Nutrition 101:You Can't Improve What You Don't Understand

By: Jillian Foley RD,LDN

Nutritionista

With an overwhelming amount of diet theories on social media, it's truly no surprise that most people don't seem to have a clear idea of what their body needs to function. Influencers claim their way is the only way. Doctors contridict eachother. Personal trainers show you what their results did for them. Leaders of the industry tell you not to trust our government recomendations. The truth is that these people are not talking to the people that figured it out. They are talking to the ones that didn't. Because fear and confusion brings them more money. So how should we eat? While our physiology and metabolic processes are complex, what we should eat is far simpler than we make it! In this blog I will cover the 3 biggest nutrients that make up what we need.

Protein. This macronutrient should make up approximately 25% of our calorie needs for the day. This building block isn't just for athletes or for keeping us full. It's the building block for cells, enzymes, hormones & our immune system. With animal sources like chicken, fish, eggs and dairy being the highest available source of protein in our diets, vegetarians and vegans can still get it from beans, nuts, grains like pasta & quinoa, and supplements like bars & powders.

Carbohydrates. This macro should make up approximately 50% of our needs. Often thought of as only being needed in relationship to movement and exercise, carbs are the body's most prefered source of energy. Not only does it supply energy for the muscles but it is the brains primary fuel source. Carbs get broken down into sugars from foods like fruit, potatoes, beans and grains. While sugar is not innately bad for us getting too much at one time repeatedly, alters the bodies ability to utilize it efficiently. Per the USDA 50% of our starchy carbs should be whole grain. Choosing higher fiber carbs when we can such as whole wheat pasta and rice not only slows down the process making it a more efficient use of energy but it also supplies us with additional natural minerals unlike it's more processed versions.

Fats. This macro, just like protein, should make up about 25% of our calorie needs. This doesn't mean, however, that we should go out of our way to add more fat. This macro is higher calorie per gram (9) as apposed to carbs and protein (4), making it very easy to get the fats we need. The focus in the American diet isn't how much fat we should try to get but what type of fat. As animals, we already make saturated fat which is found in full fat dairy, high fat red meat, and chicken skin. Choosing fatty fish, nuts, avocados, and healthy oils like olive oil and avocado oil gives us the fats we don't make which are mono and polyunsaturatd fats. These types of fats keeps our cells, brain and nervous system healthy, and balances out our cholesterol levels for a healthy heart.

While the human body is complex and so are the nutrients it needs and how it uses it, aiming for a balance of the 3 macronutrients that supply our energy is not. Learning how you should eat can be challenging. Listening to different hunger ques, making smart choies at restaurants, controlling yourself at parties, etc. But it all first starts with the knowledge of what we need. Once you develop a true nonbiased knowledge of what the body needs you will have the tools then for fitting them in your diet.

Jillian Foley, RD Nutrititionista is a Registered Dietitian that specializes in Food Therapy. She believes that weight-loss & disease prevention/management is 20% food education & 80% psychological. She owns her own practice for 1-on-1 sessions as well as courses. You can find more info @www.Nutritionista267.com Follower her on IG @Nutritionista_1