It seems to me that nutrition is getting more and more complicated to understand. The science hasn’t changed, but an overwhelming and contradictory amount of information about nutrition gets portrayed in the media. One of my goals as a Registered Dietitian is to spread the word about nutrition and its benefits for being healthy.
This series is created to help you understand the science behind food in a way that you can use. Hopefully, it will dispel some myths and take some of the guesswork out of making healthy choices, just like using Guiding Stars does!
I’d like to start with describing calories (look for my post next week). Then I’ll follow with the macronutrients that give us the calories that fuel our bodies.
The Three Macronutrients:
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- fats
Macro means large, so they are the nutrients that we need in our bodies in large quantities, since they provide calories (energy) and bring along with them other essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) our bodies need to be well. Micro means small, so the vitamins and minerals are nutrients that are needed in small quantities and they don’t provide calories in and of themselves, but are no less important to our health.
The last nutrient I’ll describe is water. What is interesting about water is that the promotion and sale of it has created a whole new industry in our current culture. What is fascinating about water is that it has no calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats or micronutrients, and is as essential to life as air. I look forward to sharing a love of nutrition with you – use this knowledge to have confidence in the power that food can provide a healthy life for you!
About our Nutrition Expert
Lori Kaley MS, RD, LD, MSB is a member of the Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel. Lori has 30 years of combined experience working in healthcare and public health creating policies and environments to help families and children have access to healthy foods and beverages. She is currently Policy Associate at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service.
Lori’s greatest achievement and joy has been in raising her three daughters to be healthy and productive young adults, each with their own particular love of food, cooking and being physically active. Lori’s passion for nutritional community outreach has been a cornerstone of the Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel. Lori regularly contributes to the Guiding Stars blog.