Being a senior in the dietetics program, I have a lot of opinions about food, diets and anything related to the two. However, in this evolving world of nutrition that is changing every day when new studies are released or new technology is available, sometimes it is best to stick with the cold hard facts.
The biggest mistakes I see people making when it comes to their diet is following fads, as mentioned in my previous article. I could talk about how much I dislike fad diets all day, but if I never talk about alternatives to those diets, it really doesn’t do any good.
Before you think about changing your diet, it is extremely helpful to have a basic understanding of nutrition and the requirements of the human body (as determined by years of scientific research, not by that 9 percent body fat fitness model that’s trending on Instagram.) Here are the basics you need to know about nutrition to better assess your own diet, and maybe create a new one.
Macronutrients
You’ve probably seen a lot on the Internet about macronutrients, mostly coming from body builders or bikini competitors who are obsessed with counting their macros every day. But not to worry, there is no reason for you to count the grams of macros you are consuming, but there are some things you should know. First of all, there are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Carbohydrates should take up 45-65% of your daily calories. Carbohydrates are classified as either simple or complex based on their chemical structure. Simple carbohydrates include sugars found naturally in foods, such as fruits, vegetables and milk. Complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables. Complex carbs such as whole-grain bread are a better source of fiber than fruits and vegetables, and are often fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Protein has taken the fitness world by storm in the past few years, especially in the form of protein shakes. While protein is essential in a healthy diet, unless you are an NFL football player or Olympic athlete, chances are you don’t require more than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight.
To find out how much protein you should consume in a day, type your weight in pounds into Google to convert it to kilograms, and then multiply your weight in kg by 0.8. Bam – your personalized protein requirement for the day.
Example: I weigh 150 pounds, which converts to 68 kg. 68 multiplied by 0.8 = 54 grams of protein per day. That might seem like a lot, but a 4 oz. serving of chicken breast contains approximately 22 grams of protein, almost half of what I require for the whole day. Lets not forget about the protein in milk, cheese, yogurt, other meats, beans, legumes, hummus, etc. Protein should use up 10-35% of your daily calories, but if you’re eating a balanced diet you will not have a problem meeting your protein requirements without spending a ton of money of supplements like protein shakes.
If you can’t break the habit of drinking a protein shake post-workout or as a meal replacement, I would highly recommend making a smoothie and adding a scoop of protein powder instead. This is a much more nutritious way to consume your protein in shake-form because you can also have fruits, vegetables, yogurt and milk in the same drink. Not to mention, this will keep you full much longer.
Contrary to popular belief, fat is also an essential component to a healthy and balanced diet. Fat should take up approximately 20-35 percent of your daily calories. However, studies have shown that consuming more than 30 percent calories from fat daily can put you at a higher risk of things like cardiovascular disease. Fats include butter, margarine, oils, and can also be found in foods like nuts, nut butters, fish, avocados and salad dressings. Similar to carbohydrates, some fats are better than others. Good fats are called unsaturated and are usually in liquid form. You should try to limit your intake of saturated fat; it is typically solid at room temperature.
To sum it up, there are very nutritious and less nutritious choices within all three macronutrients. The bulk of your diet should consist of foods that are high in nutrients and relatively low in calories. This would be considered a “nutrient dense” food. However, any food can fit into a healthy diet when you practice balance and moderation. So to answer the question we have all been asking since we awkwardly saw Mean Girls in theatres with our parents during middle school; no, butter is not a carb.