Macro’s
March, the third month of the year. This is the perfect month to discuss the three main categories of macronutrients. In this blog we will discuss a brief overview of the three categories, why they should be eaten together as much as possible, and how they help support healthy hormones and pelvic floor. In future blog posts we will dive deeper into each individual category with more detail.
Macronutrients are the big building blocks, required in a large amount, that the body needs for maintaining health, energy levels, and systems in the body. This is compared to micronutrients that are the small building blocks that the body and its system use, which are required in smaller amounts. Macronutrients are an important part of your daily life, they are the categories that the food you eat daily are classified into, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
CARBOHYDRATE are from plant sourced foods. Anything that is plant based or derived from a plant is a carbohydrate. This includes a wide range of foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and refined products such as pasta, bread, and desserts. Carbohydrates provide the muscles and brain with the preferred fuel source; glucose and provide the star of many of our discussions here; fiber!
PROTEIN is broken down into amino acids in the body. Amino acids are divided into different categories; essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are ones that can be produced within the body, under the right circumstances. Essential amino acids need to come from the diet, there are 8 of them. Some foods contain all 8 essential aminos, making them a complete protein. Animal based protein sources, meats, dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry are complete protein sources. There are specific plants that are considered complete proteins; quinoa, buckwheat, hempseeds, blue-green algae, and soybeans (including soy products like tofu and tempeh). Combinations of different plant foods can make a complete protein, such as beans and grains, whole wheat bread and nut butter. We will go into these combinations in more detail in the upcoming blog specifically on protein. These building blocks play a key role in building and repairing tissue, and support hormone regulation.
FATS are our third and final macronutrient category. Fats can be found in both plant and animal foods, such as nuts, seeds, oils, avocados, meats, eggs, and dairy. They play an important role in ensuring fat soluble vitamins are properly absorbed and utilized in the body, provide caloric energy sources, and help with your satiety levels.
Carbs, protein, and fats, these are your macronutrients. The body thrives off of foods from each of these categories, especially when they are used in combination sometimes called macro balancing. Macro balancing is the practice of eating foods from each category together for meals and snacks. There are a lot of benefits that come with macro balancing. Such as ensuring the body is getting all the required nutrients. Another amazing benefit is the effect that macro balancing has on balancing blood sugar levels. Eating the combination of carbs, fats, and proteins together helps to lesson the insulin response, which can be very helpful as females become more insulin sensitive during the peri-post menopause phase of life. Macro-balanced eating also helps to increase your satiety, reduce cravings, and gives you the energy and fuel you need to be satisfied and live a full life!
Hormones also thrive when eating is macro balanced for a few different reasons. Ensuring that fats are consumed helps with the production of new hormones that require fats to be made. Protein is critical for overall function, but hormone production and balancing as well. Fiber rich carbohydrates are amazing for hormone health by helping with improved gut health, removing excess hormones from the body, and helping regulate hormone levels.
When it comes to pelvic health, macro-balanced eating helps support the body’s needs for maintaining and supporting muscle and tissue health. Carbohydrates provide fiber to reduce constipation (reducing pelvic floor muscle strain, decreasing risk of pelvic organ prolapse), keep the gut healthy, and they provide antioxidant support. Protein helps to provide the building block amino acids that are required for repairing and maintaining pelvic floor muscle and tissue health. Fats are key for hormone support, and help with the absorption of key micronutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K.
There are many benefits to eating in macro balance, combining carbohydrates, protein, and fats together with each meal and snack can help support the body’s overall health. Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels and satiety is one key benefit to macro balanced eating. Another is the support it provides for the pelvic floor through hormone support, increasing fiber intake, and supporting muscle and tissue repair. There are many benefits to macro balancing, stay tuned for future posts as we dive deeper into each macronutrient category!
