KJs and Macros

When we think about diet it’s easy to straight away start thinking that a healthy diet probably looks like green juices, lots of vegetables and organic produce. To an extent these can be great healthy habits to optimise your diet but one of the most important things to actually consider when tailoring a diet is how much food you’re eating.

In the world of nutrition we look at nutrients as either micronutrients or macronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals required in small amounts. They help our body to function optimally in the sense of development, growth, disease prevention, immune function, reproductive health, oxygenation of cells and bone health among several other processes. For example we need iron for healthy red blood cell production to deliver oxygen to our tissues which supports energy levels. Macronutrients are nutrients required in large amounts and make up our kilojoule intake aka our fuel in the terms of energy. They include carbohydrates, protein & fats.

Kilojoules are the same thing as calories but just calculated differently based on numerical systems. In Australia we use kilojoules which you can see on nutritional panels found on food labels.1 kilojoule is 4 times that of 1 calorie. An average kilojoule intake per day for an adult  can vary between 8000Kjs to 10500Kjs. From this we can work out how many kjs need to come from the different macronutrients for a balanced diet with carbohydrates consisting of about 40-60%, fats 20-30% and protein 10-35% of this total kilojoule intake.

Carbohydrates are dietary sugars and starches and some will contain fibre.  They can be either complex or simple depending on molecular structure, however in the digestive tract are broken down into simple sugars and then absorbed into the blood stream. Refined sugars, processed foods, soft drinks, lollies, cakes and table sugar are all examples of simple sugars, whereas vegetables, grains and plant foods are known as complex sugars.

Simple sugars are quickly absorbed in the digestive tract to give your body that quick hit of energy as glucose (sugar) is the body’s preferred source of fuel. Due to being smaller molecules compared to complex sugars they do not need to be broken down as much and tend to contain minimal to nil fibre, so they spike those blood sugar levels super quick. This can result in a quick hit of energy and then a crash as its not a sustained source.

When blood sugar levels rise a hormone known as insulin is produced to act as a key to your muscles and tissues to let the glucose in so it can be used as a fuel. The higher your blood sugar levels, generally the higher your insulin levels. High levels of insulin over long periods of time can lead to a condition known as insulin resistance meaning the key no longer fits in the lock and the glucose then stays in the blood until converted to visceral fat (fat around abdominal organs). This is a problem as when glucose is in the blood for long periods of time it is highly oxidative leading to systemic inflammation and diseases such as one of the most prevalent diseases in Australia being type 2 diabetes. Other conditions associated with elevated insulin and blood sugars are poly cystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.

Complex carbohydrates are not only bigger molecules so take longer to digest and be absorbed into the blood stream giving you a sustained source of energy, they also contain vitamins and minerals as well as fibre which is beneficial for our microbiome, heart health and bowel motions.

Protein is made up of amino acids which are used to build muscle, produce neurotransmitters for healthy moods, repairs damaged cells and stabilises blood sugar levels. There are 20 amino acids in total and 9 of them need to be consumed as part of a heathy diet as they can not be synthesised in the body. An important example is the essential amino acid tryptophan which is what our body’s use to make serotonin, our feel good hormone. Animal protein contains all the essential amino acids such as eggs, meat and dairy. Plant protein however, generally has less than adequate amounts of these essential amino acids and need to be combined with other plant foods to make a whole protein such as grains mixed with legumes. Protein is absorbed at a much slower rate than carbohydrates, therefore when combined with carbs will slow the absorption and blood sugar spikes, stabilising blood sugar levels. Protein can be harder to digest so it’s important to ensure you are preparing, cooking and chewing it correctly such as soaking legumes and slow cooking meats. Protein provides the same amount of energy per gram as carbohydrates, however are only converted to glucose if the body isn’t getting enough fuel from carbs in states such as starvation.

Fats are often labelled as the bad guy and unfortunately had quite a bad wrap in the 80s where consumers were lead to believe high fat foods were the cause of weight gain and cardiovascular disease. Strict avoidance of fats however is actually what catapulted us into an epidemic of overweight Australians and an increase in non communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer due to a higher consumption of refined carbohydrates to mitigate the fats. Fast forward to today and we are starting to love fats again and are prioritising them in our diets as they are essential for healthy hormones, they support vitamin absorption, protect our organs, down regulate inflammation and are even cardio protective. However, not all fats are equal and there are some to watch out for such as trans fats which cause inflammation and increase your risk of clogged arteries. These fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oils, margarines, processed foods and a lot of fried foods. Good fats are your monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds and eggs. Saturated fat is deemed bad, which when consumed in excessive amounts can be, however latest research suggests that saturated fats are often blamed when really excessive starchy carbohydrates are in fact a bigger risk factor for disease. Current guidelines suggest that saturated fats are to be consumed in no more than 10% of daily kilojoule intake due to their potential negative health affects. You can find saturated fats in most animal products such as red meats, butter, cheese and ghee as well as in coconut oil. Fats provide double the amount of energy per gram compared to protein and carbohydrates, therefore are considered energy dense foods and are generally required in smaller amounts.

Overall it's important to balance the three macronutrients to ensure you are getting enough of each to maintain good health. I tend to put my clients on a 40:30:30 ratio of carbs, protein and fat once I’ve individualised their Kj intake. For the average Kj intake stated above this means eating between 180-250g of carbohydrate, 140-190g of protein and 75-100g of fats per day sustain a healthy functioning body and metabolism.

Carbohydrates are now the new fats in terms of fear factor, however it is still really important to eat them when choosing healthy sources such as vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and fruits. Your thyroid which sets your body’s metabolism and your brain solely relies on glucose as the main source of fuel, so even if you are consuming enough Kjs from fats and proteins, if you restrict carbs you will see negative effects on cognitive health and overall metabolism which can relate in low energy, brain fog and lethargy.

Everything in moderation is key.

If you’re interested in having your diet looked at and individualised based on your clinical picture, then make an appointment with Hannah today. She will optimise your Kj intake, tailor your macronutrients and ensure that the foods are nutritious and delicious.