YOUR GO-TO GUIDE ABOUT NUTRITION

Nutrition is like a hidden gold mine; we know it exists, but due to the difficulty of understanding, we often tend to ignore it and make our decisions based on what our peers say. Most of the available articles are written in a scientific manner, which can be hard for a beginner to understand. In this article, we tried to elaborate on the different nutritional aspects in a simple way so that even a beginner could understand.

If you ask 10 people for nutritional advice, chances are you will get 10 different answers, which can be confusing and misleading. It is like crossing a road blindfolded; in this way, you might be able to cross the road, but the risk of casualties will be relatively high.

In this article, we will discuss and break down nutrition very simply so that you get an overall knowledge of nutrition and do not need to depend on other’s opinions.

WHAT IS NUTRITION?

If I break it down, nutrition can be defined as the knowledge or study of how foods affect our health and contribute to our growth.

The foods we eat consist of two major types of nutrients. These two major types are:

1. 1. Macronutrients (Macros)
   2. Micronutrients (Micros)

MACRONUTRIENTS

By the name macro, we can easily understand that it is the larger portion of the nutrients we get from our food. Macronutrients are essential for us as they maintain the functionality of our body, provide energy, and so on. There are mainly 3 types of macronutrients:

1. 1. Protein
   2. Carbs/Carbohydrate
   3. Fat

Protein

The most loved and respected macronutrients for us, the fitness bros. Protein acts as a building block for our body.

Protein helps us to build muscle, aids in muscle recovery, improves strength, improves hair and skin, and so on.

Protein mainly consists of amino acids. There are almost 20 amino acids in protein. You can see different amino acid names on the back of the box if you buy whey protein. Protein can be broken down into two parts based on the amino acids:

1. 1. Essential Amino Acids
   2. Branch-chain Chain acids

For easy understanding, I will not discuss in-depth scientific terms but rather give an overview so everyone can get a surface-level idea.

Some Facts About Protein:

• • Every individual needs protein, whether you work out or not. Individuals should consume at least 0.8 grams (per pound) of body-weight protein.
  • There are 4 calories in each gram of protein.
  • Protein prevents muscle loss and helps to build lean muscle.

Popular Protein Sources and Their Calories:

There are a lot of good protein sources. The list that is given is based on personal opinion. The list does not indicate that these are the optimum sources of protein.

The calories may vary as different brands have different ingredients, which can impact the calories. I will advise you to read the food labels.

Food Name	Calories (Approx.)	Protein (Approx.)
One Egg white/One Whole Egg	17/78	4 gm/6 gm
Chicken Breast/Chicken Thigh (100 g)	165/180	31 gm/24 gm
Non-fat Greek Yogurt (Depends on Brand)	80-100	13 gm–15 gm
Whey Protein (Depends on Brand)	80-110	20 gm–25 gm

Carbohydrate/Carbs

Carbs can be considered the fossil fuel of our body. They provide the necessary energy for our body.

If carbs provide energy, why do people cut carbs when on a diet?

There are a few reasons for that. They are:

• • Carbs are easier to consume than protein, so you can easily overeat. Also, many people need to learn why they cut carbs; they mostly do it based on fitness trends.
  • Carbs hold water in our cells. As a result of this water retention, you may see some fluctuation on the weighing scale.

Let me tell you, how do carbs usually work in your body? Usually, carbs provide the necessary energy we need for our daily activities. If we have excess carbs in our body, our body breaks them down and stores them as glucose in our cells for future use. If that extra storage is not used, it converts it into fat.

It is not the carbs that make us fat; it is our laziness and lack of activities that make us fat, and we blamed carbs all this time!!

Carbohydrates can be broken down into 2 types:

1. 1. Simple Carbohydrates: Simple carbs are those that can be easily digested. However, it is unhealthy for our body as it increases blood sugar spikes. Simple carbs include breakfast cereals, candies, raw sugary foods, etc. 
   2. Complex Carbohydrates: Complex carbs take time to digest and can be considered healthy for our bodies as they do not spike blood sugar levels. Most complex carb sources have a good amount of fiber. Example: Whole wheat, Seeds, legumes, etc.

Most of our daily carbohydrate consumption should come from complex carbohydrates.

Fiber: Fiber can be considered the unsung hero of our body. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not absorbed by our body.

Then, isn’t it bad for our bodies?

No, it is the opposite. Fiber helps us to feel full so we do not overeat, and it is also beneficial for gut health. Many people have the problem of constipation, and fiber helps solve this problem as it retains water and provides additional force in the gut so that we get a clear stool. It also helps to keep our blood sugars in check.

At least 25 to 30 grams of fiber should be consumed daily.

Some Facts About Carbs:

• • There are 4 calories in each gram of carbohydrates.
  • A lack of carbs can lead to digestive issues.

Popular Carbohydrate Sources and Their Calories:

The list is based on the carb sources people regularly eat. It will give you a rough estimate of your carbohydrate consumption.

Food Name	Calories (Approx.)	Carbs (Approx.)
White Rice (100 g)	130	28 gm
Whole Wheat Bread  (Depending on Brand) (100 g)	250	40 gm
Oats (100 g)	375	65 gm

Fats

No fat does not necessarily make you fat. Overconsumption of fat can make you fat, which should be the narration. Fats get the most blame out of the major macronutrients.

However, we need to realize that fat is essential for us. Fats greatly affect our hormones. To maintain a good hormonal balance, we need to eat an adequate amount of fat. Fat helps to create some essential fatty acids that our body cannot produce by itself.

Fat can be mainly categorized as:

1. 1. Saturated Fat: Saturated fats are those that turn solid at room temperature. Examples: Ghee, Butter, Cheese, Meat fats, etc.

Usually, saturated fats are high in cholesterol; thus, we should eat them in moderation.

1. 2. Unsaturated Fat: Unsaturated fats stay liquid at room temperature. Examples: Almonds, Avocados, Different types of oil, etc.

Some Facts About Fats:

• • There are 9 calories in each gram of fat.
  • Fats help us absorb vitamins.
  • Fats protect our organs.

Why consume more protein if it has the same calories as carbs?

This question may arise in your mind: protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. Then why does everyone emphasize eating more protein?

The simple answer is that both macronutrients are important to us. Still, we tend to eat more protein because protein has a more thermic effect.

The thermic effect is the energy our body requires to process or digest food. Protein has a thermic effect of 20%–30%, meaning if we consume 100 g of protein, then 30% of it will be used by the body to digest it, so our net protein consumption would be 70 g.

On the other hand, carbs have a thermic effect of 5%–10% depending on the carb source, and fats have a 3% thermic effect.

That is one of many reasons; we will discuss the other reasons briefly in the future. Here, we just introduced you to the thermic effect of foods.

MICRONUTRIENTS:

As the name suggests, micronutrients are the smaller portion of nutrients we get from our foods. Micronutrients mainly consist of:

1. 1. Vitamins and
   2. Minerals

We get most of the essential vitamins and minerals through our diet. However, if we do not have a balanced diet, there can be deficiencies in these micronutrients.

There are mainly 13 essential vitamins that our body requires. A deficiency in these major vitamins can lead to different problems. Lack of Vitamin A can cause night blindness, and lack of Vitamin C can cause oral problems like mouth ulcers.

Minerals consist of different elements like iron, copper, zinc, etc. These components are essential for our body, and a deficiency of them can also lead to various problems.

Consume seasonal fruits, as they contain the vitamins and minerals that you require.

In this article, we tried to give you an overall idea of food nutrition. Many people need to learn about the things you read in this article. Thus, you can now make educated fitness decisions to help you sustain your journey.

Knowledge is power, and you should be proud that you have just increased your nutrition knowledge, even if the percentage of it may seem low. Trust me; it will help you in the near future.