Microblog: List of Essential Macronutrients
When a nutrient is defined essential, it means that the body cannot produce it but the body requires the specific essential nutrient for optimal health.
📺I’m doing a gut healing series on YouTube and Kiran talks about how our body has strategically outsourced some of the needs since we only have so much genetic code.
🦠Some of these might be the microbes for our gut. But this also pertains to essential proteins and fats.
🧬Proteins get broken down into amino acids and while there are many amino acids, there are 9 essential ones.
🌱Many plant foods are not complete proteins because they are missing an essential amino acid.
🥩You will always get these 9 amino acids (in varying quantities) from animal-based proteins.
🐄Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which is needed for almost all functions. Most skeletal tissues, cells, organs, and muscles are made of amino acids.
💪🏼They help make the proteins that allow our bodies to grow, repair tissue, break down food, and perform many other essential processes in the body.
🐟There are 2 essential fatty acids. Alpha-linolenic acid is known as omega 3. Omega 3s are polyunsaturated fats that the body cannot make on its own. The most common omega 3s are EPA, DHA and ALA.
🦐EPA reduces inflammation, DHA is key for normal brain function and development and ALA is used as an energy source for the body. When consumed, ALA is converted into EPA and DHA, the active forms of omega 3s.
🥀Deficiencies in omega 3s can lead to chronic disease (diabetes, obesity, CVD) and, for kids, poor brain development.
🔥Best sources: Salmon, Sardines, Cod Liver, Eggs
⚠️So be wary when you are told to eat less fish.
🚧Even though omega 6s are demonized because of inflammatory seed oils, the body requires linoleic acid. When good omega 6s are consumed, they can help reduce nerve pain, fight inflammation, support automimmune, lower risk of CVD and support bone health.
❗️There are ZERO essential carbohydrates.
This is basic nutrition.
‼️So when you hear that we should steer clear of an ESSENTIAL macronutrient but consume a NON-ESSENTIAL macronutrient for optimal health, I’d strongly question the source.
