Macronutrients 101

Macronutrients explained – what are they and how much do I need them?

CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEINS, FATS

Yep, it might not come as news to anyone these days that – in popular terms – macros refer to carbohydrates (starch, sugars, fiber), proteins (amino acid chains) and fats (triglycerides and fatty acids, sterols, phospholipids and fat-soluble vitamins). These are also the nutrients that provide our bodies energy essential for basic functions (in Finnish energiaravintoaineet). The word macro describes that these nutrient groups consist of different organic compounds and different forms of molecules.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In Finland, official food & nutrition recommendations are published by Valtion ravitsemusneuvottelukunta (VRN, National nutrition authority), and the latest publication came out in 2014 (in Finnish here). The recommendations follow the guidelines set in the Nordic nutrition recommendations and are always backed up with the latest nutrition & health research and national health data and adjusted to fit national culture and eating habits. New Nordic nutrition recommendations are to be published this year (article in Finnish here).

Table 1. Recommendations for carbohydrates, protein and fats for adults.

Valtion ravitsemusneuvottelukunta 2014.

Maybe a more tangible way to showcase these numbers is through case examples: two females weighing 55 kg and 65 kg and two males weighing 70 kg and 90 kg, ages 18-30. All of them have active lifestyles with physically easy jobs and do some sort of physical activities daily. For a reminder, one gram of carbohydrates and protein has 4 kcal of energy, one gram of fat 9 kcal.

Table 2. Four examples/estimates for daily energy need and breakdown for recommended ratios for carbohydrates, protein and fats (kcal / grams).

Estimated with calculator by Sydänliitto.

NOTE: Given energy need estimates are made with the calculator provided by Sydänliitto (based on the WHO calculations) and should not be taken in as one-size-fits-all or literal recommendations! Estimates are unspecified – with any specific conditions and/or lifestyle-depending needs (athletes, chronic conditions, etc.) please consult a licensed nutritionist or registered dietician if needed.

CARBS

VRN recommends reducing the amount of added sugars (saccharide) in our diets to be maximal of 10 E%. The main sources for these “refined sugars” are sugar-sweetened drinks and juices, sweets, pastry products and in some cases sweetened dairy products (see our previous post about food packaging & product labeling). The recommended need for carbohydrates (and fiber!) can be filled from a variety of food groups & foods (Table 3). Worth noticing are grains and legumes which are also relatively fine sources of plant-based protein!

Source: Fineli.

PROTEIN

Many main sources for carbs are also a great source for plant-based protein. Moreover, vegetarians and vegans can meet their protein needs by adding products like tofu and tempeh, pulled oats or broad beans, different soy & bean products (those low in salt & fat) and legumes. Other sources are meat and fish products, eggs and milk products – note that these products usually contain different amounts of fat as well.

Table 4. Different sources of protein, g/100g of produce.

Source: Fineli.

Like with carbs, nutritional guidelines include recommendations for different types of fats. While 25–40 % of daily energy intake may come from fats sources, saturated fats should be limited to a max of 10 E%. This refers to so-called “hard fats”; fat that stay solid at room temperature. Animal based protein sources are mainly higher in saturated fats compared to plant-based counterparts which should to be taken into account while making food decisions.

Source: Fineli.

These are only some examples. If you’re interested in learning more, using THL’s constantly updated database Fineli is one good tool for checking and exploring. Remember that there’s rarely a food product that would consist solely of fat, sugar or amino acids, so basically all of our every-day foods are different kinds of combinations of them.

For FuelMe meals, all ingredients and macronutrients are balanced so they form a solid base for your daily energy intake. You’ll find the macronutrient breakdown for every meal on the weekly menu (click/tap the image of the meal), from the nutrition sheet attached to your order confirmation and delivery confirmation email. The ingredients are shown on the meal packaging as well!

SOURCES

• Valtion ravitsemusneuvottelukunta (2014). Suomalaiset ravitsemussuositukset.
• Mutanen M, Niinikoski H, Schwab U, Uusitupa M, toim. (2021). Ravitsemustiede. 5. uudistettu painos. Helsinki: Duodecim.
• Sydänliitto (2018). Energialaskuri.
• Fineli (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos).