Definitive guide to nutrients

Our body needs certain substances in order to function properly. These substances are the macro and micro nutrients that are responsible for covering our energetic, functional and structural needs .

What is a nutrient?

Nutrient, by definition, is that which at the molecular level nourishes or feeds us to ensure the preservation and growth of our organism. The key to healthy eating lies in choosing the right foods in the right amounts to get the nutrients we need.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins are our focus.

Let's look at them in detail:

1.- Carbohydrates: are known as the body's fuel and are the main raw material our body has to produce energy. And although it can also use fats and proteins to produce it, the energy obtained by the cells when degrading carbohydrates is greater. Remember that your brain needs glucose to function properly, and we get this glucose from carbohydrates.

There are different types of carbohydrates, which are classified according to their chemical complexity and their ease or difficulty of digestion.

The ones we are most interested in are complex carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are made up of longer chains of molecules than simple carbohydrates, contain a greater amount of nutrients, are usually richer in fibre and take longer to digest, which is interesting for helping us to maintain stable glucose levels.

The WHO recommends that at least 55% of energy should be obtained from carbohydrates and at least 50% should be from complex carbohydrates. Limiting energy from simple sugars to a maximum of 10%.

The Harvard School of Public Health's Healthy Plate suggests that 25% of our plate should be whole grain .

Closer to home, in Spain, the latest food pyramid presented by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition, places whole grain or wholemeal cereals at the base, i.e. as a fundamental part of our diet.

The macrobiotic diet also places it at the base, recommending that around 1/3 of the plate be made up of this macronutrient. You will see that in all the food pyramids or plates, reference is made to whole grain cereal as the main source of carbohydrates, as it is one of the best sources of complex carbohydrates.

In fact, in some cases it is directly recommended to limit the consumption of refined cereals such as white rice, white pasta or white bread.

Here are some examples of complex carbohydrates for you to include in your shopping list:

1. Whole grains: Rice, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, fonio, teff, amaranth...

2. Legumes: although less so, they are also a source of carbohydrates: chickpeas, lentils, azuki and beans of all kinds.

3. Foods rich in starch: in addition to cereals, potato, sweet potato...

Remember: fruits are also a rich source of carbohydrates, but their assimilation is faster, especially if they are consumed in the form of juices in which their fibre has been removed. Fibre and fat delay the absorption of carbohydrates, which is why wholegrain foods are absorbed more slowly and are more advisable.

2.- Proteins: They are often compared to the bricks of a house, as they form part of the basic structure of tissues, and are therefore necessary both for the creation of tissues and for their repair or replacement .

In addition to this important function, protein is necessary for the proper functioning of the immune and endocrine systems, for the correct assimilation of nutrients and for the transport of oxygen and fats. When we do not have enough carbohydrates, the body will obtain energy by transforming some amino acids (basic units that make up protein) into glucose.

Our body's protein is made up of a combination of different amino acids. Of these, 9 are considered essential, as our body cannot synthesise them and we have to obtain them from food.

If you eat a vegan diet and do not consume animal products, you can rest assured that you are more than covered.

The amount of protein our bodies need is actually lower than is commonly believed. According to EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) the protein requirement for adults is 0.83 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Let's raise this to 1 gram per kilo of body weight to make a simple calculation: if we weigh 70 kilos, we only need 70 grams of protein per day to cover our needs. It should be borne in mind that children, pregnant women and sportsmen and women need a little more.

And how do I get that amount? By including a portion of a quality protein food in each meal, for example: a plate of legumes, a handful of nuts, a palm-sized portion of derivatives such as tofu, tempeh or seitan...

In terms of types of protein, foods rich in complete protein or high biological value protein are usually recommended. This type of protein has all the essential amino acids in an adequate proportion.

Until recently, it was believed that only animal protein provided all the essential amino acids. However, we now know that many legumes and cereals such as soya, chickpeas, beans, quinoa and amaranth also contain them.

In any case, other legumes such as lentils and other cereals such as rice are also rich in amino acids, although they have some "limiting" ones, i.e. a little less than ideal. This, however, is not a cause for concern, as our body is able to store amino acids and use and combine them as needed.

Therefore, there is no need to worry about combining different types of protein sources on our plate, we can for example eat a plate of lentils in the middle of the day and a plate of rice for dinner and we will be providing our body with the right amino acids to build its own protein.

Main vegan sources:

1. Legumes: chickpeas, beans, soya, azuki, lentils... contain around 20% protein. Soya beans have up to 40%.

2. Cereals: Amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, teff, millet or spelt contain almost 15% protein.

3. Seaweed: Nori, wakame, kombu, arame... in some cases up to 35% protein content. 

4. Seeds: hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, chia, sesame... vary from 16 to 37% in the case of hemp.

3.- Fats: Lipids or fats act as anenergy store orreserve, help maintain body heat, are essential for the absorption of some vitamins, form part of the structure of cell membranes and the myelin sheaths that envelop the nerves and are essential in the synthesis of hormones and to protect our organs .

As you can see, fats are really important for our health - our brain, for example, is made up of 50-60% lipids. The question is to choose the right fats.

Very often, animal fats tend to accumulate the toxic substances that they cannot eliminate, and when we consume these foods we absorb them into our bodies.

Our recommendation:

- Give preference to unsaturated fats: They are those that remain liquid at room temperature and have the greatest benefit for your health. Some sources: olive oil, sesame oil and other seeds, nuts and seeds, avocado... We recommend around 4 servings a day, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, for example, would be one serving and a handful of walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds another.

- Reduce saturated fats: they should not exceed 10% of energy, according to the WHO the minimum can be 0%. These fats are usually solid at room temperature and are mostly of animal origin.

- Avoid trans fats: these usually refer to fats of vegetable origin that have undergone a hydrogenation process to make them solid at room temperature, as is the case with margarine, for example. This type of fat is not recognised by our body and causes alterations in it, saturating the liver. They also increase LDL and alter the functionality of cell membranes. They are often found in industrial pastries, biscuits and processed foods.

4.- Minerals: we need them in small quantities, but they are indispensable for our health and have multiple functions. For example, they form part of our body structures, such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium regulate muscle contractility and nerve impulse transmission. Iron is needed to transport oxygen to the cells. And they are involved in the regulation of water balance and pH among many other functions.

With a diet based on plant-based foods and as long as we have good intestinal health, deficiencies do not usually occur, although at certain stages of our lives we need to increase the intake of some minerals: pregnancy, menopause...

Calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and potassium are some of the best known minerals and trace elements present in our diet.

Minerals are found in whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, vegetables and especially in seaweed. These small marine treasures are by far the richest source of these precious minerals.

The daily intake of small amounts of seaweed: kombu, wakame, nori, arame, sweet, etc... promotes adequate levels of calcium, magnesium or iron, among others.

5.- Vitamins:

Vitamins are essential substances in metabolic processes. They are involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and some of them have a high antioxidant power and are essential for the nervous system, hormonal function, and the formation of red blood cells, bones, etc.

They are classified into: 

- Water-soluble: C and B. They are characterised by the fact that they dissolve in water, so they can be transferred to the water used for washing or cooking food. They are lost through contact with air, light, water and heat. The type of cooking will be essential to preserve them as much as possible. They are easily eliminated through urine, so they should be consumed daily. Main sources: vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts, brewer's yeast...

- Liposoluble: A, D, K and E. They are characterised by the fact that they are not soluble in water, dissolve in fats and oils and are stored in the organism, so it is possible to survive a season without them. Good bile formation is necessary for proper absorption of these vitamins. Some sources: orange-coloured vegetables and fruit, green leaves, nori seaweed, vegetable oils, especially wheat germ oil, pulses, wholegrain cereals...

Remember: although our need for vitamins is very small in relation to other nutrients, we need to eat a lot of foods that contain them because some are easily lost. For this reason, it is usually recommended that around half of your plate is made up of vegetables.

Article by Isabel Moreno, macrobiotic consultant and creator of Macrosano