Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Macronutrients and Micronutrients:

Nutrients are environmental substances essential to life and health, providing us with energy, the building blocks for repair and growth and substances necessary to regulate chemical processes. Depending on the nutrient, these substances are needed in small amounts or larger amounts.

Essential nutrients are combinations that the body can’t make or can’t make in sufficient quantity. According to the World Health Organization, these nutrients must come from food and they’re vital for disease prevention, growth, and good health. There are many essential nutrients which can be broken into two categories: micronutrients and macronutrients. Macronutrients are those that are needed in large amounts (lat. macro – large), they are eaten in large amounts and include the primary building blocks of your diet — carbohydrates, protein and fat — which provide your body with energy. These three macronutrients have their own specific roles and functions in the body, and all supply us with calories or energy that are essential for living. For this reason, the body requires these nutrients in relatively large amounts to grow, develop and continually thrive.

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients (lat. Micro – small) which are required in smaller amount but also play important part in ensuring normal metabolism, growth and physical and mental wellbeing. Of course we also need water to survive, which serves as a carrier, distributing nutrients to the body’s cells, and removing toxins and waste products for elimination.

a.     Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. Guidelines state that most of our diet should come from carbohydrate sources (50-60%). Saying that, we recognise that some people will need a higher percentage from the carbohydrates and some will need less. This will be dependent on the individual energy requirements, 50-60% will be appropriate for the majority of the population. Some athletes, body builders may require higher intake of carbohydrates, up to 70%.

All carbohydrates are made of small molecules or unites called saccharides. The latter are divided into three basic categories:

• Simple Carbohydrates, known as ‘sugar’ or ‘glucose’
• Complex Carbohydrates known as ‘starches’
• Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), known as ‘fibre’

Carbohydrate is the only macronutrient your body can survive without, however doing so would be no fun. Carbs are your body’s most easily accessible source of energy, and first it is broken into glucose (used by the brain) and stored into glycogen (used by muscles and your liver). By far the healthiest choices are fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, legumes, and whole grains. These foods contain plenty of energy, along with fibre and nutrients.

In common nutrition speak, carbs are divided into simple and complex carbohydrates. The two classifications refer to the length of the carbohydrate molecules. The shorter the molecule chain is, the easier it is for your body to break down, so it’s “simpler”—basically they’re sugars. On the contrary, long chains of glucose molecules, like starch, are “complex” because it takes longer for your body to break it down into usable components. Complex carbohydrates are also known as starch or polysaccharides.

b.     Protein

Proteins serve as the basic building material of the body and not just for muscle. Every cell, from bone to internal organs, to the skin, nails and hair contains protein. Protein is also an important part of cell membranes and blood (e.g., haemoglobin). A startling 16 percent of the average person’s body weight is from protein. Protein is used primarily for growth, health, and body maintenance. All of your hormones, antibodies, and other important substances are composed of protein. Protein is not used to fuel the body unless necessary.

Proteins are made of up different amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids, 9 of which are considered essential, meaning the body can’t manufacture these naturally. While the body can create some amino acids on its own, there are many essential amino acids that can only come from food. You need a variety of amino acids for your body to function properly. The good news is that you don’t need to eat all of the amino acids at once. Your body can create complete proteins from the foods you eat throughout the day. Proteins that contain all 20 amino acids are often called complete proteins, and on a plant-based diet, we need to look to foods such as quinoa, avocado, chia seeds, and hemp seeds for complete protein nourishment.

Proteins play exclusive and vital roles in the body such as building, and repairing/regenerating body tissues and cells. Undeniably, it is particularly important for physically active individuals whose muscle tissue is constantly being broken down, and in need of repair

c.     Fats

Fats often get a bad reputation, and although fats in the diet are subject of debate and growing concern, they play an important role in human physiology and are an important part of a healthy diet. Fat supports many of your body’s functions such as vitamin and mineral absorption, blood clotting, building cells, and muscle movement. You are right if you are thinking fat is high in calories, but hose calories are an important energy source for your body.

Including healthy fats in your diet can help you to balance your blood sugar, decrease your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and improve your brain function. They’re also powerful anti-inflammatories, and they may lower your risk of arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Fat is a wonderful part of the diet, as aside from the expected “essential” roles and functions it plays in brain development and function, cellular production, cell regeneration and overall cell functioning.

Another major function of fat in the body is protection, and insulation. Fat helps keep us warm in the winter, and maintain a comfortable body temperature. It is also vital for cushioning and to protect the body’s organs. Lastly, fat plays a vital role in the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins (i.e. vitamins A, D, E, and K) as well as carotenoids found in colourful plant-based foods such as kale, avocado, carrots, watercress and bell peppers.

Some healthy fat-rich foods are avocado (used in many meals), coconut and coconut oil (for light frying) hempseeds (in salads and smoothies), hemp oil (for salad dressings), almonds, pumpkin seeds, olives (as snacks and included in many raw salads), and more recently chia seeds (as a breakfast porridge).

1. Fibre

Fibre is a vital part of a healthy diet. It has important health benefits including keeping your digestive system in a good working order. It is found in many plant-based, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and cereal. Fibre consists of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP), which is basically the ‘skeleton’ of plants. It is found in the outer walls of plants and seeds, therefore unrefined foods are plenty of it. Fibre is the gut’s brush and sweeper, bulking agent and overall body cleanser. It does not provide any energy and is not digested by the body, however it assists in the transportation of foods through the digestive tract by bulking out the food and faeces for ease of movement. It also provides food for our healthy gut bacteria and helps to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

There are two kinds of fibre:

INSOLUBLE – it is normally outer protective layer of plants. It can be found in wheat bran, whole grains and cereals along with a wide range of fruit and vegetables. It holds water in the digestive tract, increasing bulk and stimulates the muscles of the digestive tract to contract, which helps to maintain strength and tone. A healthy digestive system may help to prevent conditions such as constipation and in preventing in development of colon cancer.

SOLUBLE – it is normally found in the inner parts of plants. It can be found in oats, beans, barley, broccoli, apples and other leguminous plants. It is not fully know how the exact mechanism of soluble fibre works within the digestive tract, but it’s believed that it helps with the reduction in cholesterol by binding with fats in the digestive system and excreting them with faeces.

Dietary fibre also assists in weight management as it can delay gastric emptying and lowering the glycaemic index of high and moderate glycaemic index foods. This helps individuals feel fuller for longer and creating a slow and steady release of sugar (glucose) into the bloodstream.

Fibre is the gut’s brush and sweeper, bulking agent and overall body cleanser! Although fibre cannot be digested by the body, it plays a crucial role too in the intestines, expelling waste, providing food for our healthy gut bacteria, and also helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.