Do we really need to eat all macronutrients?
As we sit here on the cusp of memorial day weekend, I am reminded how difficult this season can be. A lot of people on social media, or even in your life might start talking about diets, and getting “ready” for summer.
I wanted to briefly remind you why we don’t prescribe to the diet culture, and how diets aren’t actually helping you. Diet culture has us believing that we need to live in smaller bodies, restrict our calories, and food groups, and believe that talking negatively towards yourself is normal and something almost to praise. However, this is never helpful and can lead to some serious complications along the way. We know the importance of each of these food groups but sometimes we can hear things that might make us question what we know. I wanted to briefly review how all of these support our bodies, and why balanced meals are the best option.
Starting with carbs, these are our main source of fuel for the entire body. If you think of any part of your body, carbs are fueling that function, including our brain. The brain solely uses carbs as a source of energy daily. If we are not eating enough carbs, our body turns to protein as a source of energy and will pull from our muscle mass to ensure our body is getting what it needs. So eating enough carbs can help to maintain your muscle mass! Carbs are also great at ensuring you are getting enough fiber into your diet to maintain good gut bacteria and normal bowel movements. Energy levels and overall feeling good, are influenced by carb intake, due to the production of serotonin helping to make you feel better and even improve sleep!
Protein is essential for all aspects of our body, it's the building blocks for everything in our body. Protein can ensure that we are feeling satisfied, and keep us full longer until our next meal or snack. Making sure we are eating enough protein can also preserve our muscle mass! Some things that protein is directly involved in include wound healing; making enzymes for digestion, metabolism, etc. Supporting our immune system; hormone production including thyroid, sex hormones, etc.; transporting energy, along with vitamins and minerals throughout the body. Without enough protein, we can feel weak, have brittle hair and nails, and might be more prone to getting sick or breaking bones.
Last but not least, fats! Fats are essential for our body to function efficiently. Fats can help to also keep you full until the next meal and can provide energy to the body. They support our brain function - our brain is constantly regenerating and growing, and we need enough fat to ensure that the new brain cells and pathways are healthy. Fat also is very important for the health of each cell membrane; hormone production including sex hormones, cortisol, and vitamin D; helps to regulate our heart rate, nervous system, immune system, and inflammation. If we are not getting enough fats we might be more hungry, think about food more often, have poor energy levels, and risk the absorption of vitamins including A, D, E, and K- that all need fat to be absorbed properly.
I wanted to briefly review the importance of each of these macronutrients and how our body utilizes them. There can be a lot of misinformation out there, and with summer here there may be more talk about these. But remember our bodies are very smart at what they do and love to thrive when they are nourished with all carbs, protein, and fats. If you feel you are struggling
