{"id":1387,"date":"2016-01-14T15:36:28","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T20:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mybodymykitchen.com\/?p=1387"},"modified":"2020-01-09T16:38:54","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T21:38:54","slug":"calculate-your-macronutrients-protein-fats-carbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybodymykitchen.com\/calculate-your-macronutrients-protein-fats-carbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Macronutrients: Calculating Your Proteins, Fats & Carbs"},"content":{"rendered":"
Let’s figure out your macronutrients! \u00a0In our post\u00a0Calories: How Many Do I Need?<\/a> we outlined four steps to help you determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure<\/em> (TDEE). \u00a0Your\u00a0TDEE\u00a0is the total number of calories you need on a daily basis. \u00a0Knowing your TDEE is a great first step in taking control of your diet. \u00a0Now we want dig a bit deeper and explore how you can allocate the calories of your TDEE.<\/p>\n In this post we will first look at a few definitions and the roles of macronutrients<\/em> in your diet. \u00a0Then, we will outline how to estimate your protein, fat and carbohydrate daily requirements. \u00a0We also provide a link to two simple tools\u00a0 (one specifically designed for the ketogenic diet) that automate these calculations for you.<\/p>\n We hope that this post provides you with the knowledge<\/a> and tools you need to make informed decisions about the composition of your diet.<\/p>\n Macronutrients are the nutrients that provide us with the energy (measured in calories) needed by our bodies for growth, metabolism and other functions. \u00a0The prefix “macro” means large; macronutrients are needed in large quantities in contrast to micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).<\/p>\n Proteins, fats and carbohydrates make up the group of macronutrients. \u00a0Let us take a moment to briefly look at each of these macronutrients.<\/p>\n Carbohydrates:<\/strong>\u00a0These\u00a0are a major source of energy for our bodies and are stored in our muscles and liver for later use. \u00a0Foods that contain large amounts of carbohydrates include\u00a0fruits, grains (rice, oats, barley, etc) and roots (potatoes, yams, carrots, etc). \u00a0Carbohydrates provide 4 Calories of energy per gram<\/em>. Check out this post<\/a> to learn more about carbohydrates.<\/p>\n Proteins:<\/strong> \u00a0Our bodies use proteins to grow tissue and\u00a0muscle, repair organs and to create hormones and enzymes; proteins are also used for energy when carbohydrates are unavailable. \u00a0Foods that contain high levels of protein\u00a0include\u00a0poultry, fish, beans, diary, nuts and legumes.\u00a0Proteins\u00a0provide 4 Calories of energy per gram<\/em>.<\/p>\n Fats:<\/strong> \u00a0In order to absorb vitamins, our bodies need fats. \u00a0Foods that contain a high percentage of fat include cooking oils, butter, nuts and cheese. \u00a0Of the three macronutrients, fats contain the highest number of calories per gram; fats provide 9 Calories of energy per gram<\/em>.<\/p>\n The Institute of Medicine<\/a>\u00a0(IOM) in its report on dietary intake for energy<\/a> recommends\u00a0ranges for proteins, fats and carbohydrates. \u00a0 The following table summarizes IOM’s recommended ranges for adults. \u00a0You should note that some diets do not abide by these ranges for various reasons. For example, there is evidence that diets containing higher levels of protein (higher than 35%) are more effective for weight-loss4<\/sup>. \u00a0Think of these ranges as a very rough estimate of what your macronutrient distribution can look like.<\/span><\/p>\nSome Basic Macronutrient Knowledge<\/h3>\n