There are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The macronutrients provide energy in your body. Your dietitian will assess the daily nutritional needs of your C-section patient and develop an eating plan to ensure that their needs are met.
A food’s macronutrient profile is located in the Nutrition Facts and Ingredients labels.
A food’s macronutrient profile is located in the Nutrition Facts and Ingredients labels. Macronutrients are substances that provide energy to the body. They include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The macronutrient profile of a food tells you how much of each macronutrient is in that food.
For example, if you want to know how much fat is in a certain food, look at the information panel on the Nutrition Facts label. The total fat content will be listed as grams per serving and may also be listed as a percentage of your daily value (% DV). The % DV tells you how much of this nutrient should be consumed per day based on a 2,000-calorie diet. You can use this information to determine whether or not a food fits into your diet plan.
If you want more information about how to read a nutrition facts label, see Reading Nutrition Labels 101: A Guide for Patients with Diabetes
To find specific macronutrient content, look in the Nutrition Facts table.
To find specific macronutrient content, look in the Nutrition Facts table. The first column of numbers is the total amount of each nutrient in a serving of the food. The second column shows the percentage of that nutrient in relation to a 2,000-calorie diet (not all food has this). The third column tells you how much of each nutrient there is per 100 calories:
Total Fat: Total fat includes saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Saturated fats are found mostly in animal products such as meat and dairy products. Polyunsaturated fats are commonly used to make margarine and vegetable oils. Monounsaturated fats are plant-based fats found in nuts and olive oil.
Sugar: Sugar includes naturally occurring sugars in foods such as fruits but also added sugars in foods such as cookies or cakes. Added sugar may have no nutritional value other than calories, so try to limit this kind of sugar if possible. Added sugars contribute extra calories with little nutritional value — about 16 calories per teaspoon!
Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a type of fat that circulates through your bloodstream and is essential for many functions in your body including maintaining cell walls and producing hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
To find macronutrients among the ingredients, look for familiar words.
Macronutrients are the substances that provide you with the energy you need to live and grow. They include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
To find macronutrients among the ingredients, look for familiar words. For example, if you see sugar, it’s likely that a food contains carbohydrates; if you see butter or oil, it means fat is present; and if there is protein listed on an ingredient list, it is a good source of protein.
Protein: Protein is made of amino acids linked together in chains called peptides and polypeptides. Proteins are broken down into their individual amino acids during digestion and absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose or amino acids.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are made up of simple sugars such as glucose (blood sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), galactose (milk sugar) and sucrose (table sugar). Carbohydrates also include starches like pasta and breads as well as fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates are important for many reasons including providing energy for our bodies to function properly and helping us maintain healthy bones by assisting with calcium absorption in our diets. Carbohydrate intake should be between 45-65% of total daily calories consumed depending on your activity level.
Understanding the macronutrients in your food can help you eat a balanced and healthy diet.
Macronutrients are the three main nutrients found in food: protein, fat and carbohydrates. The macronutrient content of a food is the total amount of these nutrients per serving size.
Macronutrients serve as sources of energy for your body. The amount and type of macronutrients you eat affects your health. A balanced diet should include each macronutrient in moderation.
The following charts show how much of each macronutrient you need to consume daily based on your age, gender and activity level.
Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build muscle mass and regulate hormones, enzymes and other chemicals in the body. Protein sources include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, nuts and seeds. You can also find protein supplements such as whey protein powder or casein protein powder at most grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon.
Fat provides essential fatty acids that help with the absorption of vitamins A D E K and K2; protects organs like the brain; helps transport vitamins A D E K & K2 through our bodies; gives foods a creamy texture so we feel full longer; increases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from foods like vitamin A D E K & K2; regulates blood pressure blood cholesterol blood sugar levels.
The macronutrients of your food are easy to find if you know where to look!
The macronutrients of your food are easy to find if you know where to look!
All of our food has three macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. However, not all foods are equally good sources of each of these nutrients. For example, while nuts are great sources of protein and fat, they’re fairly low in carbs. On the other hand, fruits are high in carbs but low in protein and fat.
Protein: Protein is made up of amino acids which are essential for building muscle mass, repairing tissues and making hormones. You need protein for growth and development—from infancy to old age—and for replacing damaged tissues throughout your body. Protein also provides energy when carbohydrate intake is insufficient. The best sources of protein are animal products such as meat, fish and poultry; dairy products like milk and cheese; eggs; soybeans; lentils; nuts; seeds; beans; whole grains; vegetables (especially peas); fruits (especially avocado); legumes (eg dried beans); and lean cuts of meat with no visible fat.
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