Macronutrients: How to Be Sure You’re Getting Them All

Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are the macronutrients that make up a healthy diet.

Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, RDN

Macronutrients are the nutrients that your body needs the most of (as opposed to micronutrients, like salt or vitamins, that you need smaller amounts of). There are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat—and your body needs some of each to stay healthy. You may have wondered what macronutrients are, heard about macros split for weight loss, or wondered what macros ratios are ideal.

Here’s what you need to know about macronutrients, including how they keep your body functioning and how much of each macronutrient you should eat daily.

3 Macronutrients: Sources and Daily Amounts

The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Considering what percentage of your calories comes from each nutrient is one way to take control over what you’re eating. However, it’s important to remember that there’s no perfect way to balance your macros. The federal guidelines around macros provide a wide range of recommended daily intakes. Within that range, you can find what works best for your body.

The federal recommended macro range is:

• Carbohydrates: 45–65% of daily calories for children and adults.

• Protein: 10–35% of daily calories for adults; 5–20% for children ages 1–3; 10–30% for children ages 4–18.

• Fat: 20–35% of daily calories for adults; 30–40% for children ages 1–3; 25–35% for children ages 4–18.

You can also see a target for your recommended macro and micronutrient intake using this calculator from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Carbs

Carbohydrates provide fuel for the body. Two types of carbs, sugars and starches, are broken down into glucose, the body’s main source of energy. A third type of carb, fiber, helps you feel full, have healthy digestion, and maintain a healthy weight.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that most of the calories eaten on a given day should come from healthy carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It is advised to limit processed sources of carbohydrates, like chips, pretzels, baked goods, and other items with added sugar.

Protein

Protein helps repair cells and facilitates growth and development. Protein is broken down into amino acids, which help the body make new cells and repair existing ones.

High protein foods include animal products like meat and eggs. Protein is also found in beans, nuts, soy, legumes, and quinoa. The range provided for protein intake is especially large. You can better understand your protein intake by considering your body weight. Aim to consume a minimum 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Fat

Fat keeps the skin and hair healthy, helps you absorb vitamins, and supports brain development and other healthy bodily functions. In order to get the most from this macro, prioritize healthy, nutrient-dense sources of fat, like nuts, salmon and other fatty fish, and unsweetened yogurts. Minimize your intake of saturated or trans fats, like those in fried foods or ice cream, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

Does Macro Splitting Help With Weight Loss?

Macro splitting means tracking the percentage of your daily calorie intake from carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Studies have shown that simply tracking your diet can contribute to short-term weight loss.

Many popular weight loss diets change the macronutrient balance to facilitate weight loss. For example, the keto diet takes a low carbohydrate, high-fat approach, while high protein diets prioritize protein over other macronutrients.

While changing macronutrient intake can result in short-term weight loss, research shows that the weight loss is usually not sustainable after one year. In addition, the health implications of drastically changing your macronutrient intake long-term have not been studied, so there may be unknown risks.

Other Benefits of Eating Daily Macronutrients

Getting protein, carbohydrates, and fat into your diet every day is essential for staying healthy and keeping your body functioning well. Each macronutrient has an important role to play in your body.

Symptoms of Macronutrient Deficiency

If you’re deficient in one of the macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, or fat—you’ll experience serious health concerns stemming from malnutrition, including:

• Lack of growth or development (which may be particularly noticeable in children)

• Slow wound healing

• More frequent infections

• Intellectual impairment

• Complications from vitamin deficiencies

Identifying Macro vs. Micronutrients

Macronutrients are the components of food that you need the most of: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Micronutrients are components of food that you need smaller bits of to stay healthy. The msot common form of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.

Macronutrients and micronutrients are both important to your overall health. Eating a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet can ensure you get the macronutrients and micronutrients needed to keep you healthy.

Macronutrient Intake on Different Diets

Various popular diets can take your macronutrient spread to its extreme. For example, people who follow the keto diet get 70–80% of their calories from fat, well above the maximum 35% recommended by federal guidelines. Their protein intake is in line with the recommendations at 10-20% of total calories, but carbohydrate intake is well below recommended levels at only 5-10%.

The best way to achieve sustainable weight loss is by eating a variety of healthy, nutritious food. When you do this, you’ll get enough macro and micronutrients. If you'd like to experiment with macro splitting, test your results while staying within the healthy ranges outlined by the federal guidelines. For example, you can "cut carbs" down to 45% of your caloric intake, while increasing protein. That may give you some benefit without entirely cutting carbohydrates, an essential food group.

Summary

Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. According to federal guidelines, most of your calories should come from healthy carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Lean proteins like fish, chicken, and occasionally red meat are the next biggest portion, with healthy fats like nuts and oils making up the smallest proportion of your calorie intake.

Splitting your macros is one way to attempt weight loss. However, studies show that overall, most macro-splitting diets are unsustainable in the long term. Instead of following a specific diet plan, work on eating a well-rounded, nutritious diet that contains all the macronutrients and micronutrients that your body needs to stay healthy.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.