Macromolecules and Nutrition Labels

What Are Macromolecules and How Do We Use Them in Our Health Journey

By now, many of us know that when it comes to our eating habits, focusing on whole foods and keeping mostly away from processed foods is what yields the most internal health success. So why do we even care to talk about macromolecules and nutrition labels then? Understanding what macromolecules are, the importance of each one in our diet, suggested consumption of each, and how to correlate them to foods that you eat that do have nutrition labels is very important to ensure you are getting an adequate amount of each macromolecule without over consuming and to allow you to make decisions about foods that may be processed based on the nutrition label.

What are the main dietary macromolecules?

The macromolecules that we must consume in our diet in order to survive are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. As mentioned before, the importance of knowing the macromolecules is to understand the use for them in the body and also to understand why we can’t just consume carbohydrates or fats all day, everyday without prioritizing the other macromolecules for specific bodily functions. So what major roles do the macromolecules play?

• Carbohydrates are our body’s main energy source. Carbohydrates yield glucose when broken down which is actually the ONLY energy source that the brain can use in order to function.
• Proteins are our body’s construction company. Proteins play MANY important roles in the body: energy production, structural functions, enzymatic activity, communicative activity, etc., but when we focus in on exercise, protein is the main source of rebuild for muscles that are broken down, meaning that if you don’t consume protein while following an exercise regimen, your muscles will not grow.
• Fats are our body’s protective mechanisms and communicators. Fat is the #1 storage and protective player in the body, covering all vital organs and accumulating around the body to help with homeostasis (equilibrium of the body). Fat also helps create many hormones that are necessary for survival and appropriate organ and endocrine function.

Why is this important and how does it apply to nutrition labels?

Again, this is important because prioritizing all macromolecules in your diet guarantees healthy functioning of the body. When eating whole foods, many don’t come with nutrition labels because they only have one ingredient and are bought fresh. We know that whole foods are great because they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and are easily digestible, but, it’s important to know that you can’t eat 9 apples a day for every meal and expect your body to function optimally, you need to also ensure you are consuming healthy, whole protein and fat sources as well. If you do not know what sources are best for whole, healthy proteins/fats/carbs or even how much to eat of each, come join us at ZDC and we can help you find what is best for you to consume to be your healthiest, happiest self!

-Samantha Miller, CPT & Fitness Educator @ Zero Doubt Club