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Eating for health and weight loss can be a frustrating experience. You diligently count calories and aim to get enough iron, calcium, and vitamins in your diet. Despite all of this, you’re feeling totally depleted of energy, you aren’t losing weight, and your workouts are suffering. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to find out what a macronutrient is so you can decide if a macronutrient-based diet might be right for you.
Depending on your goals, there’s a macro-based diet for almost everyone—regardless of your fitness level or [linkbuilder id=”2537″ text=”favorite foods”]. Macro diets don’t necessarily restrict intake of meat, dairy, or other food groups, but they can accommodate vegetarianism and veganism, meaning the basic principles and defining ratios of macro diets are applicable to anyone looking to eat healthfully and reap the benefits of doing so.

Why Macros Really are a Big Deal

Whether you decide to go macro or not, understanding the role of macronutrients will help you better understand your body and whether the foods you choose are helping or hindering when it comes to your health and fitness goals. While many of us are interested in [linkbuilder id=”5671″ text=”clean eating”] and fitness, the facts about how food impacts or performance, weight, and disease risk really do exist at the macronutrient level, which makes educating ourselves in this area super important.
A solid understanding of the major components that make up everything we eat is powerful knowledge. In fact, a thesis completed at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 2012 reports a positive relationship between nutritional knowledge, proper eating habits, and decreased incidence of obesity. With estimates that 72 percent of American women will be overweight or obese in 2020 and the fact that even trained athletes who get plenty of protein may not spread protein intake throughout their day to their best advantage, it’s clear that understanding macros can benefit you now and well into the future, whether you’re training, looking for an energy boost, or gearing up to lose weight.

Ideas to Invest in Before You Begin a Macro-Based Diet

Like many trending approaches to eating, a macronutrient-driven diet should include plenty of whole foods so that you can keep up with your body’s micronutrient needs. If possible, it’s definitely worth sitting down with a registered dietician or similarly trained wellness professional to discuss a macronutrient ratio that will work best for you and your current activity level.
Macronutrient calculators can also be helpful when determining the correct macro ratio for your lifestyle. These calculators will use information about your weight, gender, activity level, and goals to suggest a macro ratio (more on that to come!) that you should aim to consume. The ratios can be tweaked based on your body’s responses to the changes in your diet.
Most importantly, obsessing over your diet for any reason can be stressful. Make sure to give yourself room for mistakes, an occasional treat, and plenty of kindness as you embark on this new eating adventure!

So, what are macros?

Macros, or macronutrients, are the three basic building blocks of our diets that we need to consume in large quantities: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Macronutrients can be eaten in different ratios depending on the particular wellness goals you’re trying to achieve. But first, it’s important to understand the role each of the three macronutrients serves when it comes to fueling your body and keeping it running smoothly.

The Power of Protein

Protein is a macronutrient frequently praised for its ability to help the body build and maintain muscle tissue. In fact, protein is a building block for many of your body’s most basic structures and functions. Protein is used all over the body. It helps keep bones strong, forms the keratin that makes up your skin and hair, and makes up part of your DNA. Protein is more difficult for your body to digest than carbohydrates, which means your body burns more calories when digesting protein.
As a macronutrient, protein is recognized for its ability to stave off hunger and keep you feeling more satiated for longer periods of time, which is why it’s often associated with its ability to help with weight loss and weight maintenance. A single gram of protein contains four calories. Ultimately, the proteins in food are made up of very small amino acids, which are utilized by the body to put together new proteins.

All About Amino Acids

The protein in our own bodies is made up of 20 amino acids, nine of which we’re unable to create for ourselves and must get from our diets. On a molecular level, protein is made up of strings of amino acids which break down into single amino acids or small strings of them (which are called peptides) in our digestive systems.
These individual amino acids form new protein bonds that are unique to their specific functions in the body. Protein that comes from meat is similar to our own and contains all nine essential amino acids whereas most plant-based sources contain only a few amino acids.
It used to be thought that vegetarians and vegans needed to combine protein sources at every meal to satisfy their macronutrient needs, however current research shows that as long as you’re eating a varied plant-based diet, your essential amino acid needs will be met, which is reason for flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans to rejoice!

A Frank Look at Fat

Fat has long been the most vilified of the three macronutrients our bodies need to run smoothly. But, while it can feel counterintuitive to reach for the full-fat option of your favorite snack, it might actually be healthier than opting for a fat-free alternative.
Fat is in almost all foods, from meat and dairy to plant-based cuisine because fat is used by many living things (including human beings) as an efficient means of storing energy. Fat is the main carrier of flavor, which is why low-fat and fat-free products often have copious amount of sugar and salt added to them for flavor.
Fat is a crucial part of our diets because it gives us energy, keeps us warm, cushions our organs from harm, keeps our skin and hair looking healthy, contributes to normal brain function, and is a source of fatty acids that our bodies can’t make on their own.
So why, when fat is clearly so important, has it historically had such a bad reputation in the Western mindset? At 9 calories per gram, fat is the most calorie-dense of all the macronutrients. Fat is often seen as a culprit that instigates heart disease, obesity, and high cholesterol, but these claims are now being debunked by new research.

Here a Fat, There a Fat—Thinking About All the Kinds of Fat

Triglycerides make up the vast majority of the fat that is in our bodies and that we consume through our diets. A triglyceride is one glycerol molecule that has three fatty acids attached to it. These fatty acids can be either saturated or unsaturated, which leads us to the following…

Saturated Fat

Saturated fats are typically found in meat and dairy products and are usually solid when stored at room temperature. You might think of saturated fat as the “bad” fat, but recent studies have disproven much of the negative stigma surrounding this particular macronutrient. In fact, saturated fat, which has long been linked to raising “bad” low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol is now thought to have little if any effect on increasing LDL cholesterol.
The recommended daily intake of saturated fat is between 5 and 6 percent of a 2000 calorie-a-day diet according to current information from the American Heart Association, making it an important component of a macro-based diet. Common sources of saturated fat include red meat, dairy, poultry, and cheese.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are typically found in oils which are liquid at room temperature and are often described as “heart-healthy” fats because they are effective at lowering LDL cholesterol levels when eaten in moderation. Polyunsaturated fats are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that plays a key role in supporting your body’s immune system and keeping your skin and eyes healthy.
It’s recommended that the majority of your daily fat intake should consist of polyunsaturated fats, meaning olive oil, sesame oil, avocado, and seeds have their place in macro-conscious cuisine.

Where do the omegas fit in?

A great example of healthy fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated fats and are especially important to include in our diets because our bodies can’t make these fats on their own. Good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids include fish and shellfish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, kale, and cod liver oil.

Consider your carbohydrates.

Carbs have been given an undue bad rap since the Atkin’s diet was reintroduced as a popular weight loss method in the ‘90s. When it comes to carbs, the important thing to consider is the type of carbohydrate you’re eating because not all carbs are created equal.
Many potential health benefits of carbohydrates depend on whether your carb of choice is simple or complex. But first, what is a carb and what does it do?
Technically, carbohydrates are a source of glucose (aka blood sugar), which your body turns into energy so that you can remain active and your bodily functions can continue running smoothly. There are three carbohydrates that our bodies use for fuel: starch, fiber, and sugar.
Fiber is the only carbohydrate we don’t digest, although it still needs to be a regular part of your diet as it reduces the risk of several cancers, is great for gut health, and plays a role in preventing certain types of heart disease.
Complex carbohydrates are made of long sugar-molecule chains and take longer for your body to digest, which means they serve as a time-released source of energy for your body. Good sources of complex carbohydrates include whole grains, legumes, some fruits, and vegetables, which will definitely be a part of your macro diet given the importance of incorporating fresh eats.
Simple carbohydrates, which should be eaten in small quantities regardless of your diet, are made up of one or two sugar molecules which are quickly digested and only usable as energy for a short amount of time. Unfortunately for us, many tasty treats are technically simple carbohydrates. Sugary fruits, white rice, white bread, desserts, candy, and white pasta are all on the simple carbohydrate list. They can be part of a macro diet, but need to be consumed in thoughtful moderation.

Types of Macronutrient Diets

Diets that focus on macronutrients place a strong emphasis on what your body actually needs by counting macronutrients by the gram either alongside or in place of [linkbuilder id=”2538″ text=”counting calories”].
However, a diet based on tallying up your daily macros isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be eating healthier. Karina Inkster is a certified personal training specialist and certified online trainer who specializes in teaching her clients about a plant-based nutrition and physical activity.
She cautions against blindly following a macronutrient diet, saying, “Macros are just one aspect of nutrition. They’re an important piece of the puzzle, but they’re not the be-all, end-all measurement in nutrition. Remember that you could theoretically have a ‘macro balanced’ diet eating processed junk foods.”
With that advice in mind, let’s explore some of the more popular macronutrient-based diets you might decide to follow.

High Carb

40 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent protein, 15 to 25 percent fat

Good for: bodybuilders, endurance athletes, long-distance runners

This diet is focused on high carbohydrate intake, which is great for people who expend a lot of energy. Inkster specializes in weight lifting and follows a vegan form of this diet, albeit with a slightly higher fat percentage and lower protein percentage.
“I aim for 50 percent carbs, 30 percent fats, and 20 percent protein. This is the macro ratio I suggest for my vegan strength-training clients as well. For endurance athletes, ratios will differ slightly, favoring higher carbs,” she says.
Her favorite vegan meals that fit into the high carb ratio include pan-fried tempeh with a veggie stir fry, tofu scramble with veggies, and Thai coconut curry with tofu.
Note that a high carbohydrate diet should include plenty of whole grains, vegetables, leafy greens, fruit, and cereals.

Low Carb

10 to 30 percent carbohydrates, 40 to 50 percent protein, 30 to 40 percent fat

Good for: weight loss, prevention of heart disease

Low carb diets can be an effective way to kick off weight loss, although a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that at the one-year mark this diet didn’t boast any benefits when compared to diets with a more balanced ratio of macronutrients.
When following a low carb diet, it’s important to include plenty of lower fat and plant-based sources of protein in your diet, of which there are plenty! It’s important to make sure you’re still eating carbohydrates, specifically complex carbs that will give you long-lasting energy throughout your day. Steamed, grilled, or roasted veggies are great choices when paired with a protein source such as meat, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes, and tempeh.

The Maintenance Diet

30 to 50 percent carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent protein, 25 to 35 percent fat

Good for: weight maintenance, overall wellness

This ratio of macronutrients is a good place to start if your goals have more to do with maintaining your weight and eating a straightforward, healthy diet. Like high and low carb diets, the focus should be on the quality of the foods you’re eating, not just meeting macro requirements. Choose from a wide array of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, pulses and legumes, organic dairy (whenever possible), lean meats and fish, and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocados.

To macro diet or not to macro diet?

If macronutrient ratios are a helpful reminder to include certain foods in your diet, then by all means use them as a way to track your goals and achieve an overall sense of wellbeing.
If you find yourself obsessing over this diet, or any other one for that matter, then it may be helpful to speak with a registered dietitian, a clinical therapist, or your family doctor about how you can eat for overall health and wellness, not just your waistline or gym agenda. Eating should be a pleasurable activity, and it’s difficult to enjoy your meals if you’re constantly worrying about having the right macronutrient ratio on your plate.
And remember, there’s always room for the occasional dessert when eating for health and happiness!

Dunkin’ Donuts likes to tell us that America runs on Dunkin’, but let’s face it: Americans will run on any old coffee. An estimated 54 percent of us over the age of 18 drink at least one cup daily, and most coffee drinkers are sucking down at least three cups of joe each day.
Coffee consumption is a $40 billion business, according to a 2010 report from the National Coffee Association, but what are we really drinking? And is coffee good for you, or are the side effects outweighing that sweet caffeinated boost?

What is coffee, anyway?

There’s an old dad joke that coffee is a bean, so it’s a good way to get your vegetables. Technically, coffee does come from a coffee bean, but the bean part of that phrase is a bit of a misnomer. Coffee beans are really seeds from the coffee cherry, which grows on the flowering coffee fruit tree. So in reality, coffee is a fruit product.
The National Coffee Association traces the origin of our favorite pick-me-up beverage back to ancient times, when a goat herder named Kaldi supposedly noticed that his goats were eating “berries” from a particular tree and showing signs of high energy after their snacking.
The berries were, of course, what we now know as coffee cherries, and whether the legend is true or not, it’s clear that at some point in history, people started looking to coffee beans as a means for getting caffeine into their exhausted bodies. By the 15th century, coffee was a tradeable good on the Arabian peninsula, with the Turkish word kahve and the Arabic word qahweh eventually giving rise to the English coffee.  
The drink had hopped continents to Europe by the 17th century and came across the Atlantic shortly thereafter, making its way to America thanks to the help of the British sometime in the 1600s. The infamous tea tax that prompted the Boston Tea Party (and eventually the American Revolutionary War) buoyed coffee’s popularity in America and got us hooked on java. That’s when coffee consumption became as much your patriotic duty as means of fight fatigue, and a nation of coffee drinkers was born.
Of course, the fact that coffee will wake you up in the morning didn’t exactly hurt in making coffee our go-to beverage.
“The main active compound in coffee is caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system and makes us more alert,” explains registered dietitian Travis King.
And just one cup of coffee can pack a whole lot of caffeine. A venti (20 oz) of Starbucks’ Blonde Roast boasts 475 milligrams of caffeine, whereas a standard Green Mountain Keurig K-Cup will infuse 75 milligrams of caffeine into just eight ounces of brew.
There’s no question that we love the jolt that we get from coffee, but what is all our coffee consumption doing to our bodies?

Is coffee good for you?

If you go by the constantly changing headlines, coffee can do a whole lot of harm—or a whole lot of good—to the body.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine just this past August, for example, suggests that coffee drinkers live longer than people who stick with tea or water. Funded by the National Cancer Institute, the researchers looked at more than 180,000 American adults ages 45 to 75 and their coffee drinking habits. They then looked at mortality statistics, including deaths due to heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. Their conclusion? “Higher consumption of coffee was associated with lower risk for death in African Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites.”
Another study, also published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and funded by the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Consumers and International Agency for Research on Cancer, took a look at the impact of coffee drinking by more than half a million Europeans in 10 different countries.
The researchers considered everything from liver function to inflammation and metabolic health, splitting up men and women to see if coffee had different effects based on gender. In the end, they came up with similar results: “Coffee drinking was associated with reduced risk for death from various causes.”
So coffee is a magical elixir that will save—or at least extend—your life, right?
Not so fast.
“It’s been called a wonder drug, and it’s been called a carcinogen,” says Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, a senior nutrition fellow at the American Council of Science and Health. “It’s all over the map.”
But the answer lies somewhere in between, and one of the major issues with caffeine research and data is how studies are performed. Most coffee studies are retrospective, Kava tells HealthyWay. That means that people are being asked to report their past activities—for example, how much coffee they drink—to researchers after the fact.
“Maybe you’re going to remember that accurately, maybe you’re not,” Kava points out. What’s more, retrospective studies can be skewed by a participant’s fear that the researcher will judge their answers, meaning they may under- or overreport their coffee consumption.
That makes all of the results that claim to show coffee is good for you a mixed bag. Kava’s analysis of all the studies out there?
Coffee isn’t magic, but it does have its benefits, at least when it comes to the caffeine portion of the equation. Being alert, of course, is a good thing. It means we have better reaction times, we’re more vigilant, and we’re usually better able to perform our day-to-day tasks. A registered dietitian herself, Kava drinks coffee in the morning as a wake up, as do 43 percent of Americans who turn to caffeine to combat “daytime sleepiness.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives limited caffeine intake the rubber stamp. Although there is no official guideline from any federal agency on how much coffee to drink for health, the FDA espouses adult consumption of up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day “as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.” If you’re constantly hitting the coffee cart at work, there’s good news here: 400 milligrams is equal to about four or five cups (as in measuring cups—not paper cups or mug refills) of coffee per day.
Even the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has given pregnant women leave to consume some coffee during their pregnancies. In a committee opinion issued in 2010, the OB-GYN group noted, “Moderate caffeine consumption (less than 200 mg per day) does not appear to be a major contributing factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.”
And while the doctors did note that caffeine can cross the placenta to the baby, the official opinion states that the crossover “does not cause a decrease in uterine blood flow or fetal oxygenation.” Pregnant women are advised to speak directly with their medical caregivers before consuming caffeine, but the ACOG leaves the door open for a bit of java consumption during pregnancy.
Even if you’re not pregnant, the amount of coffee you should drink (or whether you should consume any at all) should come down to a talk with your medical practitioner, but Kava is quick to advise that women not jump on the coffee bandwagon hoping it will cure them of their ills.
“For the average, relatively healthy adult, moderate consumption is not going to hurt you, but it’s not going to cure all your ailments,” she says.

Is coffee bad for you?

Did you notice Kava said coffee consumption is okay for the average, relatively healthy adult? The key word here is adult. Even the doctors who say coffee is okay to drink (and that it can give you a much-needed wake-up call in the morning) are adamant that coffee is likely bad for children.
Almost three-quarters of kids consume caffeinated beverages every day, according to a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with energy drinks and coffee leading the pack in terms of kids’ caffeinated beverages of choice. But if you have a child at home who is begging you to just let them tag along on the next Starbucks trip because “Everyone else is,” it’s okay to stand firm, even if you’re a coffee drinker yourself.
According to the AAP, the risks of coffee (and other caffeinated beverages) to kids is limited, but so far, studies on coffee and caffeine intake have largely focused on adults. The AAP study does report cases of caffeine toxicity and deaths, as well as the risk of tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension, hyperactivity, anxiety, and increased blood sugar concentrations as reasons kids should not drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages.
And it isn’t just kids who can suffer from coffee’s side effects—or the side effects from whatever’s added to your coffee.
“The antioxidants in coffee have been linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, myocardial infarction, and cirrhosis,” says Matthew Kunar, DO, a family practitioner with OhioHealth Primary Care Physicians. “However, there is some evidence that shows adding sugar and non-dairy creamer to your coffee may decrease the antioxidant effects.”
Those additives in coffee can add up, Kava points out. If you’re sweetening your coffee with spoonfuls of sugar, you might want to take a look at just how much you’re increasing your sugar consumption, because doing so can be linked to obesity, heart disease, and more.
The idea that coffee consumption should be limited to less than 400 milligrams of caffeine, per the FDA guidelines, is also not to be ignored. If nothing else, limiting your coffee intake could help you sleep better. Studies have found that the fatigue-fighting benefits of caffeine end up costing us when we drink too much coffee (or drink it too close to bedtime), basically creating a vicious cycle of being tired, drinking coffee to combat it, struggling to sleep, being tired, and going for another pour.
“Caffeine, especially within four to six hours of sleep, can cause insomnia, so I usually advise against an afternoon cup of coffee if it’s interfering with sleep quality,” King points out.
Depending on how much you drink, or how your body reacts, the stimulating effects of caffeine can also be considered a drawback.
“Everyone’s response to caffeine is different, so some people will feel more anxious, jittery, and have a rise in blood pressure from a small amount of coffee,” King explains. If you’re feeling shaky or overstimulated, it’s suggested you cut back on your intake—or cut it out of your life entirely.
It’s important to note that not all coffee-beverages are created equal. A study conducted by researchers at the Second University of Naples’ Department of Experimental Medicine found that espresso increased parasympathetic nervous system activity in healthy young people, but regular coffee didn’t. Clearly your next coffee shop order should be guided by your own health and wellness goals.
The good news? Many of studies that slam coffee as something harmful are much like those that declare it a wonder drug, Kava says. They’re retrospective or just plain inconclusive.
“It’s really kind of a mishmash of studies,” she points out.

The Bottom Line

While grabbing a coffee is a trendy way of socializing and can feel like an indulgent pick-me-up, coffee drinking also manages to get a bad rap. Despite the mixed messages on our relationship with the beloved bean, at the end of the day, most doctors give coffee the thumbs up, at least when you stick to a few cups a day rather than slurping it down from dawn to dusk.
As Kava points out, “You can drink too much of anything!”
If you’re worried about how much coffee you drink, you may want to talk to your doctor about it. They can help you devise a plan to kick a caffeine habit that’s gone too far without having adverse withdrawal effects. And if you’re convinced you need to go it alone, don’t be too hasty.
“I wouldn’t recommend trying to quit cold turkey,” warns Trude Brinley, a registered dietitian at OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital. “That can lead to severe headaches!”
Instead, she suggests switching to half-caff beverages—a blend of regular and decaf coffee—or ordering a small cup rather than the large. “Then start taking it down little by little,” she says.
Replacing coffee with water will definitely make your doctor happy (how often do we hear how much we need to hydrate?) Tea may be another obvious alternative, but be aware: Teas often have caffeine in them as well, unless you opt for completely herbal varieties. That said, they are a good middle ground between coffee and going caffeine-free, if that’s what you need.
“Teas, especially green teas, are associated with a lot of the benefits of coffee with a more moderate dose of caffeine, so some people may not experience as strong negative side effects with tea,” King says. “Other infused drinks, like guayusa and yerba mate, are becoming more popular as sources of caffeine that are claimed to have a variety of benefits, but these haven’t been researched as extensively, so take health claims with a grain of salt.”