Macronutrients & Micronutrients

“Overfed but undernourished, calorie rich but nutrient poor: this is the deadly paradox that has trapped hundreds of millions of human beings today.”

John Mackey,

Co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market

Pizza, burgers and pasta – What do America’s favorite meals have in common?

Full of refined carbohydrates and topped with heavy ingredients such as meat and cheese, they’re loaded with calories and lacking in nutrients. Pair these foods with alcohol and fries and you’re not doing yourself any favors. Veggies always seem like an afterthought. Thanks for the slice of tomato and onion, that should cover it for the day, right?

While it’s perfectly fine to eat these meals once in a while, the issue is when they’ve become more of the norm than a treat. And how often do you eat all three meals in one week? Probably more than we’d like to admit. Yes, potatoes are a root vegetable but frying them strips them of their nutrients.

Suggestions:

·       Get your burger wrapped in lettuce/collard greens or atop a salad

·       Choose lean meat: turkey, chicken or fish

·       Choose whole wheat spaghetti noodles

·       Swap noodles altogether for spiralized vegetables or high protein pasta made from beans or legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils or black beans

·       Make your pizza and pasta vegetarian and top with high fiber, roasted vegetables. Veggie Lovers anyone?!

·       Skip the creamy, dairy laden sauces and stick to tomato based

Are all calories created equally?

A calorie is a measure of energy contained in the food we eat. The energy we acquire comes from macronutrients: fat, carbohydrates and protein. Weight gain is the result of consuming more energy or calories than we expend, and vice versa for weight loss.

Micronutrients: fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, are the noncaloric essential elements in food, required for our bodies to function properly. Nature has graciously provided us with nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables to attain these elements. Mankind, on the other hand, offers an abundance of processed foods and refined carbs that increase calorie-density by removing water and fiber and adding refined oil and sugar.

Macronutrients

·       Fat

·       Carbohydrates

·       Protein

Micronutrients

·       Fiber

·       Vitamins

·       Minerals

·       Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants that support our immune systems, aid in disease prevention and even defend against harmful UV rays! There are estimates of roughly 4,000 different kinds. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to get your fill.

Although thought to be healthful, extracted oils (canola, coconut, corn, olive and sunflower) are some of the most calorie dense foods on the market. During the extraction process, oil is separated from the fruit which removes the fiber and other beneficial nutrients. This leaves extracted oils with concentrated energy but no filling substance, making them easy to overeat. Olive oil alone contains 120 calories in just one tablespoon and is 100% fat – containing no proteins or carbs. Contrary to popular belief, however, consuming fat does not make you fat. A better option is to eat the whole (pitted) olive in order to benefit from the fiber.

Using the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI), a system used for measuring nutrient density, kale rates a perfect score of 1,000 along with collard greens, mustard greens and watercress. By contrast, olive oil ranks a measly 10 (1%). The reason these leafy green vegetables are so highly rated is because they are packed with micronutrients with the added benefit of being low in calories. With 2.5 grams of fiber per cup, kale will fill you up much faster than olive oil and rings in only 33 calories per cup. Put another way, 1 tbsp kale has only 2.06 calories compared to olive oils’ 120. But because I know that none of us are going to give up olive oil anytime soon.. click here for a dressing recipe for that kale. That’s not to say extracted oils are the worst thing on the market; soda rates at the bottom of the totem pole.

Although counting calories is a popular technique for weight loss, it doesn’t guarantee good health. One must eat enough of the right calories, consuming a variety of macro and micronutrients with a colorful plate of whole fruits, vegetables and grains.

What does 200 calories look like?

·       2 tbsp of olive oil  

·       4 chicken nuggets  

·       1 Snickers bar

·       1 head of broccoli!

·       1 cup rice

·       Small serving fries

·       6 cups kale

-Mallory