What Are Macros?
In nutritional circles, the word “macro” is short for macronutrient. But you’ll also hear this term outside of clinical settings or dietitian offices. The term is widely used on social media, in magazines, and on television to refer to the practice of tracking macros for better health, weight loss, or improved athletic performance.
You can learn to track your macros to gain health benefits, but first, its helpful to breakdown the definition of macro and learn more about what macros are so that you can understand how tracking and managing macros may be right for you.
What Is the definition of Macro?
To understand the definition of macronutrient it is helpful to break the term down into two parts: “macro” and “nutrient.”
The word “macro” is an adjective that means large or large scale. A nutrient is “a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.”
When you combine the two terms, you get “macronutrient” which is defined as “a type of food required in large amounts in the diet.” In the human body, those three macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohdyrates. You need to consume these three macronutrients for your body to function properly.
But keep in mind that macronutrients are not the only nourishment that your body needs. You also need to consume micronutrients to function. The word “micro” means extremely small or small scale. The micronutrients that your body needs are vitamins and minerals and your body needs them in much smaller amounts.
What Are The 3 Macronutrients?
In Macro Diet for Dummies, I explain each macronutrient in detail and provide a complete shopping list for each one. You learn about the benefits of consuming each macronutrient and why making smart choices for those foods is important. If you want to start tracking macros or just consume a healthier diet, pick up a copy of the book to have on hand. It’s a great resource—chock full of tips and recipes—to keep on your kitchen bookshelf!
Here, I’ll offer a brief overview of each macro along with a shorter list of healthy choices and less healthy choices.
What Is Fat?
Dietary fat (the fat provided by food) does not necessarily turn into fat on your body. This is an important fact to keep in mind, because you must consume fat to keep your body healthy. Fat plays a number of roles in the body, most notably, it provides energy, insulates your body, and protects your organs.
But fat is also more calorie-dense than the other two macros. While protein and carbs each provide four calories per gram, fat provides nine calories per gram. So it is important to make careful choices when consuming fat and enjoy it in moderation (especially if your goal is weight loss or weight maintenance).
Healthy sources of fat include mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fats. You’ll find these in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, and avocado. Some fatty fish also provides healthy fat. Consider adding these foods to your diet:
Almonds
Chia seeds
Edamame
Flaxseed
Salmon
Olives
Olive oil
Walnuts
Less healthy sources of fat include foods that provide saturated fat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that we consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fat as it has been linked to heart disease. Foods that provide saturated fat include things like fatty meats, ice cream, fried foods, butter, cream, and cheese. Of course, just because these foods contain saturated fat doesn’t mean you should never consume them. In fact, some of these foods (like dairy) provide important nutrients. But in general, nutrition experts advise that you limit your intake of saturated fat foods.
What Is Protein?
Protein provides structure to hair, skin, nails, bone, and importantly, to muscle. Protein is made up of amino acids, building blocks used to maintain and repair muscle tissue. Essential amino acids, like leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are not made by the body so they must be consumed in the diet
When paired with a strength training plan, getting enough protein is your key to getting a strong, fit body. If weight loss is your goal, getting enough protein has been shown to make the process more effective. Having more muscle on your body helps to maintain a healthier metabolism, so you want to be sure to eat protein-rich foods to support a more muscular frame.
Healthy sources of protein provide those important amino acids with less saturated fat. Consider adding these protein-rich foods to your diet:
Green leafy vegetables like spinach
Fish like tuna, trout, salmon, cod, mackerel, or sardines
Lean meats (such as poultry or lean pork)
Nuts and seeds
Protein powder
Quinoa and other whole grains
Soy or soy products, like tofu
Less healthy sources of protein are those that also provide saturated fat in high amounts. As listed above in the fat section, fatty meats and full fat dairy are two culprits. But you may want to steer clear of other protein foods that contain high levels of sodium or other additives. For example, cold cuts or other processed meats are far less healthy than lean meats or plant-based protein.
What Are Carbs?
Carbohydrates provide energy to your body. In fact, carbohydrates are your body’s preferred energy source. While carbs were maligned in the media for years, healthy carbs are essential for a balanced diet.
Carbs can be simple or complex based on their structure. Simple carbs include foods like table sugar or the sugar found in candy and sodas. Complex carbs come from foods like grains, legumes, and vegetables. Complex carbs generally provide fiber and other nutrients like vitamins and minerals, so you might want to prioritize these foods in your diet.
Healthy sources of carbohydrates include:
Beans (red beans, lima beans, black beans, white beans, etc)
Dairy products
Fruit (berries, citrus fruit, melon, etc)
Lentils
Vegetables (cruciferous or green leafy veggies, colorful peppers, cauliflower, etc)
Whole grain pasta or bread
Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, farro, oats and more)
Less healthy sources of carbs include ultra processed foods with added sugars, like sweetened beverages (coffee drinks, sodas, energy drinks), candy, baked goods made with refined grains, packaged snack foods such as chips, some crackers, and sweetened cereals (many of these foods are also high in sodium).
Should You Count Macros?
Yes! Tracking macros helps ensure that you are getting adequate amounts of each vital nutrient for optimal physical functioning. Some people track macros at every meal. They generally use apps to help them keep track of their food intake and then strive to reach specific targets each day. But you don’t have to track your meals at that level to gain the benefits of a macro diet.
Read How to Track Macros for Beginners (link below) to learn more about other methods of macro tracking that help you gain the benefits of the practice without the hassle.
