Macro Nutrients

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Macronutrients
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Macronutrients
Macronutrients
Food provides the body with a range of nutrients, some
of which provide energy, while others are essential for
growth and maintenance of the body.
Carbohydrate, protein and fat are known as

macronutrients, and provide the body with energy.
Macronutrients are measured in grams (g).

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a key component of the diet.
There are two types of carbohydrate which provide the

body with energy – sugars and starches.
Dietary fibre is also a form of carbohydrate and is

important for digestive health, however this is not
digested to provide the body with energy.
Starchy carbohydrate is an important source of energy.
1g of carbohydrate provides 4 kcal (17kJ).

Sources of carbohydrate
Starch can be found in food such as
bread, potatoes, rice, breakfast cereals
and other starchy foods.
What other examples of starchy foods

can you think of?
The main sources of carbohydrate in the

diet in Northern Ireland are cereal and
cereal products.
In the Philippines… (RICE)

Sources of carbohydrate
Which of these foods do you think contains the largest
amount of carbohydrate per 100g?
Food (per 100g) Carbohydrate (g)
Brown rice, boiled 32.1
Baked potato 18.0
Banana 23.2
Wholemeal bread 42.0
Red lentils, cooked 17.5

Functions of carbohydrate
The body’s tissues require a constant supply of glucose,
which is used as a fuel.
A constant supply is required as only a small amount can

be stored in the body, in the form of glycogen.
A small amount can also be synthesised in the body from

protein. This is not the best use of protein, as it should
mainly be used for growth and repair of body tissues.
Protein
Proteins are large molecules, made up of a series of
amino acids.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

There are about 20 different amino acids commonly
found in plant and animal proteins.
For adults, 9 of these have to be provided by foods in

the diet, and are therefore defined as ‘essential’ or
‘indispensable’ amino acids.
histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine,

phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
Sources of protein
Animal sources: Plant sources:
• meat; • soya;
• poultry; • nuts;
• fish; • seeds;
• eggs; • pulses, e.g.
• milk; beans, lentils;
• dairy foods.
Protein function
Protein is required for growth and repair of the
body and to maintain good health.
Protein forms structural and functional elements

of body cells, and is needed for growth in
muscle mass and the maintenance of muscle
mass and normal bones.
Protein is involved in various metabolic

reactions, including signalling functions.
Protein function
Protein also provides energy – 1 gram provides
4kcal/17kJ.
Protein is the second most abundant compound in

the body, following water. A large proportion of
protein is in muscle (43% on average). Protein is
also present in skin (15%) and blood (16%).
Fat
Fat is made up of different types of fatty acids attached
to a glycerol molecule backbone. This is called a
triglyceride.
Depending on their chemical structure, fatty acids are

often classified as:
• saturated fatty acids (also known as ‘saturated fat’ or

‘saturates’);
• monounsaturated fatty acids;
• polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6 and
omega-9);
• trans fatty acids.
Functions of fat
Fat is a concentrated source of energy. 1 gram of fat
provides 9kcal (37kJ).
Fat is the carrier for fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E and K.
Fat is a component of hormones which control

biochemical reactions within cells.
Fat provides cushioning for the major organs in the

body.
Functions of fat
The body can synthesise all the fatty acids it needs
except for alpha linolenic acid (omega-3) and linoleic
acid (omega-6).
These are the essential fatty acids and must be provided

in the diet. From these fatty acids, the body can make
other fatty acids which are important for health.
Recommendations on fat
Total fat intake should not make up more than 35% of
food energy. No more than 11% of food energy should
come from saturated fatty acids.
Intakes of saturated fat for men and women are 13.3%

and 13.0% of food energy respectively.
Health effects of macronutrients
Obesity
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Obesity
Obesity is a condition in which abnormal or excessive fat
accumulation in adipose tissue impairs health.
It is often the result of energy intake exceeding energy

expenditure over a long period of time.
It is defined in adults as a body mass index (BMI) above

30.
Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased

risk of developing some cancers, cardiovascular disease
and type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes coronary
heart disease (CHD) and stroke, is a common cause of
death and ill-health .
The two main events that lead to CVD are

atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
Atherosclerosis causes narrowing of the blood vessels,

which can result in reduced flow of blood to the heart
and may cause chest pain, which is known as angina.
Thrombosis occurs when a large clot forms in the blood
vessel, when cells in the blood called platelets stick
together. If this stops the blood supply from reaching the
heart, it leads to a heart attack. If it stops the blood from
reaching the brain, this leads to a stroke.
Diabetes
Diabetes has become a major threat to public health. It is
one of the major causes of premature illness and death in
most countries, including the UK, and is becoming more
common.
There are two main types – type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependent

diabetes, and is an auto-immune condition in which the
body’s immune system turns against itself, causing
permanent damage to particular cells in the pancreas that
produce insulin. This results in insulin production
ceasing, therefore in order to manage type 1 diabetes
insulin must be injected and a healthy diet must be
consumed.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin
dependent diabetes occurs when the body does not
produce enough insulin, or the insulin which is
produced does not work properly , which is known as
insulin resistance. This type of diabetes is typically
associated with being overweight or obese. The two
main approaches to treatment of type 2 diabetes is diet
modification and physical activity.
1. It is a of source of energy for the body it acts as our
fuel
2. A condition in which abnormal or excessive fat
accumulation in adipose tissue impairs health
3. A type of fats that are found in the greatest
amounts in sunflower, corn, soybean, and
cottonseed oils and in fatty fish, walnuts, and some
seeds
4. It is required for growth and repair of the body and
to maintain good health
5. Foods provide our body a large amount of nutrients

Macro Nutrients

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GRAPES

gru ray apes

stay ken a guess

she is burg her

maker knot train ends

Carbohydrate, protein and fat are known as

Macronutrients are measured in grams (g).

There are two types of carbohydrate which provide the

Dietary fibre is also a form of carbohydrate and is

Starchy carbohydrate is an important source of energy.

1g of carbohydrate provides 4 kcal (17kJ).

What other examples of starchy foods

The main sources of carbohydrate in the

In the Philippines… (RICE)

Food (per 100g) Carbohydrate (g)

Brown rice, boiled 32.1

Baked potato 18.0

Red lentils, cooked 17.5

A constant supply is required as only a small amount can

A small amount can also be synthesised in the body from

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

For adults, 9 of these have to be provided by foods in

histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine,

Protein forms structural and functional elements

Protein is involved in various metabolic

Protein is the second most abundant compound in

Depending on their chemical structure, fatty acids are

• saturated fatty acids (also known as ‘saturated fat’ or

Fat is the carrier for fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E and K.

Fat is a component of hormones which control

Fat provides cushioning for the major organs in the

These are the essential fatty acids and must be provided

Intakes of saturated fat for men and women are 13.3%

It is often the result of energy intake exceeding energy

It is defined in adults as a body mass index (BMI) above

Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased

The two main events that lead to CVD are

Atherosclerosis causes narrowing of the blood vessels,

Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependent

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