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What Are Macronutrients?
There are three macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Each plays a vital role in your body’s functioning and, as a result, your health and well-being.
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Proteins are criticalto forming your muscles, skin, hair, nails, bones and enzymes. They are made up of amino acids, nine of which your body can’t produce on its own and must be consumed through food. Animal sources of protein include meats, dairy products and eggs. Commonplant sources of proteininclude beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. While most animal protein sources contain all nine essential amino acids, most plant sources do not. However, if you consume a variety of plant sources throughout the day, they can function as complementary proteins. Complementary proteins are different incomplete proteins—proteins with only a few essential amino acids—paired together to make a complete protein.
Fats
Fats are essential for cell function, organ protection, temperature regulation, hormone production and absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. They can be categorized as saturated or unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are primarily found in animal products, including butter, fatty cuts of meat and cheese. Unsaturated fats are most commonly found in plant foods, including oils, avocados, nuts and seeds. TheAmerican Heart Associationrecommends consuming more unsaturated fats than saturated fats, especially if you are at risk for heart disease.
How to Count Macros
Counting macros involves a mathematical breakdown of carbohydrate, protein and fat needs based on your overall caloric intake. Different people have different caloric and macronutrient needs.
Calorie Needs
Your calorie needs are unique and depend on several factors, including your age, weight, gender, muscle mass, activity level and genetics. The gold standard for calculating energy needs is indirect calorimetry, a technique that uses specialized equipment to measure an individual’s oxygen use and carbon dioxide production, but this is very expensive and hard to access. For most people,calculating calorie needswill be an estimate. You can use a formula, such as the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, or consult theDietary Reference Intakesto estimate your calorie needs.
Macro Breakdown
The2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommends that 45% to 65% of calories in an adult’s diet come from carbohydrates, 20% to 35% from fat and 10% to 35% from protein. Where you fall within these ranges depends largely on health conditions and activity levels. It is also normal for your intake to fluctuate within these ranges on a day-to-day basis.
Putting It All Together
When counting macros, start with your estimated calorie needs. Then, break down your total calorie needs into your calorie needs for each macronutrient using the percentage ranges listed above. It’s best to work with a registered dietitian for help estimating where your macronutrient needs fall within the ranges. The final step is to calculate how many grams of each macronutrient you need based on your estimated calorie requirements for each macronutrient. For carbs and protein, there are 4 calories per gram. For fats, there are 9 calories per gram. So if you aim to have 60% of your calories from carbohydrates and you need 2,000 calories per day, that means you need 1,200 calories from carbohydrates or 300 grams (1,200 calories ÷ 4 calories per gram of carbs).
The Pros
Counting macros can help you to understand whether what you’re eating falls within the recommended macronutrient ranges. For example, if you consume protein powder regularly, you may be at risk forover-consuming proteinand under-consuming carbs. It can also be helpful when managing a health condition that warrants macronutrient restrictions, such as chronic kidney disease or diabetes.
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The Cons
Counting macros is contraindicated for certain individuals, especially those with a history of an eating disorder ordisordered eating. It could promote rigid eating and disconnection from your food preferences and hunger and fullness cues. Any strict eating pattern can also have social consequences, since eating out or gathering for meals with an unclear nutrient breakdown may be harder.
The Bottom Line
Counting macros can help you become aware if you have any notable imbalances in your macronutrient intake. However, it is not recommended for those with disordered eating or eating disorders. Generally, eating well-rounded meals will lead you to have a healthy balanced diet without having to track every meal and snack you consume.
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