Learn how to calculate the macronutrients you need to consume –

For a long time, the subject was counting calories and the importance of this calculation to lose weight. However, with the passage of time, we began to realize that this account does not necessarily guarantee a healthier life. That’s why we bring you another proposal today: how to calculate macronutrients and why they become your focus from now on.

What are macronutrients?

According to the nutritionist Dr. Marcella Garcez, Master in Health Sciences at the PUCPR School of Medicine, macronutrients are the nutrients that provide energy to the body. “Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are classified as macronutrients, which, in addition to water, the body needs in large quantities to maintain the body’s structures and their proper functioning”.

Each class of macronutrients has a function in the body – and that is why it is so important that they all form part of the diet.

Proteins are necessary for the growth, construction and repair of tissues that make up all body structures, in addition to enzymes involved in the metabolism and construction of all cells, including genes. They are found in foods of animal origin, such as beef, and vegetables, such as lentils.

To the fats have energy storage function, thermal protection and protection against damage to important organs and body structures. They make up the cell membranes, the nervous system, participate in the synthesis of certain hormones and the transport of some vitamins.

Carbohydrates are the large group of macronutrients, made up of all foods that are not a source of protein or fat. They are divided into two categories: simple carbohydrates (starchy flours, sugars and some tubers – our main sources of energy) and complex carbohydratesmade up of fruits, vegetables, greens, bran, seeds and some tubers – our main sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Count Calories X Calculate Macronutrients

We mentioned above about a cultural change: if before it was common to count calories, for the sake of beauty pattern and from the cult of thinness, today the view on food and female bodies is different. And that includes reviewing our relationship with food.

An adult should consume 45 to 65% carbohydrates, 10 to 35% protein and 20 to 35% fat

According to international food intake references (the so-called Dietary Reference Intakes – DRIs), an adult and healthy organism should consume 45 to 65% of carbohydrates, 10 to 35% of proteins and 20 to 35% of fats, distributed in 2000 calories for women and 2500 for men.

“In any special situation, such as the need to lose or gain weight, metabolic diseases caused by deficiency or excess of nutrients, in cases of eating behavior disorders and other pathological states, caloric intake needs must be adjusted to total energy expenditure, that is unique to each individual”, explains Dr. Marcella. “Macronutrient calculations can also be adjusted according to goals.”

This means that, nowadays, calculating daily calories is only for compose a proper diet, regardless of the objective. According to the doctor, the composition of nutrients that make up a dietary habit is much more relevant for health and the maintenance of results. “In addition to these two calculations, it is also important to know the glycemic index of carbohydrates in the diet,” she continues.

How to calculate macronutrients?

Knowing the exact amount of macronutrients you need to consume daily is not simple, and consider total energy expenditure, weight, height, age, gender, level of physical activity, pathologies and individual goals. “The exact calculations of dietary composition are individual. The general guidelines are for everyone, but to know your personal needs, you need to consult a trained professional, in this case a nutrologist or a nutrition professional”, says the doctor.

Still, it’s always good to remember: the ideal dish for a healthy person, without specific comorbidities or restrictions, is composed of:

45 to 50% vegetables (complex carbohydrates),
25 to 35% protein of animal origin (lean meats, eggs, dairy) or vegetable origin (legumes),
5 to 15% of simple carbohydrates (farinaceous and tubers) and
20 to 30% good fats (poly and monounsaturated).