Which food contains carbohydrates proteins and fats

Macronutrients are the main nutrients that make up the foods we eat. There are three, and you’ve probably heard of them before:

• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Fat

Most foods contain a mixture of more than one macronutrient but are generally classified as the one they contain most of.

Carbohydrate

Many people immediately think of bread, pasta, rice and potatoes when someone says carbohydrate, and they’re not wrong, but many other foods contain carbs too:

• Bread, rice, pasta, oats, quinoa, couscous
• Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn and pumpkin)
• Beans and pulses (chickpeas, baked beans, lentils)
• Some dairy foods such as milk and yoghurt
• Fruit
• Sugar and honey

Carbohydrates are our bodies’ preferred source of energy, so this macronutrient should make up a lot of our diet.

Protein

Protein is mostly used in our body to build and repair muscle and tissue but has many other important functions as well. Protein foods include:

• Meat and meat products (beef, chicken, lamb, pork or kangaroo)
• Fish and seafood
• Eggs
• Dairy food such as milk and yoghurt (also carbohydrate)
• Beans and pulses (also carbohydrates)
• Nuts (also fats)
• Soy and tofu products

Fat

Fats have been given a bad name, but they too are an important part of our diet. They’re used by the body as energy, storage for vitamins, for production of hormones and as protection for our organs. There are different types of fats:

Saturated

These should be limited, but not necessarily avoided. If eaten in large amounts they can be bad for your heart health. They are found in:

• Meat fat
• Butter
• Full-fat dairy products
• Coconut oil and products
• Peanut oil, palm oil and cottonseed oil
• Our occasional foods such as chips, biscuits and cake

Swapping to reduced-fat dairy, and trimming the fat off your meat before cooking it are good ways to reduce your saturated fat intake.

Unsaturated

We should aim to include more of these fats in our diet, as they have the opposite effect to saturated fats, and can be beneficial for your heart health. They are found in:

• Fish
• Nuts
• Avocados
• Vegetable oils (olive, canola, sunflower, rice bran)

Sources:

Thomas, B and Bishop, J., 2007, Manual of Dietetic Practice, 4th Ed, Australia

Best foods for counting macros

If you are counting macros for weight loss (or muscle gain), choosing foods dominant in a single macro (carb, fat, or protein) is helpful.

Not sure of your macro targets? Quickly calculate them here.

Tracking your macros is about food freedom (eat anything as long as it meets your macros).

For optimal health, choose from the following list of carbs, proteins, and fats.

The best starchy or complex carbs

Don’t be afraid of carbs.

You can eat carbs and still reach your fat loss or muscle-building goals.

1. Oatmeal (old-fashioned or Steel Cut)
2. Yams (almost the same as sweet potatoes)
3. Brown rice (I love basmati, long grain rice)
4. Sweet potatoes
5. Multigrain hot cereal (mix or barley, oats, rye, triticale, and a few others)
6. White potatoes with skin (glycemic index be damned!)
7. 100% whole wheat bread
8. 100% whole wheat pasta
9. Beans and lentils (great for healthy chili recipes)
10. Cream of rice – hot cereal
11. Quinoa
12. Couscous
13. Pumpkin
14. Butternut squash
15. Fresh Beets

The best carb-rich fruits

1. Grapefruit
2. Apples
3. Blueberries
4. Cantaloupe
5. Oranges
6. Bananas
7. Peaches
8. Grapes
9. Strawberries
10. Pineapple
11. Blackberries
12. Plums
13. Pears
14. Acai berries
15. Mango

The best veggies: lower in carbs but high in nutrients

1. Broccoli
2. Kale
3. Asparagus
4. Spinach
5. Salad greens
6. Tomatoes
7. Peppers (green and red)
8. Onions
9. Mushrooms
10. Cucumbers
11. Zucchini
12. Carrots
13. Green beans
14. Peas
15. Cauliflower

The best protein-based foods

What should you eat to hit protein goals? Protein is a vital ingredient in making productive muscle gains.

Also, consider nuts (walnut, almonds, pecans) and pumpkin seeds – although they have a high amount of fat.

For non-vegan, there is also greek yogurt (avoid yogurts high in sugar).

The best protein supplements and powders

If you wanted to get 170 grams of protein, you would have to eat 1.7 kg of chickpeas (vegetarian) or 750 g of chicken breast.

That’s where protein supplementation comes in. We’ve tried out many powders.

• Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard – 24 g of Whey Protein. Most popular.
• Isopure – Most diverse flavors. 20 g of whey.

Vegan – most are based on pea protein isolate.

• About Time – a clean protein with 25 g per scoop. Sweetened with Stevia.
• Orgain – most popular

Are you trying to gain weight? Learn how to lose fat and build muscle simultaneously using the body recomposition calculator.

The best sources of healthy fats

1. Flaxseed
2. Almonds
3. Olive oil
4. Avocado (see our delicious avocado ice cream recipe)
5. Walnuts
6. Virgin coconut oil
7. Salmon (wild-caught)
8. Peanuts
9. Clarified butter
10. Ripe olives
11. Peanut oil
12. Hemp seed oil
13. Pecans
14. Cashews
15. Dark chocolate

If you are confused about saturated fat, learn which fats you need and which ones to avoid.

How much fiber should I eat?

Aim to get around 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.

When you eat foods in the healthy carb category, you get more than enough fiber (both soluble and insoluble).

Focus on eating a variety of vegetables and fruit with some complex carbs added daily.

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Which food items carbohydrates and fats?

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