition plan that limits your sugar intake for medical reasons, you can manage cravings by including a little sweetness here and there. Shoot for no more than 50g of 'added sugar' per day, and no more than 75g of total sugar if you're getting most of your sugar from fruits. Cravings for sweet foods are often not 'sugar addiction', but instead of not including enough energy (calories) to sustain basic survival needs plus the demands we place on ourselves through our activities and mental stress. If you proactively eat adequate calories from a balanced diet, you'll find that cravings for candy and soda often subside and you can more easily limit sugar intake.

It's worth mentioning that some plans use the term "net carbs" in their guidance. Net carbs exclude fiber from the total carbs, and are frequently used to market foods designed to comply with plans like "keto" diets. If your plan is not based on net carbs, be sure you turn over the package to look at the total carbs when you're choosing your purchases.

On sugar alcohols and non-caloric sweeteners: Sugar alcohols are products like xylitol (and other '-itols' in the ingredients list) that make food taste sweet but aren't processed like sugar by the body, so are found in many products that are marketed toward diabetic or low-carb lifestyles. Exercise caution in eating a lot of foods that contain sugar alcohols, as many people (not all, but many) experience GI upset (gas, bloating, diarrhea) with these, and we're trying to eat to feel better, not worse. Non-caloric sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose (like those found in diet sodas) have been under scrutiny from time to time in their role as a potential carcinogen or in artificially increasing appetite. Current interpretations of the research data lean more toward these products being safe when consumed in moderation and don't cause increased appetite in and of themselves. You don't need them to improve your health, but they can be part of a solid strategy for improving your health.

Fats:

Besides storing energy for later use, fat is important for brain and nerve function (the brain is composed almost entirely of fat), thermal regulation, facilitating absorption of certain vitamins, and as a slower-burning energy source than carbs. Fats include saturated and unsaturated types. Those terms relate to the chemical composition of the fat, and what you need to know is that unsaturated fats, especially 'polyunsaturated' are considered the healthier option for most people. Saturated fats usually come from animal sources and are solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats usually come from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature. One exception to this is Omega-3 fatty acids, which are an unsaturated fat found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Examples of foods that are high in saturated fats that should be limited include butter, cream, bacon, and fatty cuts of meat (yes, the good stuff, sorry). Examples of foods that are high in healthy unsaturated fats include olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and the aforementioned fatty fish.

You may have heard the term "trans fats" - they were a hot topic 10-15 years ago, and they have been banned from foods in the US since 2018. There may be trace amounts of trans fats from natural sources in your food, but they tend to occur in the same foods as saturated fats, so if you're making swaps to reduce saturated fat intake, you're already doing the work to reduce exposure to trans fats.

Balancing protein, carbs, and fats in your diet helps keep your body functioning at its best. It’s not just about one nutrient—it’s about how they all work together to fuel, heal, and support you.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is not an essential nutrient, but many adults enjoy a drink from time to time. The FDA has recently updated labeling requirements to state that alcohol is a known carcinogen, so take that into account as you make your choices.

If you are trying to lose weight, your best bet is to abstain at least through your cut, for two main reasons. (1) Alcohol is detoxified through the liver, and the liver also plays a big role in fat metabolism. When there is alcohol in your system that needs to be cleaned out, the liver will prioritize alcohol metabolism over fat metabolism, and fat metabolism slows down. (2) Lower inhibitions when you've had even one standard alcoholic beverage may lower your self-control around sweets, and that extra portion (or two) of dessert will quickly undermine your progress.