(Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat) are nutrients that our body needs in large quantities.
These macros contain micronutrients (Vitamins, Minerals, Trace Elements) that our body needs in smaller amounts .There are certain amounts of Macro and Micro nutrients that we need to get from the foods we eat in order for our body to perform its functions in a healthy way.
These amounts vary according to gender, age, height, weight, lifestyle and current health status.
You'll also see important macro and micro elements on food labels. The calories of nutrients
1 gram of protein is 4 calories.
1 gram of carbs is 4 calories.
The grams of food make up the total calories of the food.
The micros in these macros provide the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements to the body.
PROTEIN
Undoubtedly, protein is the most important macronutrient for an individual who does sports. It is the element that forms the building block of our muscle tissue. The most important functions are the formation and repair of body tissues, healing of wounds, being a source of heat and energy, playing a role in the secretion of many hormones and body fluids, strengthening the immune system and regulating other metabolic and structural events.
Proteins are 4 calories per gram.
How to take
- Proteins from animal foods It contains almost all the amino acids the body needs. However, red meat should be consumed with caution, despite its high protein content, because it is also rich in saturated fat, which causes bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Regular consumption of foods containing large amounts of saturated fat increases the risk of developing some other diseases, especially heart diseases. As an alternative to red meat, you can eat poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and fish, which are also rich in protein but contain less fat. Again, egg white is one of the highest quality protein sources. According to the report published by the World Cancer Research Fund in 2007, red meat consumption should be limited to 500 grams of cooked meat (about 750 grams of raw meat) per person per week. Consumption of processed meats (sausage, salami, bacon, hamburger meat, fast-food chicken, roasting…) is not recommended. If you take into account the high fat and carbohydrate amounts in milk and dairy products, it is a good casein protein. Since casein proteins provide a slower and continuous flow of amino acids to the body, when you take them before bed, they will provide the necessary amino acid flow to your body, which will be hungry until the morning, and protect your muscles.
- If you eat little or no meat, including red meat and poultry, you should include protein-rich vegetables in your diet. Plants do not contain all the amino acids necessary for the body like animal foods, so the vegetables consumed should be well balanced and a suitable diet program should be created in terms of the amino acids needed. Soy products, legumes, beans, some nuts and grains are among the foods rich in vegetable protein .
- How much should you eat?
10%-35% of your total calories should come from protein.
The recommended daily consumption amount has been determined as 0.8 grams per kilo for adults and individuals who do not do sports .
For people who exercise, the recommended protein intake level is slightly higher.
The International Society of Sport Nutrition has determined the daily protein intake for athletes between 1.4 and 2.0 grams per kilogram . This value is related to the type, severity and duration of the sport.
When traditional training techniques are applied,
1.0 to 1.6 grams per kilo in endurance sports
1.67 to 2.0 grams per kilo of athletes in power sports
In other sports (football, basketball, martial arts) it is recommended that athletes take between 1.4 and 1.7 grams of protein per kilo.
It has been proven that increasing protein intake while dieting helps preserve muscle mass, keeps you full for longer, and the body burns more calories while trying to digest proteins.
OIL
In the 80s, people were told that they would lose weight if they ate less, causing a bad reputation in society. However, as we always emphasize, gaining weight only happens when you eat more (calories) than you spend/burn. Proteins and carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram, while fats are 9 calories per gram. For this reason, it was concluded that fat is the cause of weight gain, since taking more or less affects the total calorie intake more quickly. As a result, shelves are flooded with reduced/fat-free, sugar-laden processed products. However, fats are very critical for our bodies to function properly. It is essential for the quality of your hair, nails and skin, healthy cell and hormone function, and reducing pressure on joints and organs. Moreover, like carbohydrates, it is one of the body's most important energy sources.
How to take
Saturated Fats,
In general, saturated fats found in animal foods increase cholesterol levels and create risk factors for heart diseases, cancer and obesity.
It is found in meat, full-fat dairy products (cheese, milk and ice cream), poultry skin and egg yolk. Some plant foods, such as coconut, palm oil, and cocoa butter, are also rich in saturated fat. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. However, liquid oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, soybean oil, peanut oil also contain saturated fat, even
Saturated fats cause an increase in both total cholesterol and LDL (low-density cholesterol), known as bad cholesterol, in the body. This increases the risk of heart disease.
It is recommended that no more than 7% of the total daily calories come from dietary saturated fats. For example, a person who eats 2000 calories a day can get a maximum of 140 calories from the saturated fats in their diet. Considering that there are 9 calories in each gram of fat, the maximum amount of saturated fat to be taken daily should be around 15-16 grams.in very small quantities.
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Unsaturated Fats,
Unsaturated fats are the best sources of essential fatty acids that the body needs. They are liquid at room temperature and most of them are of vegetable origin. They are divided into monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats . It is recommended that monounsaturated fats meet maximum 15% of daily calorie requirement and maximum 10% polyunsaturated fatty acids .
Monounsaturated fats: Olive and canola oils, nuts (hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts), nut oils (peanut and almond oils) While these oils stay liquid at room temperature, they solidify slowly when placed in the refrigerator.
There are two main groups of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids .
Vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids are corn oil, sunflower, soybean oil. It should not exceed 10% of the total calories.
Omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in cold water fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, etc.). For this reason, it is recommended to eat fish (300 g) at least 2 times a week. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in some plants other than oily marine fish, flaxseed and oil, canola oil, soybean oil and nuts. While eating a small amount of hazelnuts, such as 5-6 pieces a day, may have a small benefit, it should be avoided as it becomes a habit to consume more in a way that will increase total calories and omega-6 fatty acids intake.
Trans Fats,
Trans fats are oils formed by the hydrogenation of liquid vegetable oils. The more hydrogenated the oil, the more solid it will be at room temperature.
They are found in foods cooked with hydrogenated vegetable oils. It is found in crackers, margarines, potato chips, popcorn, cream-caramel biscuits, confectionery. Trans fats can also be found naturally in some meat and dairy products.
Trans fats are among the most dangerous fats. It increases the LDL (bad cholesterol) level in the body as well as lowers the HDL (good cholesterol) level. It is also thought to increase the risk of cancer. Oils to be avoided.
How much should you eat?
20-35% of your total calories should come from fats. For the healthy function of your body, never consume less than 0.88 times your body weight (kg).
CARBOHYDRATE
Carbohydrates, just like fats, are the most important macronutrient, which is the main energy source of our body, although people approach with fear and see it as the reason for weight gain. It provides our body with 1st degree fuel in all activities that require energy expenditure. Carbohydrates are essential for nervous tissue and are the brain's only source of energy.
It is essential for other macronutrients to be used correctly in the body.
It allows proteins to be used in the body for construction and repair rather than being used as energy.
Fats cannot be metabolized without carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are not taken, the body has to use fats for energy, but since fats give too much energy, body acidity increases as a result of the use of fats and harmful substances called ketone bodies are formed. This causes problems in the heart and kidneys.
Some carbohydrates are involved in the formation of healthy bacteria in the intestines that are essential for digestion. Digestive system problems are seen in carbohydrate deficiency.
Most carbohydrates are good sources of fiber. Fiber, on the other hand, protects our body from heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and digestive problems.
Carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram.
How to take
- Simple carbohydrates are sugar found in honey and fruit, corn sugar, milk sugar, and granulated sugar. It is very easily digested and quickly enters the blood. They increase the release of insulin hormone and quickly lower blood sugar. Gives off energy that is quickly depleted. That's why you suddenly feel hungry again very soon after eating. All sweets, soft drinks, chocolate, cookies, cakes, biscuits and pastries contain large amounts of simple carbohydrates.
- Complex carbohydrates are carbohydrates found in cereals, bread, some fruits, pasta, vegetables, legumes. They are found in many complex carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber and foods high in nutrients. Complex carbohydrates are unrefined, so their fiber is not separated, so they are healthier. They consume more metabolic energy during digestion. Because they take longer to digest, they don't raise blood sugar so quickly. They help keep the sugar level in the blood stable. For this reason, you stay full for a longer period of time, and you don't get hungry all of a sudden. It prevents many diseases due to its fiber content. A minimum of 25 g of fiber is recommended for women and a minimum of 38 g for men per day.
- How much should you eat?
In the past, diets low in fat and high in carbohydrates were used to lose weight. However, in studies over time, it has been seen that restricting fat in the diet increases the rate of edible carbohydrates and the excess of carbohydrates is stored as fat. This situation paved the way for diabetes and heart diseases.
Then, low-carbohydrate, high-fat and protein-containing diets began to appear. Diets such as Atkins, South Beach and Scarsdale, which have been heard in recent years, are diets with very low carbohydrate content. The harms of such diets have now been proven. These diets, known as low-carb, cause heart, cancer, kidney diseases, serious nervous system disorders and hormonal problems.
If our goal is to lose weight in a healthy way and to prevent diseases, we should definitely not remove carbohydrates from our diet. But the important point here is the rate and type of carbohydrates we take in our diet. We should focus on complex carbohydrates in our diet and reduce simple carbohydrates. In addition, the effect of foods on our blood sugar is very important. The concept of Glycemic Index, which was introduced by Prof.Dr.David Jenkins in the 1980s, is a revolution in healthy nutrition. The glycemic index is the rate at which a food raises blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index raise blood sugar quickly. Therefore, they cause rapid hunger, low energy and fattening.
If a GI of a food is less than 55, it is called low, between 56-69 is medium, and above 70 is called a high glycemic index food. Foods with a high GI are white bread, rice, sweet cakes and pastries. Low-GI foods are vegetables, most fruits, and whole grains. Nuts (almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts) have a low GI. Dairy products also have a low GI. But another point that is important here is that consuming foods with low GI too much will also be harmful.
For this reason, the concept of glycemic load has emerged. Glycemic load (GY) is the total sugar load formed by the amount of carbohydrates eaten in a day. When choosing carbohydrates in our diet, we should first look at the Glycemic index and then the Glycemic load. For example, the glycemic index of rice pilaf is 139 and its glycemic load is 59. On the other hand, the glycemic index of bulgur pilaf is 48 and the glycemic load is 12. The calories of these two foods are actually close. As we can see, the content is more important than the calories here. Foods with a low glycemic index and load keep you full and thus help you lose weight.
It is important for our performance to have full carbohydrate stores before exercising. For this reason, carbohydrate intake is required 1-2 hours before exercise. In order for the body to recover after exercise, carbohydrate intake is essential in the 1-2 hour period after training.
Between 40% and 60% of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates.
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