How Many Macronutrients do I REALLY need?
As we begin this conversation the first thing I want to say is: We NEED all 3 macronutrients. Each nutrient helps our body in very specific ways. This may sound very basic and I think it’s important to begin here.
In today’s culture some foods are villainized. For example: “carbs” are bad. We’ve all heard of the gluten-free “movement.” Gluten is bad for the body. Where did this notion originate? Most people don’t know what gluten is. How many gluten-free advocates have been tested to see if they indeed do have a gluten intolerance?
It’s actually common for people to totally avoid carbohydrate foods. The problem with this is that carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. We need carbohydrates.
I believe we need to talk about the different types of foods and encourage people to get all of them in moderate amounts via their nutrition habits. For instance, the best source of carbohydrates for the body’s energy are complex versus simple. The reason why is because complex carbohydrates don’t spike the body’s blood sugar the same way simple carbohydrates do. Examples of complex carbohydrates are vegetables, fruit and whole grains such as sprouted wheat, brown rice and quinoa.
Carbohydrates, Protein and Essential Fats: How Do They Help Your Body?
How Many Macronutrients do You Need?
While we could get into a lot of details about how many macronutrients we need, I K.I.S.S. You know… the Keep It Simple Sweetie approach. I am sharing my K.I.S.S. Macronutrients approach.
You Ready??? Here it is: At each meal, eat at least 1 of each macronutrient. Take a look at the helpful image below:
Basic Steps are the Most Sustainable
I am committed to being a simple resource for people. I am not up for overwhelming anyone with tons of complicated meal plans and nutrition approaches. My approach is simple: Eat a simple carbohydrate, lean protein and essential fat at each meal. Get this “in” and we can build from there.
I will add one more thing. LIMIT the amount of processed foods that you eat. They don’t have a lot of good nutrients for your body. Remember: fresh food is best. For example: eat more fresh or steamed vegetables more than canned ones.
There is so much more I could say, and I feel like this is a great start!
What are examples of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and essential fats?I created an easy Macronutrients Foods List. I made this to be an EZ image you can save on your cell phone or print out.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW to grab your free copy.
EZ Macronutrients Food List And Recipe
Until Next Time,
Venniece