What Is Macronutrient?

Suppose you are conscious about your health and want to increase your knowledge about what a human body consumes and how the organs of the human body function, then you must learn about the essential things. You must have heard about the term Macronutrients in your life. This guide is prepared to understand the term “Macronutrient”. What is Macronutrient? The answer lies within this post.

What is Macronutrient?

Macronutrients are essential nutrients that humans consume in large quantities to function in different organs and the human body’s system. Vitamins and minerals are used to describe Macronutrients in the real world. You must have heard about these terms, as we all used to hear or already know about them.

Macronutrients are very important for humans as they provide the required energy in calories. Macronutrients can be categorized into three parts: Fats, carbohydrates, and Proteins.

Each of these Macronutrients has specific roles in human bodies, which is why they are very important and should be consumed by each one of us to stay healthy and fit. Let’s understand the roles of these Macronutrients one by one.

Roles of Macronutrients in Human Bodies

Macronutrient 1: Fats

Fat stores energy and helps the body make different hormones to support the organs. There are three different types of fats available in the human body. Let’s collect more information about them.

1. Trans Fat

Trans fat is harmful to your heart. Trans fat increases bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol, resulting in heart-related issues. It is considered the worst type of fat and most humans should avoid consuming trans fat.

If you eat more trans fat in your daily life, then the chances of suffering from heart disease increase. Trans Fats are produced through an industrial process where hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. Here, we have listed down the foods that contain Trans Fat. If you are eating them regularly, then be a little cautious.

List of Trans Fat Foods

• Frozen Pizza
• Baked cookies, cakes, pastries, etc.
• Popcorn
• Friend Foods
• Vegetable Oil, etc.

2. Saturated Fats

Saturated Fats have hydrogen molecules and they have no bonds with carbon molecules. Saturated Fats are in solid form at room temperature. Like Trans Fats, Saturated Fats are also considered bad for your heart. If you consume foods packed with saturated fats daily, then the chances of increased heart attack or stroke risks are high.

Saturated fats come from animals. Non-vegetarian people consume a high amount of saturated fats daily. Some dairy products also contain saturated fats. Here, we have listed down all the food products we consume daily, which are good sources of saturated fats.

List of Saturated Foods

• Pork
• Beef
• Poultry with Skin
• Dairy products such as butter, cheese, etc.

Apart from this, some oil-based products also contain saturated fats in low volume. We better stop consuming these items daily.

3. Unsaturated Fats

Unsaturated Fats have one double bond that causes bends in the molecule. Unsaturated is found in liquid form at room temperature. The bonds are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Unsaturated fats are good for human bodies as they are in liquid form and can be easily digested by the body. Unsaturated fats decrease the risk of heart attack compared to the other two types of fats.

List of Unsaturated Fats

• Seafood
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Avocados
• Olives etc.

Macronutrient 2: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are known as carbs and are made from sugars, fibers, and starches. Carbs are considered the primary source of energy for the entire human body organism.

Carbohydrates have hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates are made from two different compounds known as ketones and aldehydes. The energy comes from the chains that the carbs create within the human body.

Carbs are created differently and for that reason, they can be categorized into two different types, i.e., Simple and Complex Carbs. Let’s collect some helpful information about these two different types of Carbs.

Types of Carbohydrates

Type 1: Simple Carbs

Simple Carbs support human bodies as they can be broken down easily for energy consumption. Simple carbs are present in sugary items such as sweets, molasses, yogurt, fruits, etc. Fruits have all types of Macronutrients, including natural sugar called fructose, vitamins, and other essential minerals.

Type 2: Complex Carbs

As the name says, Complex Carbs take longer to break down as the molecules are complicated for the human body to break. Complex Carbs are typically found in grains and starches such as rice, bread, potatoes, peas, etc.

Carbs are present in all the other types of plant foods and vegetables but in a lower amount compared to grains.

Good Carbs Vs. Bad Carbs

Depending on their sources, Carbs can be classified as Good and Bad Carbs. Carbs from natural products, such as grains, vegetables, plants, fruits, etc, are known as good carbs as they contain all the essential vitamins and minerals that are healthy for the body.

On the other hand, Bad Carbs are the type of Carbs we consume from junk foods or processed food products. Bad Carbs don’t contain essential vitamins and minerals and cause bad effects on your body.

Macronutrients 3: Protein

Proteins are made from different amino acids found in plants and animals. Proteins are of different types and the human body contains a thousand types of proteins to help organs run smoothly. They help human muscles to rebuild and provide proper strength to the body.

Protein is essential for every human being and it should be consumed daily. Proteins help rebuild body muscles, hair growth, glowing skin, nails, etc. If you are a fitness freak, you must know about the Proteins. Proteins help in building muscles and weight management.

According to studies, an average person should consume 0.75 grams of protein per kg of his body weight. If you weigh 100 kg, you should consume 75 grams of protein daily. If you are working out in the gym, then you should consume extra gms of protein for muscle repair and rebuilding.

The Bottom Line:

Macronutrients are essential for every human being to stay healthy and fit. Make sure you add food products from all the groups. You can get the right information about different food groups and the number of Macronutrients in each food by searching on the National Agricultural Library (NAL). You can also get information about macronutrients and their advantages through some mobile apps. Eat good, and stay healthy!