# Nutrition (cont.)
## October 7th, 2020
- So, let's talk about AMDR: The "Acceptable Macronturient Range"
- We want ~45-65% of our diet to be carbohydrates
- 1g of carbs equals 4 calories
- Fats should be ~20-35% of our diet
- 1g of fats equals 9 calories
- Protein should be ~10-35% of our diet (or 0.8g of protein for each kilogram of body weight)
- Like carbs, 1g protein = 4 calories
- Most Americans get too much protein, and typically from saturated fats or fatty meats that aren't great
- Water is ALSO considered an essential macronutrient; our body uses water for performing chemical reactions, regulating body temperature, removing waste, transporting nutrients via blood, cushioning our organs, etc.
- Our bodies are ~50-70% water, and you can't live for more than a week without water
- You can survive up to a month without food, in contrast
- Without water, you become dehydrated, and in extreme cases it can be fatal
- Thirst is the first clue for dehydration; dark colored urine is also a clue you're dehydrated (healthy urine is a pale lemonade color)
- The American College of Sports Medicine recommends hydration throughout exercising; men should have 13 cups of water per day, women should have 9 cups
- Fruits and vegetables are ~80-95% water, and contribute to hydration
- You might need extra water while working out
- After water, the body's most abundant substance is protein, which is the major structural component in all the body's cells
- The most abundant protein in the body is COLLAGEN, which makes up our connective tissues
- 2 other big proteins providing muscle support are ACTIN and MYOSIN
- Antibodies fight disease, and depend on proteins for survival
- Enzymes (e.g. lactase) act as catalysts to help the body chemically react
- Hormones are proteins that regulate our body's functioning (e.g. insulin)
- Proteins are built of amino acids; there are 20 of these, and 9 that are ESSENTIAL in foods (i.e. they're not produced in our diet and must be consumed)
- COMPLETE PROTEINS contain all 9 of these essential acids, and largely come from animal sources or combinations of vegetarian proteins (most vegetables are incomplete proteins on their own)
- WHOLE SOY PROTEINS (like soy beans) are an exception to this; they're a complete, plant-based protein source
- Again, there are 5 macronutrients
- CARBOHYDRATES are the best energy source for daily activities and are the most efficiently converted to glucose (which our body uses directly)
- The RDA minimum is ~130 grams of carbs daily
- This is the best macronutrient for exercise fuel BECAUSE it can be used up quickly and immediately
- There are 2 kinds of carbs:
- SIMPLE carbs are "simple sugars" that have just 1-2 sugar molecules in them (i.e. monosaccharides and disaccharides)
- Sources of these include processed sugars, fruits, and dairy
- High consumption of ADDED sugars are linked to obesity and cancer
- COMPLEX carbs are long chains of sugars, and provide sustained energy
- There are 3 main types:
- STARCHES are the stored energy in plants (e.g. rice, flour, pasta, bread, potatoes, etc.)
- GLYCOGENS are the stored energy/glucose in animals, in the muscle and liver cells
- FIBER are the indigestible portion of plant foods
- We need ~25g and 38g for women/men daily
- Most Americans only get half the fiber they need
- While we can't digest this, it's essential to moving foods through our digestion system, lowering cholesterol, protecting against diabetes, helping w/ weight loss, etc.
- Big sources of this:
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Some fruits/vegetables
- Beans
- Supplements (last resort)
- Let's talk more about what whole grains are
- They're made up of 3 parts: the BRAN (outer shell, high in fiber), GERM (high-energy part of kernel), and ENDOSPERM (innermost starches)
- WHOLEGRAINS have all 3 parts
- These are abundant in vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.
- REFINED GRAINS mill out the first 2, leaving only the endosperm and removing most B-vitamins, iron, phytochemicals and fiber
- ENRICHED are refined grains with some vitamins added back, but still without fiber or phytochemicals
- FATS/LIPIDS, which come in 2 forms:
- CHOLESTEROL, which our bodies naturally produce
- TRIGLYCERIDES, where our bodies store excess energy
- Fats ARE important, since they provide the densest energy source we have, maintain healthy skin/hair, help cells to function, regulate body temps, etc.
- The 2 types of dietary fat, then:
- SATURATED fats come primarily from animals, are solid at room temp, and can clog arteries
- Trans fats (or partially hydrogenated fats) are like saturated fats, but more stable and thus a lot harder for our body to process, so they are NOT healthy
- There are trace amounts of natural trans fats in animals, but they're largely negligible
- The FDA has officially deemed trans fats not safe for consumption, so they should officially be removed from stores as of 2020
- UNSATURATED fats come primarily from fish and plants, are usually liquid at room temp, and promote HDL in the body (which is good!)
- MONOUNSATURATED FATS, which comes especially from olive oil, are great for heat health
- There are 2 essential fatty acids
- OMEGA-6 are found in soy products (like corn, peanut oil, etc.) - this is found in almost every packaged product
- OMEGA-3 is ound in fish fats and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as some types of nuts; this is important for heart health
- In the U.S., all foods need to have a food label detailing their nutrition facts, but many people don't know how to use that knowledge - what should you look for?
- Based on a 2000 calorie diet, start by seeing how large each serving is/how many servings there are in the container
- Then, look at the percent daily values:
- >= 20% is high in a nutrient
- <= 5% is low
- You generally want high levels of nutrients but low levels of sugars and fats