Macronutrient
Food Nutrition · Biochemistry · Physiology
Say it: mak-roh-NOO-tree-ent
A macronutrient is a nutrient needed in large amounts, namely carbohydrate, protein or fat, which together supply energy and the raw materials for growth.
Also: macronutrients, energy-yielding nutrient
Definition
What is a macronutrient?
Macronutrients are the nutrients eaten in quantities of grams every day: carbohydrates, proteins and fats, also called lipids. They are the nutrients that supply energy, measured in calories, and they also provide the building blocks the body uses to make and repair its own tissues.
Each class has its own jobs. Carbohydrates are the main fuel for most cells, and glucose is the brain's preferred source of energy. Proteins supply amino acids for enzymes, muscle, hormones and antibodies. Fats store energy compactly, form cell membranes and carry the fat-soluble vitamins. Carbohydrate and protein each provide about 4 kilocalories per gram, while fat provides about 9, more than twice as much. Energy eaten beyond the body's needs is stored, mostly as fat, which is why the balance between intake and use matters for body weight.
Macronutrients are contrasted with micronutrients, the vitamins and minerals needed only in milligram or microgram amounts. Dietary guidelines usually describe a healthy diet as a balance of the three macronutrients that fits a person's total energy needs.
Word parts
Where does the word “macronutrient” come from?
- macro-
- large, longGreek makros
- nutri-
- to feed, nourishLatin nutrire
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Terms that go with it
- MicronutrientA micronutrient is a vitamin or mineral that the body needs only in tiny amounts but cannot do without, such as iron, iodine, vitamin A or folate.
- CalorieA calorie is a unit of energy, the heat needed to warm one gram of water by one degree Celsius; food energy is given in kilocalories, often written Calories.
- CarbohydrateA carbohydrate is a sugar or a chain of sugars, such as starch or cellulose, built from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and used for energy and structure.
- ProteinA protein is a large molecule made of one or more chains of amino acids, folded into a specific shape that determines its job in the body.
- LipidA lipid is one of a varied group of biological molecules, including fats, oils, phospholipids, waxes and steroids, that do not dissolve in water.
- MetabolismMetabolism is the full set of chemical reactions in a cell or organism, both those that break molecules down for energy and those that build them up.
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 24.7 Nutrition and Diet
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Dietary fats explained
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