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Nutrition Guide for Beginners
You may have looked at articles and blogs and gotten a little confused about all the science behind food. So, this article is your lexicon for understanding the principles of nutrition and will help you understand when it is worth diving into which item and at what time (spoiler: they are all worth it!)
What are calories?
Calories, or strictly speaking 'kilocalories', are a measurement tool used to determine the energy content of foods. The energy in food comes from macronutrients, which vary in the amount of calories they contain; One gram of carbohydrate and protein produces 4 calories, while one gram of fat produces 9! So what happens to that energy in our body? If you've heard of the law of conservation of energy before, it's no surprise that a few things can happen. EITHER You burn calories by using the energy they provide you and going crazy at the gym, or the energy will be stored as body mass (1–3).
How many calories do I need?
The amount of calories needed in your daily diet is made up of three factors.
Firstly, the amount of energy required to keep your body running when it is at complete rest is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the energy you need for basic life-sustaining functions such as breathing, heartbeat, and body temperature regulation. Secondly, the thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy required for the elimination, digestion, and absorption of the food consumed. So yes, you basically burn calories while eating! Lastly, activities of daily living (ADL) influence your energy needs. These are the calories required to give you energy for daily activities. This largely depends on your lifestyle and physical activities. As you can probably understand, going to the gym twice a day requires more energy than binge-watching your favorite series.
So how many calories should I eat when I want to maintain, lose or gain weight? Going back to the law of conservation of energy, a different amount of energy can help you achieve your goals. When you want to maintain weight, you need to consume the same amount of energy as the calories you burn. So when your caloric expenditure is 2000 kcal, consume this amount too! According to this theory, you can gain weight by consuming more calories than you burn! On our Nutrition and Health page, you can read more about weight maintenance , weight gain and fat loss (1–3).
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are nutrients that must be obtained daily and are used in large quantities. So, macro! As briefly noted above: they are the main energy providers in our diet. There are three groups of macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. These groups should be responsible for 40-70%, 10-35% and 20-40% of the calories in your diet, respectively. The exact amounts depend largely on your lifestyle and goals! For a detailed overview of macronutrients, you can read this article on macronutrients (1, 2, 4–6).
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the most important energy carriers in nutrition and are composed of the elements carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They are found in a wide range of food products, both healthy and unhealthy. Carbohydrates can have both short and easy-to-digest structures, as well as longer and more complex ones. Based on this, a distinction can be made into monosaccharides (glucose, fructose and galactose), disaccharides (lactose, sucrose and maltose) and polysaccharides such as starch. Did you know that all carbohydrates are based on different combinations of monosaccharides? This is also how we get energy from this source! The body breaks down all carbohydrates into glucose molecules. These are extremely important because they provide the direct energy your body needs to function properly. More specifically, red blood cells,
When it comes to carbohydrates, it’s all about quality. This means that an adequate intake focuses more on eating slow-release carbohydrates with a slow effect on blood glucose, rather than short, easy ones that can cause spikes.
In line with this, the recommended carbohydrate sources that fit into a healthy diet are complex ones, such as oats, rice and whole grain products. Did you know that our products contain many of these sources, so your blood glucose after a meal remains stable? You can read more about that here ! (3,7-11)
Fiber
Although fiber may seem like a macronutrient on its own, it is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest and is therefore not broken down into glucose molecules.
Instead, they contribute to a good functioning of digestion, a feeling of satiety after eating and reduce the risk of heart and vascular diseases. Did you know that fibers are also the fuel of the microorganisms in our intestine? You can read more about that in this article! (1,3,11-13)
Protein
Proteins are essential in a healthy diet, they are the basis of all cells, the heart of all organic activity and important for the maintenance of muscle structures. On top of that, they are indispensable in the production of hormones and enzymes. While proteins are mainly known for being visible as muscles, they are also present in bones, skin and hair!
Proteins are made of free building blocks called amino acids, for which different patterns translate into different proteins. In the digestive system, this dietary protein is broken down back into free amino acids. After they are broken down, they are built back up into the specific systems your body needs at that moment! The process of breaking down and building happens continuously. Did you know that half of the proteins in your body are replaced within eighty days?
The amino acids we just discussed cannot be stored in our bodies, so we have to make them in two ways: by modifying others or from scratch. Nine amino acids, known as essential amino acids, can only be obtained from our diets. As you may know, animal proteins are the most complete sources, meaning they contain all essential amino acids, while plant proteins often lack one or more essential amino acids.
By combining incomplete proteins, a complete protein intake can be established. Combining rice and beans is the most common way to do this and leaves you with all the essential amino acids. As an exception to the rule, soy protein contains all the essential amino acids, making it an easy source to implement into your diet. You can read more about proteins and the necessary amounts in this blog . (1, 3, 14–16)
Fats
Fat is one of your body’s main sources of energy. As noted above, one gram of fat yields 9 calories per gram. Fats are important in providing the essential fatty acids your body needs for the proper functioning of your brain and muscles. As you may know, we can divide it into three groups; unsaturated, saturated, and trans fatty acids! Or more appropriately; the good, the bad, and the ugly! The most relevant aspect of the differences of these types is the overall impact they can have on health. Unsaturated fats are known as the healthy types.
They have double bonds which make them liquid at room temperature. They are well known for a well-functioning brain. On the other hand, you have saturated fats which lack double bonds and are less healthy. Reducing saturated fat intake is linked to decreased risk of heart disease. However, some types of saturated fats, called MCTs, might be healthy, and there are currently more studies focusing on determining to what extent we should implement them in our diets. On the contrary, trans fats should be avoided at all costs. Luckily, due to regulation these types of fats are becoming less present, because our body doesn't know what to do with them. But let's end on a positive note! Healthy fats have a positive influence on the proper functioning of our heart, which you can read more abouthere . (1,17,18)
Micronutrients
Micronutrients is the collective name for minerals and vitamins. Unlike macronutrients, micronutrients do not provide energy and must be consumed in smaller amounts. Which doesn’t make them any less important! Vitamins facilitate the release of energy from macronutrients. On top of that, each vitamin has its own special roles to play when it comes to numerous activities throughout the body. Minerals are just as important to consume in adequate amounts as vitamins. They influence fluid balance and are necessary for building structures like bones and teeth. In this article , each micronutrient will be reviewed in depth. Did you know that vitamins and minerals are also critical for maintaining a well-functioning immune system? You can read more about the science behind that in this article . (1,19)
Sources
- Whitney, EN & Rolfes, SR (2005). Understanding nutrition. Thomson / Wadsworth.
- Slavin J, Carlson J. Carbohydrates 1. Adv Nutr. November 3, 2014; 5 (6): 760–1.
- Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, Barker H, Fielden H, Baldwin JM, et al. Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. I am J Clin Nutr. March 1, 1981; 34 (3): 362–6.
- Lamothe LM, Lê KA, Samra RA, Roger O, Green H, Macé K. The scientific basis for a healthy carbohydrate profile. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. April 12, 2019; 59 (7): 1058–70.
- Holster HD. Dietary fiber and prebiotics and gastrointestinal microbiota. Gut microbes. 2017 04; 8 (2): 172–84.
- Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein: Which is the best? J Sports Sci Med. September 1, 2004; 3 (3): 118–30.
- Michelfelder AJ. Soy: a complete source of protein. I am a Fam Physician. January 1, 2009; 79 (1): 43–7.
