Macronutrients: What They Are, Types And Functions In The Human Body
macronutrients They constitute one of the most important concepts in the world of health and nutrition. Let’s see what they are, what their types are and how they influence the functioning of our body.
What are macronutrients and what is their importance?
From a nutritional point of view, Macronutrients are those compounds that provide most of the body’s metabolic energy These are carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
We must keep in mind that we are dealing with a merely utilitarian grouping, because despite all of these nutrients being composed of molecules of an organic nature, they have little to do with each other beyond the energy contribution they provide for human beings.
Even so, like all classification criteria, this way of grouping foods is immensely useful in the nutritional field. If you want to know the particularities of each of the macronutrients and what role they play in our physiological well-being, stay with us
The terminological conglomerate that refers to diet and health is increasingly present in the general population and it is no wonder, since the World Health Organization calculated that in 2010, 20% of the adult population and 10% of the child population had some type of disorder related to obesity. In 2016, these figures reached more than 650 million people.
Therefore, it is not at all strange to know that the leading cause of death in high-income countries is heart disease. This type of information is not merely anecdotal, as it shows that it is necessary to know in depth the distribution of calories in our diet, what is best for us to eat and what to limit. Again, it is not about prohibiting but about knowing, since few foods are truly harmful. As they say, control is the key.
Types of macronutrients
Once the importance of dietary knowledge by the general population has been defined, it is time to immerse ourselves in the world of macronutrients. Continue reading, as we thoroughly dissect each of the groups with data and statistics of great interest.
Carbohydrates or carbohydrates They group together a series of biomolecules that are mainly composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen It is necessary to highlight that these macronutrients are the main source of energy for humans, as they fuel 50 to 80% of the daily metabolic expenditure of a relatively active person.
Beyond being an excellent source of immediate energy, carbohydrates They form an integral part of our physiology and genes : our species has about 10 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of tissue, and the pentoses that give rise to each of the nucleotides in our RNA and DNA chains are simple carbohydrates.
We can divide carbohydrates into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides according to their chemical structure. We also do not want to turn this space into a complex lesson, so we will limit ourselves to saying that monosaccharides are the simplest molecules and polysaccharides are the most complex, the latter being made up of chains of more than 10 monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides and disaccharides considered as free sugars require special mention, since they are certainly the most controversial group within carbohydrates. Here we find galactose, fructose or glucose among others, which are usually found in fruits or added artificially in sweet products.
The World Health Organization recommends that only 5% of daily nutritional energy come from these sources, as it has been shown that they have oxidative activity that promotes cellular aging, in addition to other more immediate effects such as the formation of cavities.
On the other hand, the rest of carbohydrates such as starch (a polysaccharide) are excellent nutritional elements. This is found, for example, in potatoes, rice, corn, cereals and fruit. We must keep in mind that carbohydrates make up the majority of the dry weight of plant matter, so we are facing the most abundant nutrient on Earth.
2. Proteins
In the next group we have proteins, a series of linear macromolecules made up of chains of amino acids From a nutritional point of view, it is estimated that they should not represent more than 15% of the individual’s daily caloric intake. In most Western countries, meat is the most consumed protein source, since together with milk and certain cereals it accounts for 75% of the proteins consumed in the diet.
Beyond what many people believe, protein is not a macromolecule only linked to the animal kingdom, since vegetables such as lentils, chickpeas and many others also produce them. In recent years, products such as red and processed meats (such as hamburgers or sausages) have been placed in the spotlight, as they have been classified into groups of “potentially carcinogenic” and “confirmed carcinogenic” respectively. What does this mean?
It has been observed that the consumption of 50 grams of processed meat per day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by approximately 18%, which is why they have been classified as confirmed carcinogenic compounds. This is because, during its production, harmful compounds such as N-nitroso and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed Red meat does not present such a clear direct correlation with carcinogenic processes, but it is still suspected that it may also favor them.
Even so, proteins are necessary for the development of tissues, for the maintenance and repair of the body, for enzyme production and many other vital processes, so we cannot reject their consumption in any way. For this reason, alternative protein sources to red or processed meat are increasingly on the rise, such as chicken, turkey, tuna and a diverse group of legumes that can be combined deliciously in the diet.
3. Fats
Finally we have the group of fats, a generic term that designates several classes of lipids, a series of organic molecules that are made up mainly of carbon and hydrogen As surprising as it may seem, nutrition experts recommend that 20 to 30% of daily calories should come from fat, that is, more than protein.
For a large part of the general population, the term “fat” refers to the sebum of animal tissues, but this is an erroneous preconception. Unsaturated fats are positive for the human body, as they are an excellent source of energy and are found naturally in vegetable oils, nuts, fish such as salmon or trout, and dairy products such as yogurt or cheese.
The problem comes when we approach the area of unsaturated or trans fats, that is, those found in cakes, fried foods and other ultra-processed foods. Fat consumption must be balanced and of natural origin since these types of processed foods are clearly associated with heart disease and other ailments.
It is not strange that the United States breaks obesity records annually, since more than 36% of the caloric intake of an inhabitant in this country corresponds to fats, especially of an unsaturated nature. On the other side of the coin we have various countries in the global South, where daily fat intake rarely exceeds 8-10% of the total metabolic requirement. Therefore, we are not surprised to learn that more than 821 million people suffer from hunger.
Summary
These last lines have shed a key idea that we want to emphasize: None of the macronutrients are bad if eaten in the right amounts Even the most dubious terms such as fats are essential for the diet and the body’s metabolic expenditure. In general, we can affirm that more than half of the energy obtained in the diet should come from carbohydrates such as starch (always limiting free sugars), approximately 15% should come from animal or vegetable proteins, and 20-30% remaining fat, especially unsaturated of natural origin.
This does not mean that we should categorically reject processed meats due to their carcinogenic potential or ultra-processed foods due to the “empty calories” they contain. Emotional well-being is as important as physical well-being, and therefore, becoming a slave to dietary numbers is never a good idea: control is the key.
