What are macronutrients

What are micro and macronutrients and why do we need them?

Wondering about micro and macronutrients? No worries – we’ve broken the essentials down for you in a simple way…

The foods we eat contain nutrients that keep us going. They fuel us throughout the day, help our bodies repair themselves, and contribute to our overall health. You might have heard of food groups categorised as macronutrients and micronutrients. They’re both significant in their own way and making sure you get enough of them in the right balance can help your body work properly.

But what are macronutrients? Macronutrients are simply ‘big’ nutrition categories. These are the nutrients that should make up most of your diet. This category is made up of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Micronutrients, on the other hand, are the ones needed in small amounts by the body and occur in very tiny amounts in our foods . An example of these are vitamins, like vitamins A, C, D and E, and mineral likezinc, iron and calcium.

Most foods contain micronutrients alongside macronutrients. When it comes to getting enough macro and micro nutrients in the human diet, focusing on variety is key.

What are macronutrients and how much do I need?

You might have heard a lot of talk around macronutrients and food choices. You’ll hear athletes say things like “If it fits your macros”, or refer to them when talking about the Keto or High Fat Low Carb diet and there’s a lot of emphasis in the sporting world on getting the balance right to achieve your goals.

There are lots of ways to calculate how much protein and carbs you should eat in one day. However, you should balance the three macronutrient food groups – carbs, fat and protein, it’s recommended that the general population’s daily calories should roughly come from:
● 45 – 65% carbohydrates
● 20 – 35% fat
● 15– 25% protein

However, you may want to adjust this to fit a more intense physical exercise regime, particularly for carbs and protein. A qualified nutritionist or dietitian can help determine what is the optimal balance for your goals.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are your body’s main source of energy. When you hit the gym or go for a run, it’s the fuel that keeps you going. To make it simple, carbs are made of starch, sugars and fibres. When starch and sugars break down to their simplest forms, it creates an energy that cells convert in usable power. You’ll find carbohydrates in bread, pasta, grains, pulses, and even fruit and vegetables.

When it comes to fuelling your workout, carbs can be your best friend. So, go for it. But think about where your carbs come from. You might have a sweet tooth craving for ‘simple sugars’ found in some processed sweets and sugary drinks. ‘Simple sugars’ can help when you need to refuel energy during a long and intense workout, then the rest of the time, prefer other sources of carbs to fuel your body with fibres and micronutrients.

Protein

Every cell in the human body contains protein. They are functional and structural components of all the cells, tissues and organs of the body like skin, hair, bones, muscles or hormones. You get it – it’s important stuff. But it’s not the full story. Proteins are made up of 20 amino acids, but 9 of these can’t be synthetized by your body, so you need to get them from your diet. They’re called essential amino acids, or EAAs [4].

You’ll want to have a look at your protein intake, at it helps our muscles grow and maintain themselves [5]. You can get protein from animal sources, like meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, and plant sources such as pulses, nuts and seeds.

Fats

Confused about fats? We’ve put the essentials down for you.
To start, we all need fat to help enjoy a balanced diet. All fats are made up of different types of fatty acids. It’s quite easy. There are 4 key types of them called: saturated,
monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fatty acids [6].

Unsaturated fats are generally considered healthier. You’ll find monounsaturated fats in
avocados and nuts – yes, like the avocado toast you are nuts about!
Polyunsaturated fats are made up of fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 [7]. These fats play a role in keeping your vision keen [8] and uptake of fat-soluble vitamins [9].

How to calculate your macronutrients

How many macronutrients you eat in a day will depend on your bodyweight and your training frequency and intensity. Whether you are hitting the streets for a marathon, lifting heavy in the gym or running up and down the sports field, it’s personal, and the numbers we give here are very rough guidelines to get you started – you can try exploring different intakes to see what’s best you. Before you jump in and start switching things up, try keeping a food diary for a short amount of time – a week or two – to see where you are.

Your macronutrients intake will depend on factors such as: your genetic makeup and bodyweight, how often you train, and how intensely you train.

We break down how to calculate your daily protein and carbs to help you find the intake that’s right for you.

What are micronutrients and how much do I need?

Micronutrients – the tiny amounts of nutrients your body needs such as vitamins and minerals – are more difficult to track. But don’t forget that a varied and balanced diet allows you to integrate them into your diet as they are important for maintaining your health.

The key types of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, and there are a few differences between the two.

The best way to make sure you’re getting enough is to eat a varied diet with plenty of colourful and tasty fruit and vegetables and ensure you include the five food groups every day – and don’t forget about water! The advice for the general population is 2.1L a day for women, and 2.6L a day for men, but if training regularly you will likely need more. A fluid plan that suits most athletes is an intake of 0.4-0.8L/h .


Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds. That means they come from plants or animals, and they can be broken down. Most of them dissolve in water, for example B & C vitamins, so it is hard for your body to store them. Many vitamins are important for synthesising energy, so they’re not something you can overlook when planning a diet that’s going to support your training. There are other types of vitamins that are stored in fat, like vitamin D, A, E & K.

Minerals

We have just touched on the first micronutrient, vitamins. Now we dive into the second one, the minerals. Wondering what they are? Minerals are inorganic compounds and, unlike vitamins, can’t be broken down. They occur naturally in soil and water. There are macro minerals like calcium and sodium, which you need more of, and trace minerals like iron and zinc, which your body only needs in tinier amounts. Even trace minerals play a big role in helping your body function properly. As you are training hard, the minerals to be most mindful of are potassium and sodium, because these are lost with sweat during exercise.

As you are putting your body through a lot, remember that eating a varied diet, rich in all the five food groups in appropriate amounts, will help your body function properly and support you on your journey!

Written by: Green Park Content

Any medical advice and views expressed are those of the author; readers should obtain medical advice.

[1] https://mynutrition.wsu.edu/nutrition-basics

[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/micros-vs-macros#how-it-works

[3] Sources: FAO/WHO Scientific Update on carbohydrates in human nutrition: conclusions, Mann J. et al., European Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2007 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2016 Cermak & van Loon. 2013, Sports Med, 43:1139-1155.Jeukendrup, A. 2004, Nutrition,
20:669-677.

[4] Monirujjaman M (2014). "Metabolic and Physiological Roles of Branched-Chain Amino Acids". Advances in Molecular Biology. 2014: 1–6

[5] https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/musculoskeletal/0/steps/25169

[6] Sources: FAO/WHO Scientific Update on carbohydrates in human nutrition: conclusions, Mann J. et al., European Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
2007 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2016 Cermak
& van Loon. 2013, Sports Med, 43:1139-1155.Jeukendrup, A. 2004, Nutrition, 20:669-677.

[7] FAO/WHO Scientific Update on carbohydrates in human nutrition:
conclusions, Mann J. et al., European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2016 Cermak
& van Loon. 2013, Sports Med, 43:1139-1155.Jeukendrup, A. 2004, Nutrition, 20:669-677.

[8] Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is an omega 3, contributes to the
maintenance of normal vision. This beneficial effect is obtained with a daily
intake of 250 mg of DHA.

[9] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/fat-soluble-vitamins

[10] CERIN – Protein and sport practices: why and when? -2016; International Association of Athletics Federations Consensus Statement 2019, Why dietary protein is important for endurance athletes -2014

[11] Sources: Scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of
Sports Medecine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, 2016, Nutrition for endurance sports: Marathon, triathlon, and road cycling, A.E. Jeunkendrup, Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011

[12] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/micronutrients#types-and-functions

[13] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/micronutrients#types-and-functions

[14] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/micronutrients#types-and-functions

[15] https://www.sportsrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Whats-In-Your-Sweat.pdf