All You Ever Wanted to Know About Macromolecules

What is a macromolecule? A macromolecule is a very large, complex molecule. They are derived from plants and animals only. In terms of nutrition, there are three necessary in every diet: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats.

Carbohydrate:

-225-325 grams a day

- 45-65% of daily calories should come from carbs

-Serves as body's main energy source and include 

complex (take longer to use) and simple (immediate use) carbs

-Complex sources include potatoes, peas, and corn. 

-Simple sources include fruit, milk, sugars, sweets. 

Protein: 

-50-175 grams a day

-10-35% of total daily calories should come from protein

-Essential for skin, bone, muscle, blood, and organ tissue production and health. Serves as a hormone and enzyme

 stabilizer.

-Sources of protein include beans, vegetables, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Fats:

-44 to 78 grams a day

-20 to 35 % of daily calories should be from fats

-Help absorb essential vitamins, maintain structure/function of cell membranes, keep immune system working. Limit saturated and trans fats which clog arteries and lead to other health problems. 

-Good fat sources include nuts, olives, and avocados.

Foods to Avoid or Limit

Here are some foods you should avoid or limit your intake of. That's not to say that all of these will kill you!- once in a while is ok, but it's best to try to avoid eating these things on a daily basis for the sake of your lifelong health.

Oils such as palm kernel oil, butter, coconut oil, vegetable shortening, and hard margarine should be avoided or limited. These contain high amounts of trans and saturated fats. Coconut oil, for example contains even more saturated fat than animal products! These potentially dangerous fats are linked directly to clogging arteries, which can cause heart attacks and heart disease. Foods that are especially high in these oils include popcorn, french fries, and most packaged foods. Oils such as virgin olive oil, flax and fish oil are healthy in moderation. These monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually linked to lowering "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and increasing "good" cholesterol (HDL). These fats can be found in sources like nuts, avocados, and fish.

Other things to be limited include processed sugars and flours. These are commonly known as "white" flour or sugar and are present in baked goods, sweets, and processed breads. Processed foods and ingredients are considered the simplest carbohydrates and cause blood sugar levels to rise suddenly, and plummet just as quickly. When consistently consumed, unsteady fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to low energy, and even more serious problems down the road such as obesity and diabetes. Instead of eating processed foods such as white rice and white bread, choose complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and whole grain bread.

*Also, while many breads are advertised as "whole wheat," this does not mean that they are "whole grain." Even completely processed white wonderbread can be considered whole wheat. Whole grain means that the wheat in the flour contains the whole head of grain, and was not processed. Whole grain is always the better choice because it is a complex carbohydrate. Watch out for this common scam.

How to Start

Convinced and motivated, but just don't know where to start? Try checking out the "Getting Started" tab at the top of the page for a jump start and a bit of instant meal planning.