What is macro and micro nutrients.

  

  KNOW YOUR FOOD BETTER!

      Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support in a living organism. It is usually either of plant origin or of animal origin. Food has 3 main functions- Growth and development, Provision of energy, Repair and maintenance of body cells.

      Constituents of food is mainly divided into two subgroups:

  1. Macro nutrients

  2. Micro nutrients 

MACRO NUTRIENTS: The word "macros" is derived from a Greek word "makros" which means large. Macronutrients are group of nutrients found in food that gives us energy. In terms of nutrition, macro nutrients is consumed in larger quantities compared to micro nutrients. It is measured in grams. Many macro based diets classify macro nutrients as carbs, fats, proteins and alcohol. Alcohol is ignored in most of the diets as it is not considered to be healthy.

Three main macro nutrients are as follows:

 

• CARBS: Carbohydrates provide fuel for the central nervous system and energy for working muscles. It is mainly found in food such as rice, pastas, oats etc. It provides 4 calories per gram. 

• FATS: Fat is a concentrated source of energy. It is mainly found in food such as oils, avocado, nuts etc. It provides 9 calories per gram.

• PROTEIN: Protein is mainly found in food such as meat, dairy, tofu etc. It provides 4 calories per gram. People whose goal is to increase muscle mass in their body usually look forward to protein-rich diets as it is the building block of muscle.

MICRO NUTRIENTS: The word "micros" is derived from a Greek word "mikros" which means small. Micros are a much smaller measured values in terms of nutrition because it is required in small amounts. They are measured as milligrams or micrograms. Micronutrients do not supply our bodies with any calories, however they play a very important role in nearly every metabolic process taking place in our body. It can be broken up into 3 main classifications:

• VITAMINS: Vitamins are carbon containing compounds that can be activated, deactivated, and structurally altered depending on exposure to heat, oxygen, light, digestion and chemical process. It helps in proper functioning of metabolism. They can be classified in two subgroups:

          1. Fat soluble: Vitamin A, D, E, K.

          2. Water soluble: Vitamin C and all of                   Vitamin B

• MINERALS: Minerals are compounds in their simplest form and therefore they can be found in food in the same form as they are found within our body. They help our body to develop and function properly. They are further classified into 2 sub groups:

         1. Macro minerals: Calcium,                                magnesium, phosphorus, potassium,                sulphur, chloride.

         2. Trace minerals: Iron, zinc, copper,                 iodine, magnesium, chromium etc.

• Other Phytochemicals: Phytochemicals are chemicals produced by plants through primary or secondary metabolism. These include flavonoids, antioxidants, carotenoids, sulphides, anthocyanins etc.

Other than macro and micro nutrients there is also dietary fiber and water which comes under the constituents of food. Hydration plays a crucial role in building muscle mass as 75% of muscle is made up of water. Including all of these in your daily diet is important. However, there are some diets which restricts the consumption of certain food like vegetarian or vegan diet and in such cases you can fulfill your nutritional requirements with the help of supplements. If you don't know where to start, consider consulting your doctor or a certified dietician.