I want to talk about why you need all macronutrients, and I threw in cholesterol for good measure because it still is controversial.
I often hear of folks eliminating or reducing one or more of these from their diets. This refers to fats, carbs and proteins
Macronutrients
Fats
Fats are a source of energy, which your body can also store for later use
Essential fatty acids are dietary fats that are essential for growth development and cell functions
Essential means they come from your diet, and your body can’t make them
Our brains contain large amounts of essential fats
Fats are important for maintaining healthy skin and other tissues.
Fats are needed for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K so you can use them
Protein
Protein is needed for building and repairing every structure in your body down to the cellular level
We don’t store it like we do fats and carbs, so we need to eat it every day to replenish stores and keep tissues from breaking down.
There are 9 essential amino acids we need to get from foods we eat
Carbs
Carbs are a source of energy - our body uses carbs as fuel, and to spare protein
By the way, there is no such thing as essential carbs. Your body can make glucose from just about anything, whether you eat carbs or not.
Cholesterol (fat) is needed for
The structure of your cell membranes
In order for your body to make vitamin D
It’s essential for the synthesis of hormones including cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
It forms the myelin sheath that protects your nerve cells and allows them to conduct signals
It’s needed to make bile acids so you can digest food
Most of the cholesterol you have is made by your body (~65%). If you eat more your body will make less, of you eat less your body makes more!
I see cholesterol levels too low in so many clients. Yes, too low! If your LDL is less than 80, you’re going to have issues with all of these functions!
Micronutrients
Vitamins and minerals are cofactors for enzymes in your body, and they play a wide range of roles.
Enzymes are actually proteins (made by those essential amino acids and protein you eat) that make reactions in your body happen. Those reactions do everything from making energy, to building cells, tissues, and organs, to repairing structures, everything your body is able to do!
In order to work those enzymes require vitamins and minerals which again come from foods you eat!
Most vitamins and minerals are essential which means they come from your diet, your body can make some vitamins but not enough to compensate if they are not on your diet in the first place.
Those 9 essential amino acids which come from protein rich foods like animal products are complete proteins, which means they contain all the amino acids, plant protein sources do not and are not complete proteins.
Certain fatty acids like omega 3s which come from healthy fats like salmon as well as flaxseed for example are also essential.
Remember, essential means you need to eat them because your body can’t make them.
Important note!!! Your body uses essential nutrients to make others. So if you’re not eating essential nutrients you’re going to be lacking in many others as well.
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/three-functions-fat-body-3402.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins
For questions, or if you’re ready to get started with next steps on your health journey to nourish your body and beat your symptoms and health problems, book your introductory consultation with me!
If you’re a self started who doesn’t need much handholding, my Online Gut Restore Program is for you! It address all 3 of the common reasons I see nutrients missing, which leads to imbalances followed by symptoms and chronic health problems.