Ever thought about your food as micronutrients and macronutrients? The article from our expert dietitian will help you better understand these terms that are often used when planning your diet according to your nutritional needs.

It is important to have an understanding of the nutrients to arrange the meals that you must consume in your diet. The breakdown of the nutrients below will give you an insight into what they are and why your body needs them.

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are the larger components that a dietician recommends you keep track of. The essential nutrient components that must be carefully considered in our diets are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. A healthy diet consists of a harmony of all the three mentioned components.

Macronutrients can be measured in grams. A person who maintains a diet chart has to calculate the amount of macronutrient intake in their body, aligning it with their health goals.

Here is a list of foods under each category of macronutrients you need to know.

Carbohydrates are obtained from:

• Rice
• Potatoes
• Any kind of bread
• Grains
• Fruits
• Pulses

Fat can be obtained from:

• Dairy
• Nuts
• Oils
• Meats

Protein is obtained from:

• Meat
• Dairy
• Pulses
• Eggs
• Fish

What are micronutrients?

As the name suggests, micro typically denotes small. Hence, micronutrients consider the smallest components in our diets, such as vitamins, minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, iron etc., and other essential chemical components our body needs

There is no hard and fast way to measure the amount of micronutrient intake in our bodies. With that said, it is essential to consume food that has a healthy amount of micronutrients present in them. Green vegetables, leafy vegetables, and fruits all contain ample amounts of micronutrients, and hence are recommended as a part of your daily diet by your nutritionist.

Diets you may follow

Your diet is an essential component of your well-being. Both macronutrients and micronutrients in our body can be sufficed through a proper diet plan.

It is essential to know about the nutrients if you are planning to follow some of the most common diet plans.

1. The Keto Diet

The prominent feature of a keto diet is the decrease in the intake of carbohydrates. Your meals will naturally contain a high amount of essential fats and protein.

The idea of the ketogenic diet is to force your body to release more ketones in the blood instead of sugar compounds from carbs. Our body reacts to the absence of sugar by breaking down fat molecules in our body. A keto diet is followed by people looking for ways to accelerate their weight loss paired with some exercises.

2. Paleo diet

The Paleo diet is inclusive of pure vegetables, fruits, and meats. Anything processed or refined, including dairy products, is strictly restricted under the diet.

Macronutrient intake is an important factor in designing a diet however one does not have to follow a particular diet to get their daily needs.

To get an expert opinion about the type of food you must have, visit us at Zivanza, Dubai, to meet our best clinical dietician, who can personally assist you with your diet-related concerns.