MACRONUTRIENTS VS. MICRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrient, micronutrient. What the heck is the difference? While there may only be one letter differentiating the two, they are massively different in your body. So, why should you care? Well, consider this: We often hear about being informed consumers, but this usually refers to purchasing a car or television. Consider how being an informed consumer of food could impact your health. By becoming an informed consumer, you can evaluate nutrition labels and diet advice from a place of understanding and knowledge. Let’s start with the basics of nutrition: macronutrients and micronutrients.

BASICS OF NUTRITION: MACRONUTRIENTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS

What Are Macronutrients?

The prefix “macro” comes from the Greek word “makros,” which means “large or long.” Macronutrients refer to nutrients that you need in large amounts. Your body needs macronutrients in gram quantities. The macronutrients your body needs are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water. Macros contribute calories to the body, which equate to energy. Carbohydrates contribute 4 calories per gram; proteins contribute 4 calories per gram; fats contribute 9 calories per gram. The specific amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water you need is highly personal and depends on your age, height, weight, gender, health status, and health goals.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, sometimes called carbs, are sugar molecules that are linked together. You can find carbs in bread, cereal, rice, pasta, fruits, juices, dairy products, legumes, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes. When you eat these foods, your body digests them into individual sugar molecules, which it uses to create energy.¹

Current dietary guidelines from the U.S. government say that carbohydrates should make up 45-65% of your total calories each day. The daily value for carbs is 275g per day, but this number is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. If you need more or fewer calories, your carbohydrate intake recommendations would be different.¹

Fiber is a specific type of carbohydrate that has health benefits to digestion, weight control, and more, so ideally, at least 28g of the carbohydrates that you eat each day will come from this super nutrient. Choosing whole grains and whole fruits and vegetables as your carbohydrate sources will ensure that you meet your body’s fiber needs.¹

Proteins

Proteins are long strands of amino acids linked together. Your body needs dietary protein as a source of amino acids to build muscle tissue, create hormones, create cells, and much more. Most foods contain some protein, but meats, fish, legumes, nuts, and dairy contain more protein than other types of foods.

The daily value for protein is 50g per day, but this number is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. If you need more or fewer calories, your protein intake recommendations would be different.

Fats

Fats, sometimes called fatty acids, are another essential part of your diet. Fats help maintain your cells’ structure, protect your skin, allow you to absorb nutrients, and more. Fats can be found in oils and butter but can also be found in meat, dairy products, and even plant foods in varying amounts. Remember that fat supplies 9 calories per gram, making it a more dense energy source than carbs and proteins.

The daily value for fats is 78g per day. Don’t forget that this number is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so if your calorie needs are higher or lower, you’d want to adjust your intake accordingly.

When choosing what types of fat you include in your diet, remember that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats tend to be more heart-healthy. Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, should be limited to 10% of your total fat intake to support your health.³

Water

Though water does not provide calories, it is of vital importance to your health. You need it in large quantities—to the tune of 8-12 cups per day! You need lots of water because your body loses about 10 cups of water each day to sweat, urine, and even breathing.⁴ Hope you’re thirsty and use a stainless steel water bottle!

What Are Micronutrients?

The prefix “micro” comes from the Greek word “mikros,” which means “small.” Micronutrients refer to nutrients that you need in milligram, or even microgram, quantities. These are much smaller amounts compared to macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals are both types of micronutrients. You must consume vitamins and minerals as they are essential to the proper function of your body.⁵ Just because you only need them in small quantities does not mean that you can forget about eating them!

Vitamins and minerals are commonly available in multivitamins. Multivitamins can be a convenient way to make sure that you are covering your nutritional bases, because let’s be serious, we all have bad days in the dietary department!

Vitamins

Vitamins are found in small amounts in living things: plants and animals. They are essential for growth, development, tissue maintenance, normal metabolism, and much more. If you do not get enough vitamins from food and supplements, you may develop symptoms of deficiency.

Examples of vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, and Biotin.

Minerals

Minerals are simple, inorganic substances that your body needs to provide structure to bones, make hormones, and even make your heart beat.

Examples of minerals include Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium.

The Big Picture

Knowledge is power when it comes to your health. Understanding the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients is a great place to start. Remember that eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential, no matter what your health goals are. Start with lots of whole unprocessed foods to improve the nutritional quality of your diet. Consider a multivitamin or other supplements to help fill in the gaps. All nutrients are important, no matter how small!