List of macronutrients

This list is a categorization of the most common food components based on their macronutrients. Macronutrients can refer to the chemical substances that humans consume in the largest quantities (See Nutrient)

Macronutrients that provide energy

There are four principal classes of macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein, lipids and alcohol.[1] Macronutrients are defined as a class of chemical compounds which humans consume in the largest quantities (must be above a threshold amount) and which provide humans with the bulk of energy. While water does make up a large proportion of the total mass ingested as part of a normal diet, it does not provide any nutritional value.

Carbohydrates
  • Glucose
  • Sucrose
  • Ribose
  • Amylose a major component of starch
  • Amylopectin
  • Maltose
  • Galactose
  • Fructose
  • Lactose

Protein

Amino acids

Fats

Saturated fats
  • Butyric acid (C4)
  • Caproic acid (C6)
  • Caprylic acid (C8)
  • Capric acid (C10)
  • Lauric acid (C12)
  • Myristic acid (C14)
  • Pentadecanoic acid (C15)
  • Palmitic acid (C16)
  • Margaric acid (C17)
  • Stearic acid (C18)
  • Arachidic acid (C20)
  • Behenic acid (C22)
  • Lignoceric acid (C24)
  • Cerotic acid (C26)

Monounsaturated fats
  • Myristol
  • Pentadecenoic
  • Palmitoyl
  • Heptadecenoic
  • Oleic acid
  • Eicosen
  • Erucic acid
  • Nervonic acid

Polyunsaturated fats
  • Linoleic acid (LA) - an essential fatty acid
  • α-Linolenic acid (ALA) - an essential fatty acid
  • Stearidonic acid (SDA)
  • Arachidonic acid (ETA)
  • Timnodonic acid (EPA)
  • Clupanodonic acid (DPA)
  • Cervonic acid (DHA)

Essential fatty acids

These 2 essential fatty acids are the starting point for other important omega-acids (e.g. DHA, EPA)

  • α-Linolenic acid ALA (18:3) Omega-3 fatty acid
  • Linoleic acid LA (18:2) Omega-6 fatty acid

Macronutrients that do not provide energy

Water

Water is the most important substance for life on Earth. It provides the medium in which all metabolic processes proceed. As such it is necessary for the absorption of macronutrients, but it provides no nutritional value in and of itself. Water often contains naturally occurring micronutrients such as calcium and salts, and others can be introduced to the water supply such as chlorine and fluoride for various purposes such as sanitation or dental health.

Fiber

Dietary fiber or roughage, found mostly in vegetables (and fruit), is crucial to the health and normal function of the human digestive system.

Fitness and bodybuilding

In sports, fitness and bodybuilding the term macros is used extensively to refer to macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and lipids). Additionally, the term carb or carbs refers to carbohydrates.

Almost all diet plans are based on judicious distribution of these three elements in required ratios. For example, a 2000 calorie diet could consist of 800 calories from 200 grams of protein (1 g of protein = 4 kcal), 800 calories from 200 grams of carbs (1 g carbohydrates = 4 kcal) and 400 calories from 44 grams of fats (1 g fat = 9 kcal).

This is also called counting or tracking macros.

See also

References
  1. Prentice, Andrew M. (1 October 2005). "Macronutrients as sources of food energy". 8 (7a): 932–939. doi:10.1079/PHN2005779 – via Cambridge Core. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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