Healthy for a Happy Life

For years, many Americans ignored the critical value of macronutrients – our essential source of energy.  You might not have heard of the term “macronutrients” before, but you still eat them every day.  Over the past twenty years, many diet plans banished these vital nutrient in a misguided approach to losing weight. 

First there was the fat-free craze of the 90’s, ignoring evidence that healthy fats such as avocados, walnuts and olive oil can help you shed fat. For example, a study in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that adults who eat the most unsaturated fat have lower body mass indexes and less belly fat than those who eat the least.

Then, in the early years of the 21^st century, low carb diets like Atkins surged in popularity, urging people to cut carbs, even from fruits and vegetables, and maximize protein and fat.  However, some research disputes this notion.  For example, a 2014 study in the Public Library of Science, studied adults on two different diets with the same number of calories.  One was rich in whole grains and low in red meat and the other was low in whole grains and rich in red meat.  The adults on the diet rich in whole grains and low in red enhanced the diversity of their gut bacteria, lost more weight and decreased their body fat. 

Nutritionist Rania Batayneh suggests including all the macronutrients at each meal.  She recommends one serving of carbohydrates, one serving of protein and one serving of fat at every meal and snack.  “Because every meal or snack contains a protein, a carb and a fat, you’re supporting each structure and function of your body with nutrients every few hours, which leads to overall health and wellness," she adds.  By combining them at each meal, you can stay full longer, keep your blood sugar from spiking, prevent fat gain, and give your muscles a constant supply of protein for muscle growth.  It is important to note that some foods count as two different macronutrients.  For example, beans count as both a carb and protein, and cheese counts as a fat and protein. “Eating a variety and balance of macronutrients helps to ensure that you meet your micronutrient goals too, which are also key in promoting good health,” says Batayneh.  For example, proteins tend to be high in iron and zinc; carbs boast fiber and B vitamins; and fats offer omega-3 fatty acids and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in many fruits and vegetables. 

In terms of the benefits of getting your energy from macronutrients, Wesley Delbridge, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a focus on whole grains and unprocessed foods at every meal.  “All carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, but we are seeing that refined ones are adsorbed and stored differently in the body,” he says. “What I think is missing from the common American diet is that we aren’t focused on getting all of our macronutrients for every meal and snack. People wake up and have a granola bar and an apple for breakfast and think they are doing well. Not to knock apples, but without fat and protein in that breakfast, they are just going to be starving and tired in an hour,” he says. 

The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 30 percent of your daily calories come from fat (only 10 percent should be saturated fat). That leaves 70 percent or more of your calories to divvy up between protein and fat. There is debate over what that split should be, but dieticians generally recommend 40 to 60 percent of your total calories come from whole carbs and 20 to 30 percent from lean protein.

Macronutrients are critical to a healthy diet, and we should strive to incorporate them frequently in our meals and snacks.  Shoot for variety and healthy choices and you will be well on your way to meeting your nutrition and fitness goals. 

Homemade juices and smoothies are both great ways to get quick nutrition, but is one better for you than the other?  Of course, the most important factor is the ingredients you use.  Smoothies are generally a blend of whole foods, which means you are keeping all the nutrients from your fruits and veggies intact. Another big benefit to smoothies is the ability to add in extra-nutritious ingredients. For example, you can pump up the protein by adding Greek yogurt or a nutritious powder.  You can also toss in a healthy fat, in the form of avocado, chia seeds, or almond butter.  The nutritional balance of a smoothie is what can make it a legit meal replacement or post-workout recovery drink.

You can cut up and measure out the ingredients ahead of time, freeze them, and then blend with a cup or so of liquid when you are ready to enjoy.  Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started:

1. Peanut Butter Banana: Cut up and freeze a banana.  Blend it with 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter or peanut butter flavored protein powder, Greek yogurt, and almond milk for desired consistency.
2. Green Pineapple: Cut up and freeze a banana and a cup or so of pineapple.  Blend it with a cup of spinach and almond milk for desired consistency.
3. Strawberry Mango: Cut up and freeze a small banana, a cup of strawberries, and a half-cup of mango.  Blend with ½ cup of oats, a spoonful of honey, and almond milk to desired consistency.
4. Mango Berry: Cut up and freeze a small banana, mixed berries and a small container of mixed fruit.  Blend with orange juice to desired consistency.
5. Very Berry: Cut up and freeze 2 cups of mixed berries.  Blend with a tablespoon of almond butter, Greek yogurt, and ice water to desired consistency.

Juice is a great way to boost your intake of fruit and vegetables.  For people who have a hard time getting their daily requirements, juice is a great way to consume produce and get the vitamins and minerals the body needs.  One drawback of juicing is that it usually extracts the nutrients in the produce but leaves the fiber behind.  Not only does this make the juice less filling than whole fruit and vegetables, but it also omits the health benefits of fiber, which is important for moving material through the digestive system.  In addition, when juice is made with fruit or vegetables with high sugar content, like carrots, it may cause a blood sugar spike, particularly if it is consumed without other food at the same time. 

Whether you are making juice or a smoothie, just be mindful of the ingredients and the portions.   Sometimes people have juice or a smoothie with a meal, for example.  This is fine, but if you are trying to lose weight, you will want to ensure that you are not consuming more calories that you will burn. 

What you eat and when you eat it have a significant effect on the effectiveness of your exercise.  We get our energy from macronutrients, substances found in carbohydrates, protein and fat, and the average adult should get about 50% of their calories from carbohydrates, 25% from fat, and 25% from protein. 

The founder of “The Fit Foodie,” Mareya Ibrahim, recently published an interesting piece on what to eat before and after exercise.  In this piece, she explains that your body needs different types of nutrition for different needs as it converts food into energy.  Some tips she provides include: 

- Enjoy a balanced nutritious meal 2 ½-3 hours prior to exercise in order to allow for digestion. Combine mostly high quality, slow-burning carbohydrates like beans, whole grain breads and cereal, fruit and vegetables, such as spinach, kale, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and cucumbers.  Pair your slow-burning carb with some protein and a little fat to help sustain you through your workout.

- If you are short on time and can’t fit in a full meal 2 ½ to 3 hours before your workout, you can still eat a decent pre-workout meal.  Just keep in mind that the sooner you eat before your workout, the smaller and simpler the meal should be.  If you eat 45-60 minutes before your workout, choose foods that are simple to digest and contain plenty of carbs and some protein, like a protein shake or energy. Don’t worry about the carbs … they are necessary, and your body will quickly convert them into energy! 

- If you are doing an endurance or long distance event for over 2-3 hours, can add an electrolyte-rich beverage or easy-to-digest food to your diet to help keep your glucose levels sustained, like coconut water or a banana. Otherwise, you may run out of energy and “hit the wall.” 

- As a post workout meal, enjoy a healthy serving of quality protein, like chicken, fish, eggs, or beans, and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds and other quality foods no more than 2 hours after completion, but ideally within an hour. This is when your body needs the proteins to convert into amino acids for muscle repair and building.

- Don’t forget to hydrate! Drinking water before, during and after exercise is critical.  For more information on hydration and exercise, see my article on healthy hydration.  (Insert link here)