Macro Nutrients

• Macro nutrients


  Nutrients needed in large amounts (carbohydrate, protein & fat)
• Micro nutrients


  Nutrients needed in small amounts (vitamins & minerals)
• Macro nutrients


  • Carbohydrate
  • Protein
  • Fat
• Carbohydrate


  • Starch: Slow release energy
  • Sugar: Fast release energy
  • NSP (fibre): Help digestive system
• Starch sources


  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Bread
• Sugar sources


  • Syrup
  • Sweets
• NSP (fibre) sources


  • Wholemeal
  • Fruit
  • Veg
• DRV for carbohydrates


  • 1/3 daily energy from carbs
  • Sugar: <30g/day
  • Fibre: >30g/day
• Too much starch/sugar


  Excess energy turns into fat, leading to obesity
• Too much sugar


  Diabetes & tooth decay
• Too much fibre


  Prevent absorption of other nutrients
• Protein


  • Growth and repair
  • Energy source
• HBV protein


  Animal - meat, fish, eggs
• LBV protein


  Plant - beans, lentils, cereals
• DRV for protein


  55g per day
• Fat


  • Insulation
  • Protect organs
  • Carry fat soluble vitamins
  • Provide essential fatty acids
• Saturated fat


  Animal (fat on meat, butter, lard)
• Unsaturated fat


  Plant (vegetable oil, margarine)
• DRV for fat


  • Total fat: 70g (female) 95g (male)
  • Sat fat: 20g (female) 30g (male)
• Excess fat


  Obesity, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, halitosis (bad breath), type 2 diabetes
• Fibre


  • Polysaccharide
  • Helps the digestive system – passes through the body
• Fibre sources


  • Wholemeal foods
  • Fruit & veg
• Starch


  • Complex carbohydrate
  • Polysaccharide (several molecules)
  • Slow release energy as body needs to break up the long chain
• Sugar


  • Simple carbohydrate
  • Monosaccharide or disaccharide
  • Fast release energy as the molecules are already broken down into 1 or 2
• Carbohydrate types


  • Starch
  • Sugar
  • NSP (fibre)
• Nutrients


  Chemicals which provide nourishment and are needed to survive
• LBV protein


  • Lack 1 or more essential amino acid
  • Usually plant proteins (peas, beans, lentils, cereals such as wheat, flour, pasta, nuts and seeds)
• Complementary proteins


  Combining 2 more LBV protein foods to get all essential amino acids. i.e. beans on toast
• Saturated fat


  Contain a 'bad' cholesterol which build ups of in the arteries and can lead to the risk of coronary heart disease- come from animal sources ( butter, lard, processed meats) or plant sources like coconut butter
• Unsaturated fat

  Contain a 'good' cholesterol which remove the build up in the arteries- can be monounsaturated- contain one C=C double bond ( found in olive oil, almonds, peanut butter and avocados) or polyunsaturated- contains more than one C=C bond (sesame oil, soyabean oil, seeds and oily fish)
• Omega 3 & 6

  • Essential fatty acids
  • Help with the heart
• HBV protein

  • Contain all of the essential amino acids
  • Usually animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products like cheese and yogurt)
• Amino acids


  • There are 20 amino acids that combine to make up proteins
  • Essential amino acids – these amino acids are not made by the body so have to come from the diet. There are 8.
  • Non essential amino acids– these are made by the body so are not needed from food.
• Carbohydrates provide energy-

  two main types- sugar and starch
• Excess glucose stored as body fat
• Vegetarians may struggle to get all essential amino acids so need 'complementary proteins'
• The type of cholesterol from saturated fat is known as 'Low Density Lipoprotein'(LDLs)
• The type of cholesterol from unsaturated fat is known as 'High Density Lipoproteins' (HDLs)
• excess protein


  the liver and kidneys help to process proteins

  too much protein can put pressure and strain on these organs which can be dangerous
• deficiency in protein


  growth is slowed down especially in children who are still growing

  • hair, skin, nails don't grow as fast- can get into poor condition
  • immune system cant work properly without proteins- wounds don't heal as quickly and therefore there is a higher risk in catching infections
  • people struggle to digest foods properly- nutrients arent taken up by the body
  • diseases such as oedema- a build up of fluid which causes swelling often around the feet
  • more severe cases- kwashiorkor can develop- oedema around the stomach= swollen abdomens