Getting enough fat in your diet shouldn’t be so hard to do. You can get monounsaturated fats in olive oil and avocado oil, and many nuts, the Mayo Clinic notes, while fish and flaxseed contain polyunsaturated fats. Instead, choose mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can improve your cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic, and may lower your odds of heart disease and stroke. Ideally you’ll want to skip or limit the “bad fats” like saturated fats and trans fats, according to the American Heart Association, which can raise LDL or “bad” cholesterol in your body (saturated fats are found in foods like bacon and sausage, while trans fats are sometimes found in processed foods). The type of fat you choose in your diet matters. “Our bodies need essential fatty acids that compose the fats and oils we are familiar with,” says Palumbo. ![]() Whether it’s olive oil or wild-caught salmon, chances are you’ve heard doctors or dietitians singing fat’s praises lately. “One of the three key macronutrients, fat supplies energy - or calories - is part of many of our body’s cells, and supports our many metabolic functions like growth and the transport of nutrients,” explains Palumbo. ![]() Fatįortunately, fat is no longer the shunned macronutrient. Here’s the lowdown on what each does in your body. There are three key macronutrients: fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and, plain and simple, you need each to function. Whether it’s micronutrients or macronutrients, the best way to get them is by eating a wide array of healthy, fresh whole foods, rather than taking them in supplement form, notes the Ohio State University. Meanwhile, Stefanski says, some micronutrients, like certain vitamins, are measured in extremely tiny units called “micrograms.”Īll micronutrients are crucial for the body, helping prevent diseases and improve well-being, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. “These minerals are measured in milligrams, compared to macronutrients, which are measured in grams,” she adds. “The most abundant micronutrients in the body include calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium,” says Stefanski. You’re probably familiar with the names of many micronutrients. “The term ‘macro’ means large and ‘micro’ means tiny - we need large amounts of the macronutrients of carbohydrates, fats, protein and water and tiny amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals,” says Palumbo.Īccording to the Cleveland Clinic, macronutrients are like the main characters, and micronutrients are the supporting cast in your diet, with each character important to the performance. Here, discover what you need to know about macronutrients, and whether you should start putting them on your radar. ![]() Counting macros is also an element of certain popular diet plans such as keto, where followers count fat, protein, and carbs with the hope of achieving various touted health benefits, weight loss among them. That’s because more people are counting their macros rather than calories, whether to lose weight or potentially improve their health (with celebrities like Hilary Duff, or the trainer at your gym, getting in on the trend). While the term “macronutrients” (or more popularly recently, “macros”) has been around for a while, it’s only recently gotten a lot of buzz. Hence the word “macro” as opposed to “micro,” in “micronutrients.” “Macronutrients are essential nutrition components that are needed in larger quantities by the human body,” explains Julie Stefanski, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who practices in York, Pennsylvania. But have you heard of “macronutrients”?įor those new to the term, macronutrients are the “big three” nutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates that are key in our diets. Chances are, the words "protein," "fat," and "carbohydrates" are common ones in your vocabulary.
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