Understanding the Difference Between Micronutrients and Macronutrients

Every food you eat contains various nutrients your body needs to function. These nutrients include vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fats.

Micronutrients and macronutrients are two main categories of food that help your body function properly. Understanding how each works allows you to build a healthy eating plan and lose weight if necessary. 

At Novell Primary Care and Weight Loss in Tallahassee, Florida, our team specializes in helping patients lose weight through various modalities, including customized meal plans, appetite suppressants, and fitness plans. We’ll craft an approach that meets your needs and goals.

The facts on macronutrients

Macronutrients are the primary food nutrients the body requires to function. The macronutrients are large and come in many food sources to keep the body and its structures working properly. There are three main types of macronutrients and they include:

Proteins

Proteins are essential for many body functions and help you stay strong and fit. The body utilizes proteins in the food to regulate hormones and build or repair muscles and other essential tissues.

Each gram of protein equals four calories, just like carbohydrates. Examples of proteins include eggs, cheese, tofu, greek yogurt, meat, poultry, and fish.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of the body's energy. Your body breaks down carbohydrates during digestion into glucose, which goes into the cells for energy and bodily functions.

Each gram of carbohydrates contains four calories. Examples of carbohydrates include rice, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits.

Fats

The body uses fats to provide fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. It also breaks down into glycerol, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Examples of fats in the diet include oils, sour cream, butter, nuts, and seeds.

Each gram of fat contains nine calories, more than carbohydrates and proteins. Your body needs less fat than the other two macros to stay healthy.

What are micronutrients?

Micronutrients are other additions the body needs from food but in much smaller amounts than macronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals the body requires to thrive and function normally.

Some common micronutrients in the foods you eat every day include:

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• B vitamins
• Zinc
• Folate
• Iron
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Potassium

Unlike macronutrients, micronutrients don't provide the cells or body with energy, but they are still vital to various functions. For example, vitamins and nutrients are necessary for processes like digestion, brain function, and immune function.

It's more challenging to track what micronutrients you're getting through your diet, which makes it tricky to know your daily amount of each vitamin and mineral.

How do they both work for weight loss?

Trying to lose weight means adopting a healthier diet. Counting how much of each macronutrient you get daily is the best way to reach specific goals such as weight loss or muscle gain.

A macro diet allows you to determine how much energy you expend each day so you can focus on cutting your calories and macronutrients to meet your goals. Each macronutrient has a specific number of calories per gram, which helps you figure out what to eat for weight loss.

But how do you know how many macros to eat? You first need to figure out the calories you expend each day with the following equation:

Men – Weight in kg times 10 plus height in centimeters time 6.25 minus your age times 5 then add 5

Women – Weight in kg times 10 plus height in centimeters times 6.25 minus your age x 5 then minus 161

The result is the number of calories you burn per day. You can further enhance the result by multiplying the activity you do each week. Adjusting your calorie count up or down based on the total calories burned helps you figure out what to eat to lose weight.

Most people need a certain percentage of each macronutrient to maintain a balanced diet and gain muscle or lose fat. Our team creates a customized meal plan based on your caloric needs and weight loss goals for optimal results.

Customized meal and fitness plans are effective ways to achieve your weight loss goals and get the body you've always wanted.

To learn more about how we can help support your weight loss goals, call Novell Primary Care and Weight Loss for an appointment or request a consultation on the website.