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S2 E2 Beyond Macros: The Neglected components of your diet that explain SO MUCH
83 Plays1 year ago
Today I am diving into a discussion that clarifies WHY there are so many approaches of intake that can work for SOME and not OTHERS and the major considerations you can take to determine what is best for you through highlighting our very neglected and very important components of our diet: Micronutrients
I have worked with a LOT of people that are VERY familiar with macros, and I will tell you this is NOT a macro 101 pod. Listen in for a brief new framework around macronutrients that sets the stage for our topic of the day.
Time to go BEYOND the macros, baby. (While also still very much considering them too…)
Listen in to figure out why understanding the complementary nature of each can lead to positive health outcomes.
Theresemartinezrd.com
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Transcript
Introduction to Escaping Diet Culture
00:00:08
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Eating Between the Lines. I am your host, Therese Martinez, and I am so happy to have you here. If you want to untangle yourself from diet culture conditioning and get appropriate, actionable options to nourish your unique life and body, I'm going to dive deep into the nuanced spectrum of health to help you figure out what to prioritize in your journey without getting trapped in the extreme ideology of health optimization or total complacency.
Applying Science for Health Improvement
00:00:39
Speaker
I am here to help you apply the science effectively, not rigidly, and get you feeling better in your body and mind. Here is how to eat between the lines.
00:00:56
Speaker
Welcome back to eating between the lines. Oh, today's topic. Today's topic is a juicy one. This is something I have been talking about with patients for a long time.
00:01:11
Speaker
It is a ah topic that I wish would get more attention honestly in the nutrition world. I find that there tends to be a very big focus on macronutrients. And while we will be discussing a bit about macronutrients today, I want to discuss the other very, very important layers to consider when it comes to other components of our food.
Role of Macronutrients in the Body
00:01:41
Speaker
Okay. So this kind of ah goes into why there can be so many different success stories with different approaches to food intake.
00:01:52
Speaker
This also will highlight why things like the U S dietary guidelines are not a blanketed statement to be absolutely picture perfect for every single individual. So we have considerations to discuss to today. This is understanding your food and how it actually applies to your health and your patterns.
00:02:17
Speaker
So we're going to get into a discussion around micronutrients and the roles that they play with macronutrients. And how you can start to understand and differentiate between fad diets and why there is so much anecdotal evidence for things that veer away from general recommendations of a balanced plate. So if you are particularly savvy with macronutrients, I still encourage you to listen to this whole episode because I have yet to meet someone.
00:02:48
Speaker
that comes into my sessions that has had this particular framing before. And I get a lot of people that have dieted and tracked for a lot of their lives. So it is not lost on me that people can feel like they know a lot about macronutrients. And in reality, there is actually a bit more to nutrition to consider. So let's break it down.
00:03:12
Speaker
We have three primary macronutrient categories of which we put all foods in that we consume. Okay. So looked at a different way. We have three main categories of which we put foods. These foods have a primary macronutrient and macronutrients have certain roles in the body.
00:03:38
Speaker
So these are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. These are components of foods that serve a certain role in the body. All foods are going to contain a component of one or multiple of these macronutrients.
00:03:53
Speaker
And these macronutrients will serve a certain role in the body. Okay. We got that clear.
Micronutrients and Nutrient Absorption
00:03:58
Speaker
So many people will oversimplify these rules. And though there is legitimacy to the generalizations discussed, I think that, ah, there's just so much more to consider the effectiveness of the role and the benefit will depend on something called the micronutrient content paired with how that particular body utilizes and absorbs and metabolizes these nutrients. So micronutrients are things like vitamins, minerals, fiber. Fiber is kind of like a hybrid micronutrient, macronutrient, but we'll say micro for the sake of this conversation. These are the nitty gritty components of our food
00:04:46
Speaker
that go into our body and do so much work improving our metabolic health, our immunity, cell turnover, hormone regulation, enzyme production, and more. Micronutrients are extremely important in our body's overall functioning. So you can think about something like vitamin C and how it is classically associated to help with immunity and how some bodies And maybe some people at certain times need more vitamin C when their immune system may be compromised and they might need less vitamin C if they don't need as much support. Now that is putting it pretty simply and immunity is far more complex, but you get the idea that some bodies may demand more or less of certain
00:05:37
Speaker
nutrients to function more optimally based off absorption and utilization and demand. We will talk a lot
Energy from Carbohydrates
00:05:46
Speaker
more about micronutrients down the line, but this helps us understand macronutrients and we can understand the breakdown of macronutrients into micronutrients and their functions and role in the body. So Let's talk about the roles of macronutrients. Reiterating, this is put simply, but starting with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates tend to give us energy and provide our bodies with fiber, depending on the source of the carbohydrates, which has a very significant and different role in the body. I isolate fiber outside of other micronutrients that are also found in carbohydrates, just because I do find it a bit profoundly different, although
00:06:29
Speaker
we do find other micronutrients in carbohydrates, right? So some carbohydrates provide more micronutrient bang for their calorie buck, which means that they potentially go further in supporting certain functions in the body.
00:06:47
Speaker
So we have two different subcategories of carbohydrates. We have complex carbohydrates, and this is the fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole grains, whole wheat breads of the world. Okay. All of these different complex carbs have different nutrient profiles.
00:07:08
Speaker
and so some bodies will like a certain mix more than others. Some complex carbs also have more protein and fiber which can impact your overall patterns of intake differently because you can feel more satisfied and satiated for a longer period of time. Hence the reason complex carbs are generally recommended for folks.
00:07:32
Speaker
Simple carbohydrates like sweets, sugars, refined carbohydrates, the white breads and pastas of the world. These have ah less micronutrient content and they stay in your system for less time. So meaning you consume them, you get energy.
00:07:52
Speaker
Your blood sugar goes up and they provide very quick fuel. And then generally that blood sugar comes back down and or is utilized.
Protein's Role in Body Health
00:08:02
Speaker
And so it doesn't necessarily mean that like one is better or worse. You know, simple carbohydrates can be utilized pretty effectively around times of exercise to provide quick fuel. And also they can just be delightful to consume, right? So always recognizing.
00:08:20
Speaker
many reasons we eat. So it doesn't necessarily mean one is better or worse. It just depends on what you need in that moment for your body and patterns as you need and want to consider these things. Protein helps build and repair tissue in the body while also promoting lean body tissue preservation in addition to balancing blood sugar, regulating hunger and energy. Protein also can provide us energy, but it's not our preferred source. So protein is a powerhouse macronutrient. I've talked about protein a lot before. This is why people push protein. Protein limits so many variables when it comes to spontaneous and sporadic hunger.
00:09:09
Speaker
Um, it really helps with that blood sugar balance and hunger regulation, which is again, why so many people love it to kind of push. Now, not all sources are created equal on a satiating and micronutrient level.
00:09:26
Speaker
Okay. I like to highlight this a bit because with protein being so emphasized, like all the time, people can get so hyper fixated on hitting their protein targets through a lot of synthetic protein products. So I often see, you know, even like when I'm working with people to start, we may take a focus on protein and that might mean that we get some products that are.
00:09:53
Speaker
protein base, like protein shakes and protein bars. And say for instance, at breakfast, there might be a focus on getting more protein in. So for an individual, they might start by having something like a protein shake. Now, some people might just get protein shakes that have 30 grams of protein. And with the 30 grams of protein, just in this protein shake,
00:10:19
Speaker
The protein shake may also have like a couple hundred calories. And so what I often see is that when people just focus on hitting a protein target and they don't consider the quality and content of the foods they're consuming, sometimes we lose sight of the micronutrient content, which means that we're just hitting macros to hit macros.
00:10:46
Speaker
and it loses sight of the purpose of nutrition. So coming back to this example, if I have someone that's having a 30 gram protein shake and it's a couple hundred calories for breakfast versus someone that is having something like
Animal vs. Plant Protein Benefits
00:11:01
Speaker
a couple eggs and maybe a little bit of yogurt and some berries, I have now on one side, a person that's maybe consuming 20 grams of protein in addition to getting some additional fibers and antioxidants and and probiotics and volume from that breakfast versus on the other side, someone getting mostly a protein containing shake and fewer calories. So we see often differences in patterns of intake because generally that one that has less protein
00:11:42
Speaker
is actually going to be more satisfying and satiating, not only because it's eating food and it's going to take a little bit longer for a person to digest it, and so therefore it will have lasting satiating effects, but sometimes it may also be more enjoyable.
00:11:59
Speaker
And also they are getting the additional micronutrients that can be provided by these other whole foods versus just a protein shake, not really supplying these other micronutrient benefits and satiating considerations. So just something to think about there. I also just tend to notice.
00:12:20
Speaker
Protein bars, protein shakes, just in general not being wildly satiating, but people are different too. So I always just like to kind of zoom out and look at patterns. ah Other considerations around protein look at different food sources of protein having different micronutrient profiles. So I say food like whole food in this sense, I suppose less synthetic. So we're looking at animal sources versus plant sources. So.
00:12:49
Speaker
animal sources will have a certain micronutrient profile. Generally, when we talk about micronutrients in like the protein realm, we refer to things like amino acids, but there can also be other things like you know iron and B vitamins and things like that as micronutrients in whole food sources, too. And so we kind of look at it at a whole scheme as well.
00:13:19
Speaker
And so animal sources will have a different micronutrient profile than plant sources. However, we can get the array of micronutrients we need in the protein sense through both. Okay. Animal sources, something I like to consider as well, when people kind of have these debates and arguments of like, which one's better?
00:13:44
Speaker
I find that the reason trial and error, especially with a professional can be beneficial here is because we can start to highlight certain reasons why some foods might work better or worse for a person. So animal sources tend to have more fat.
00:14:02
Speaker
And more fat can sometimes be more satiating and filling, and that can lead to better patterns of intake, right? So it might not be that, oh, it's animal proteins are are like the most elite quality versus plant proteins, but we just have to kind of look and see, well, what works for you? Do you like this more too? Does it feel satisfying and satiating and how does it impact your patterns? ah Similarly with plant sources and how do we manipulate plant source intake to also make sure you're getting the sufficient amount of micronutrients that you need for protein considerations.
Individualized Nutrition Needs
00:14:41
Speaker
Okay. But other things to think about is that plant sources have more fiber and additional micronutrient content that some animal sources do not have. And so a person might be getting just a whole slew of different micronutrients when they start incorporating more plant sources of protein.
00:15:00
Speaker
And that might be beneficial for that body, right? We just because got to do a little trial and error here. I like to kind of also use this illustration of like collagen and collagen supplements. So a lot of people are familiar with collagen. And collagen is basically like a handful of amino acids that have been connected and correlated to improving hair, skin, and nails. And so when we consume this combination of amino acids, there can be a connection associated with improving this function in the body, right? So this is just another illustration of how certain nutrients can be connected to effects of bodily functions.
00:15:46
Speaker
Now, I mean, I think there's ah actually a decent amount of criticism around collagen supplements and, uh, and some things to note about anecdotal evidence, but again, just use of an illustration. One of the other things that I found really interesting exploring considerations with animal proteins versus plant proteins, and then also really digging into the carnivore diet. I've been very interested in that lately is.
00:16:14
Speaker
that sometimes like your body has an amazing ability to adapt. And we actually, when there is a shift in an intake to almost like more of a primarily animal based angle, vitamin needs can sometimes change. And so like vitamin A is used for is metabolizing carbohydrates. So if you don't eat a lot of carbohydrates, then maybe you don't need as much vitamin A.
00:16:43
Speaker
Vitamin A is found in a lot of plant foods. And so it can just be like, I don't know, kind of fascinating,
Balancing Macronutrients for Health
00:16:50
Speaker
right? So micronutrient needs can shift according to metabolism. It makes sense that like your body would kind of be a little bit different on different types of diets, like running differently. But honestly, I just am curious to see more evidence with like really truly the benefit of cutting out massive food groups.
00:17:13
Speaker
And so it just doesn't always make a lot of sense for me, but I still am really interested in digging in a little bit more with all of that, you know, especially because I am a pretty big fiber advocate and fan. So in any case, a little tangential there, but so just to consider, you know, the biggest importance here is to get the nutrients.
00:17:37
Speaker
in that are needed on a whole for our bodies, especially with protein. Protein is very, very, very, very important. There are certain micronutrients that we can make on our own and there are certain micronutrients we need to consume. And so there are certain major considerations we want to have in terms of the food that we consume to suit those needs. Okay. So moving right along, fat contributes structurally for our body in addition to, oh my gosh, so many other functions. So it helps with hormone regulation, neural health. It provides energy. It helps us absorb vitamins. So fat soluble vitamins, we need fat to absorb vitamins.
00:18:24
Speaker
And so that's why it's kind of helpful to have some combination of, you know, fat, carbs, and protein at every meal. There's just a little bit more insurance of the adequate absorption for what we're consuming in addition to all of the other reasons I've kind of already mentioned, but, uh, fat comes in animal products, especially eggs, meat, chicken thighs, you know, like the fattier cuts of meats and and poultry and dairy. It also comes in.
00:18:53
Speaker
plant products like fruits, avocado, and coconut, and then also nuts, seeds, and probably where the bulk of us get fat is from oils. You know, something to consider too is that when we, again, think about fat coming in animal products, and I hear this argument a lot from folks that are more low carb and very like advocate a lot for fat. Well, a lot of the fat that we consume in animal products comes with the protein with the animal products, right? So it's just really hard to kind of isolate a macronutrient in terms of it's like clear cut benefits when it is just combined with other macronutrients and micronutrients, right? So fat is our friend. Fat makes things palatable.
00:19:38
Speaker
Fat contains nine calories per gram versus carbs and protein at four calories per gram. So a little fat can go a long ways. I mean, like if you've ever looked at a tablespoon of oil, it is not a whole lot and it's like 140 calories, right? So.
00:19:54
Speaker
I don't love like talking calories all the time. I also think that it can be important to sort of recognize energy density, which is the same thing as calorie density to be, because sometimes manipulations can make you feel a little bit better. So.
00:20:10
Speaker
It's definitely not to say that we need to cut down on fat. It's just noting how some foods can provide a little bit more calories than others and what you need at that time, because sometimes we need more and and sometimes we need less given how impactful fat can also be to add flavor to foods. It can also.
00:20:31
Speaker
balanced blood sugars and promote satiety. They are all great reasons to incorporate it in regularly. So we're looking at again, how fat can impact our patterns in it addition to the helpful compounds in the body. Certain types of fats don't really contain micronutrients like saturated fats, but there are fats that contain micronutrients like polyunsaturated fats. They contain something called omega six and omega three fatty acids.
00:20:58
Speaker
And so these have different functions. Each one of them have different functions and come from different foods. And they're very important and have been shown to provide a lot of benefit for our health. Generally speaking, Omega-3s are really well known to be found in things like seafood, but there are also Plant products that have omega threes, they're just not generally as well absorbed and utilized, but they can be found. Omega sixes are found in and a lot of different foods. I'm not going to get into all of that right now. This isn't really kind of identifying nutrients and foods on a whole, but just kind of noting these are important and these are beneficial. In addition to how we look at fat as a macronutrient and the function it plays with patterns of intake.
00:21:43
Speaker
Pulling the lens back, we also see some of the foods that fat is in having additional micronutrients, even if it's not from the fat itself. So again, food on a whole here, we're seeing, okay, so nuts and seeds and animal products and avocado. These all are kind of considered fats. I mean, animal products to a degree, depending on which one.
00:22:06
Speaker
but definitely can have a lot of fat in those, but not seeds and avocado for sure considered fats. Those all have micronutrients. Those all have fiber and other, other types of micronutrients in them too. And so we're getting micronutrient content when we are also consuming foods with fat, even if we're just seeing fat as the macro, hopefully that helps with that. So again, zooming out on macronutrients, we can see that carbohydrates increase energy.
00:22:35
Speaker
and protein and fat stabilize that energy that we get from carbohydrates while also impacting hunger regulation and satiety. This is why so many people follow something called an if it fits your macros approach, because when you prioritize sufficient protein, you limit variables of massive energy fluctuations and hunger dysregulation, and you promote more stability and satiety while then also supporting sufficient energy intake with carbohydrates and fat. So I like to say macronutrients impact patterns and micronutrients impact conditions. When we figure
Importance of Food Variety and Gut Health
00:23:18
Speaker
out the right balance for our own self and needs, when it comes to how to combine proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, we can highly influence our hunger regulation and satiety,
00:23:31
Speaker
And in some cases, body composition and performance too. This is why it's really important to understand the food you consume and what food is which macronutrient so that you can understand why you may be responding the way that you are based off of those macronutrients. Now the limitations of the approach with the, if it fits your macros,
00:23:56
Speaker
kind of disregard food quality and micronutrient content for many. If we reflect back on how different micronutrients are in different macronutrients, different macronutrient containing foods, basically, we can see that different foods support different functions of our body so that it's not just impacting patterns, but can also impact some of those bigger metrics of health.
00:24:23
Speaker
This is largely why many dieticians or nutrition specialists tend to advocate for a variety of foods in the diet because different foods contain different micronutrients and therefore will supply you with the adequate nutrients that you need. Now I will also say that just because you're consuming certain foods doesn't necessarily mean that you are actually utilizing the nutrients in those foods. And that can get into a whole rabbit hole of gut health.
00:24:53
Speaker
So again, there are so many layers to what we consume and how it impacts us. And then also additional pillars of health, like even having elevated levels of stress can impact the absorption that you have with your food.
00:25:11
Speaker
how you consume your food impacts the way you absorb certain nutrients and such. And so there are layers, but this kind of just looks at checking off, you know, just the whole consume the food variable. And then you can also investigate the, you know, if it's how effective that the intake is as well down the line.
00:25:37
Speaker
Many times that is done with a professional that can look at and assess your digestive health as well. So knowing that different people need different types of micronutrients,
00:25:49
Speaker
This is where, you know, it can be challenging with figuring out what works best for you. It can be helpful, you know, to examine your diet and your intake because you might be getting sufficient protein, but if your main protein sources are all of the same or maybe things like protein bars and protein shakes, you may be missing out on other micronutrients from alternative sources.
00:26:15
Speaker
And we do not need to go down a rabbit hole of optimizing every single thing that goes into our body and making sure it's absolutely nutrient dense every single time. We want awareness,
Enjoyment in Balanced Nutrition
00:26:25
Speaker
recognition, curiosity, and an understanding that overall changes to whole foods and a diversity of intake can make a big difference with overall micronutrient content. But the biggest thing is adding the right foods in and in the right amount for your body.
00:26:44
Speaker
An additional layer to all of this is the attempt to also eat without rigid rules, especially if a person is so tired of tracking and weighing food and thinking about their food all the time. Like, Oh my gosh, I get that so tough. I don't want this to be a whole, like, how do we again, just micromanage everything that we consume down to the micronutrients it's not That complicated, you guys. It is just helpful to create the foundations of macronutrient balance while also thinking about the quality of the food so that you can try to ensure more micronutrient content. And we do we do that by also developing skills of how to incorporate these foods in in a palatable and enjoyable fashion.
00:27:39
Speaker
And really that's foundational. But do we have to entirely eliminate food groups or foods that we love or different comforting foods that might not be wildly balanced, et cetera? No, we're just getting in front of the decision making. We're kind of understanding how foods impact us.
00:28:02
Speaker
And then how we can also shift our diet to incorporate more nutritious foods to help the overall functionality of our body, but not in like some wildly restrictive fashion. So if you're
Steps to Balanced Nutrient Intake
00:28:17
Speaker
finding that you're still struggling with feeling good in your body or confused with certain health outcomes, you may want to reflect.
00:28:26
Speaker
on number one your overarching patterns of intake and then breaking down the meals into ratios of macronutrients that can be and that can just be visually speaking right just observationally speaking and see how these ratios kind of support satisfaction satiety and energy balance Usually it helps to start with protein first because that does really help limit a lot of other variables. But then you'll also be looking at the diversity of food color and the contents of micronutrients in in your meals. I really do find a lot of the struggle with all of this is just how to build a database of food and meal options that are palatable, that also
00:29:12
Speaker
fit your time and lifestyle right like feasible feasible in terms of your skill set and all of that and so that's a whole other bazillion podcast to talk about right this is a lot of what I go over with patience exploring, you know, different freezer stable options, shelf stable options, improving cooking ability, and also working on that high palatability content with more healthful choices. Considering what is the micronutrient content that is going to benefit me and my health challenges the most, everybody's different with how they titrate it. It's kind of like thinking about
00:29:54
Speaker
Hey, is it two broccoli florets that I need, or is it maybe half of my plate? And that's different for every everyone. Plus how in the world do I balance this with a positive relationship with food? So just to break this down into kind of like these five steps that I go for over. So first one, start with observation and awareness. Start identifying the content of your food. Maybe protein content, complex carbohydrates, fiber content. Number two,
00:30:24
Speaker
Note how certain volumes of foods make you feel and get connected to the body. All right. I had two eggs and a piece of toast for breakfast. How do I feel going into lunch? Okay. How do I feel going into dinner? Okay. I'm ravenous going into dinner. Was it my breakfast? Was it my lunch? What happened today? Just kind of like take note, get observational. Doesn't make a difference. If I add an egg to breakfast, does that impact how I feel even going into dinner?
00:30:51
Speaker
Get connected to the body. I love helping people get connected to their body more. This is a world of disconnection to body. We are just being told what we should and shouldn't eat, how we shouldn't, shouldn't feel, and what we shouldn't, shouldn't look like. We are so disconnected from self. Number three, try to mimic and replicate the meals that satisfy and satiate you and work on consistent implementation. So if I notice that two eggs at a piece of toast or three eggs at a piece of toast in the morning really satisfies and satiates me. I'm going to say, Hmm. Okay. So eggs have a bit of protein and fat. I also have a little bit of carbs in the toast, but I want to mix this up. So how do I maybe do this with a yogurt bowl? Okay. Well,
00:31:38
Speaker
I'm going to make sure I have prioritize the protein, uh, maybe have a little bit of fat. Okay. So add in some nut butter, um, and maybe add some fiber with chia seeds. I know I got fiber in that toast carbohydrates, add some fruit. Okay. And make sure that volume is kind of comparable. Great. So similar things like that.
00:31:59
Speaker
Number four, titrate the micronutrient content and explore more ways to get creative with nutrient rich foods that are enjoyable and satisfying. So this is kind of that next step. All right. So we figured out a little bit of the balance of macronutrients and volume. Now, how can I figure out ways to.
00:32:17
Speaker
increase that micronutrient content. Maybe that means going from two broccoli florets to a half a plate. See how I feel. Maybe it means just throwing in a few extra ingredients. I'm just going to toss in some beans to my salad. I'm just going to add a little bit more flaxseed to my smoothie, whatever it is. Number five, understand areas of flexibility by getting in front of intake versus behind it.
00:32:48
Speaker
This allows more freedom while knowing how certain foods may impact you like your energetics or patterns, et cetera. So this is getting intentional and proactive versus reactive and impulsive, but it gives you empowerment. We are no longer getting on the other side of the meal of a day of weeks of years, looking back and being like, what the heck just happened? We are actually understanding.
Personalized vs. General Nutrition Approaches
00:33:15
Speaker
what we are consuming and how it's making us feel and how that influences our patterns of intake. Hopefully this illustrates how there can be so many approaches to food intake yet foundations of, you know, meal balance and micronutrient intake kind of remain the same across many boards. You know, I am super interested in micronutrients.
00:33:39
Speaker
and just find the body so amazingly intricate and complex and adaptable. You know, it like, of course, it makes so much sense. It's no wonder if we can all have different ways of eating that work. There, you know, just can be concerns and considerations when we think a certain way will work just because it worked for someone else. And I know that temptation. I know why you want to go down that.
00:34:03
Speaker
just because it worked for someone else, but I can also really encourage you and hopefully illustrate the fact that just because it worked for someone else does not mean it's going to work for you. I just highly recommend also listening to my previous episode, you know, how to kind of treat yourself as your own and one experiment, but you know, focus on those foundations.
Connecting with Resources and Community
00:34:27
Speaker
Let me know if you have any questions. Talk to you next time.
00:34:31
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening today. If you found this information valuable, please share this episode and give it a review. They truly help a ton. If you want additional support and information, you can head over to my website, teresmartinezrd.com, where you can snag my free guide on how to improve your hunger signals, get on my email list for regular juicy content, or apply for the next round of my signature program, restoring nutrition intuition.
00:34:58
Speaker
Otherwise Instagram at Teresa Martinez RD or my Facebook group fed fit and fad free nutrition with Teresa are always places for more content and support until next time.