With today’s rising, yet right-minded trends of concern and responsibility regarding the food which we put in our bodies, we see more and more people, whether they’d be young sportsy teenagers or adults who are sick and tired of seeing fast food chains popping up at every corner, looking more attentively at the food they eat. While it is wonderful that people are getting general ideas of what is healthy and what is not, the best factor to determine making informed choices regarding food, is to analyze the macronutrients of the food which you are about to consume.
Well, firstly, what exactly are macronutrients? Macronutrients are the pillars of our diet and are basically the fuel that keeps our bodies up and working each and every day. As such, it is important to consume them in sufficient, large, yet responsible qunatities for the body to be able to perform at its best and to ensure the proper function of the body’s metabolism and growth. The first macronutrient would be protein. Protein is definitely one of the most important macronutrients to consume in our bodies as it fulfills many roles, including, as mentioned in previous articles, muscle growth and recovery. Protein is important, not only for athletes however, as protein does help, through its amino acids, to build and repair muscles and bones, as well as helping with hormones and enzymes. The recommended ammount of protein per day differs depending on age, activity level, medical conditions and goals, however, generally 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is fine for most people.
As for how we are able to feel energized and not be tired all day long, that is where carbohydrates come in. To simply put it, carbohydrates consist of sugar molecules, which the body breaks down into glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar. It is through this glucose that the body’s cells, tissues and organs get their energy in order to properly function. Not only that, however, our bodies are incredibly smart, so smart in fact that they deposit some in the liver and muscles to be used later. Although when we hear carbohydrates we mostly associate it with sugar, there are more complex forms of carbohydrates, such as fibers, wich are quite special, in the sense that the body can’t digest them, making you feel full after eating them. Basically, eating foods high in fiber will give you the sensation that you have already ate as much as you need, even if you only ate a little.
Lastly, fats. Although when we hear fats we tend to shy away from it and think that it is bad for us and needs to be avoided in our diet, that is simply not the case. Fats are just as important as proteins and carbohydrates, as they are also an energy source, a concentrated one. Besides that, they are basically our body’s main shield, as it is through fat that insulation is performed and vitamins are absorbed and transported throughout the body. Although plenty of fats, namely saturated ones are unhealthy, it is possible to get fats through healthy, unsaturated sources, such as through avocados, olives, sunflowers and more.
To sum it all up, all macronutrients are important in some way to our body and we couldn’t function without them. That said, it is our responsabilities to make sure that we fulfill our body’s requests properly, by only feeding it the best food, and completing those daily macronutrients checklists properly.
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