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Nutritional Therapist Course. © TheHealthSciencesAcademy.org

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The intention of this document is to get those with little to no prior knowledge up to speed and provide them with a very basic introduction to

elementary concepts in nutrition. This document does NOT cover the absolute specifics nor the complete range of variables nor personalised

advice; however, as you read on, it’ll provide you with a brief introductory understanding before analysing more complex concepts in your course.

What are macro-nutrients? Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. Since “macro” means large, macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts.

There are three macronutrients:

Carbohydrate Protein Fat

While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories that each one provides varies. These calories can be averaged out as follows:

Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram. Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Fat provides 9 calories per gram.

This means that if you looked at the Nutrition Facts label of a product and it said 12 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein per serving, you would know that this food has about 48 calories per serving (12 grams carbohydrate multiplied by 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrate = 48 calories).


Besides carbohydrate, protein, and fat, the only other substance that provides calories is alcohol (ethanol).

Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram. Alcohol, however, isn’t technically a macronutrient because we do not need it for survival.

Although macronutrients are very important, they are not the only things that we need for survival. Our bodies also need water and micronutrients. Micronutrients are nutrients that our bodies need in smaller amounts, and include essential vitamins and minerals.

What’s the role of carbohydrates in the body? Carbohydrates tend to be the most abundant macronutrient in people’s diets.

The basic functions of carbohydrates in the body are:

• Fuel for working muscles (from starches, sugars, and glycogen) • Cholesterol and fat control (from dietary fibre) • Digestion assistance (from dietary fibre) • Nutrient and water absorption (from sugars) • Maintenance of blood sugar for mental function and delayed fatigue

(all digestible carbohydrates) • All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy • Glucose is needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the

brain, and the muscles (including the heart) to function properly • Glycogen can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for

energy in the form of glucose • Fibre is important in intestinal health and waste elimination

Carbohydrates are mainly found in starchy foods (like grains and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt.

Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and cottage cheese also contain carbohydrates.


The Institute of Medicine (which provides science-based guidance on matters of health) recommends that around 45% to 65% of daily calories come from carbohydrate.

A high-carbohydrate diet is when more than 60% of your daily calories come from carbohydrate foods.

Endurance athletes, sports people and regular exercisers who participate in a structured training programme particularly need carbohydrate given that its usable form (glucose) tends to be the preferred source of fuel by working muscles as it can be accessed faster than fat and may help enhance athletic performance when consumed in very precise amounts and at very specific times depending on the person’s metabolism, training volume and a number of other variables. We expand on each fuel type used by muscles and teach the ins and outs of nutrition for athletic performance and other fitness goals (such as muscle gain, fat loss, strength and power) in our Advanced Sports and Exercise Nutritional Advisor course.

Why do we need protein?

According to the Institute of Medicine, between 10% and 35% of daily calories should come from protein.

The basic functions of protein are as follows:

• Energy source (if carbohydrates are depleted) • Preserving lean muscle mass • Delivery of essential amino acids that the body can’t make • Growth and injury repair • Tissue repair and control normal wear and tear • Immune function • Manufacture of enzymes, antibodies, and hormones • Fluid balance (helps control water level inside and outside cells) • Transports vitamins, minerals and fat to and from cells

http://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/cpd-accredited-online-course-sports-and-exercise-nutrition/

http://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/cpd-accredited-online-course-sports-and-exercise-nutrition/


Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes (beans and lentils), and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).

Some amino acids are essential, which means that our body can’t make them and the only way to get them is through our diet. Other amino acids are non-essential, which means that our body can make them.

Protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids that we need. Plant sources of protein, on the other hand, may not contain all of the essential amino acids individually (more on this in a few moments).

Can the body store additional protein eaten?

If excess protein is consumed, it can’t be stored as amino acids in the body. Instead, it’s broken down and part of it is excreted by the kidneys and the other part is then converted to be stored as fat. In fact, the body can only utilise between 20 grams and 30 grams of protein at one time.

Too much protein can cause health problems. The typical modern diet provides more protein than people require. The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that people reduce their animal protein consumption.

Is it bad to eat too much protein?

Yes. Exceeding one’s protein needs provides no additional health or muscle-building benefits. It increases the workload of the kidneys, increases calcium loss in the urine, and raises fluid requirements.


What happens when you don't get enough protein?

Routinely eating a low protein diet may result in fatigue, frequent colds, impaired immune function, weakness or poor recovery from a workout, anaemia, and hair loss.

What’s a “complete” protein?

Complete (animal) proteins contain all the essential amino acids and have a high biological value; whereas incomplete (plant) proteins have lower values.

The major limited or deficient essential amino acids in vegetable proteins are:

• Lysine • Tryptophan • Methionine • Cysteine

Which plant foods contain lysine?

Good sources of lysine, other than animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy), include lentils, sprouted lentils, adzuki beans, soybeans, sprouted soybeans, pumpkin seeds, peas, split peas, winged beans, kidney beans, chickpeas (garbanzo), navy beans, amaranth, and quinoa.

Which plant foods contain tryptophan?

Good sources of tryptophan, other than animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy), include dried Spirulina, soybeans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, oats, chickpeas, wheat flour, rice, quinoa, potatoes, and bananas.


Which plant foods contain methionine?

Good sources of methionine, other than animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy), include sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, soy protein concentrate, wheat germ, oats, peanuts, chickpeas, corn (maize), almonds, pinto beans, lentils, and brown rice.

Which plant foods contain cysteine?

Good sources of cysteine, other than animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy), include red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprout, oats, granola, wheat germ, and sprouted lentils.

What’s high biological value (HBV)?

Complete protein sources have a high biological value (HBV), containing all essential amino acids in essential amounts to meet the body’s requirement (primarily from animal sources). These are said to have high biological value.

The exception to the “animal source” rule is soy bean, a plant food that is a complete protein containing all of the essential amino acids. Also, Mycoprotein (the ingredient in Quorn products) is a meat-free form of protein that has a relative HBV, primarily because the mix contains egg whites.

What’s low biological value (LBV)?

Incomplete protein sources (plant foods) have a low biological value (LBV), whereby one or more essential amino acids may be missing or may be present in insufficient quantities. When eaten on their own, LBV proteins may result in an insufficiency of one of the essential amino acids.


However, vegetarians may get a complete protein intake by combining LBV proteins (through varied vegetable intake), whereby HBV proteins may be produced. Therefore, a combination of plant proteins limited in certain amino acids with other plant proteins that are high in the limited amino acids is recommended. Such combination is not required at the same meal and can be spread throughout the day.

But can I get a “complete protein” if I combine vegetables?

Indeed! You can combine incomplete proteins together so they compensate for each other in the limited amino acid, making a “complete” protein.

This is particularly important for vegetarians who limit the animal proteins from the diet.

The list below shows a combination of two plant LBV proteins and how an HBV can be produced.


Do we need fat to survive? Yes, we do! Although fats have received a bad reputation for causing weight gain, some fat is essential for survival.

According to the Institute of Medicine, around 20% to 35% of total daily calories should come from fat, ideally the “unsaturated” kind (the body can make its own “saturated” fats). We need dietary fat for:

• Energy and muscular fuel (for low intensity exercise) • Intake of fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids) • Intake of essential fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type

of Omega 3 which the body cannot make • Providing cushioning for the organs • Maintaining cell membranes • Providing taste, consistency, and stability to foods • Substance in many hormones

Dietary fat is found in seeds, nuts, avocados, olives, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk products, butters, oils, lard, grain products, and salad dressings.

What types of fats are there?

There are three main types of fat:

Saturated fat Unsaturated fat (Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated) Trans fat

Polyunsaturated fats are the “good” Omegas 3 and 6. These are primarily found in sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, olive oil, walnuts, unsalted peanuts, and oily fish. Our modern diets tend to be high in Omega 6 (primarily from vegetable oils and margarine used in processed foods), but often low in Omega 3.


What are the major food sources of fat?

The table below indicated the sources of fat based on the classification of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats:

What are saturated fats?

Saturated fats hold as many hydrogen atoms as possible within their structure. They are generally hard at room temperature and found mainly in animal products such as meat fat, egg yolk, and dairy fats of cream, butter, milk and cheese. Generally, the more unsaturated, the more liquid fat is.

Plant sources high in saturated fats include palm and coconut oil, the ‘tropical oils’.

Government guidelines recommend that less than 11% of your total energy (caloric) intake should come from saturated fats. The guideline for polyunsaturated fat is 10–12%, and for monounsaturated 10–12%.

Click HERE to read about the scientific debate on saturated fats.

Which foods contain monounsaturated fats?

Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as red meat, whole milk products, nuts, and high fat fruits such as olives and avocados. Olive oil is about 73% monounsaturated fat. The high-oleic variety sunflower oil

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contains as much as 82% monounsaturated fat. Canola oil and cashews are both about 62% monounsaturated fat. Tallow (beef fat) is about 50% monounsaturated fat and lard is about 47% monounsaturated fat.

Other sources of monounsaturated fats include macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil, groundnut oil (peanut oil), sesame oil, corn oil, popcorn, whole grain wheat, cereal, oatmeal, safflower oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, tea-oil Camellia, and avocado oil.

Are “trans fats” bad?

Yes, they are (de Souza et al., 2015). Trans fats that are artificially created by hydrogenation of vegetable oils have been shown to raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels, thus increasing your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. They are also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Artificially created trans fats are found in margarine, vegetable shortening, shelf-stable baked goods, snack foods, commercial chocolate, and fried foods.

Replacing trans fats in your diet with unsaturated fats (found in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, oily fish, and flaxseeds) has been shown to decrease the risk of developing heart disease.

Where do calories come from?

As we’ve seen before, on average, carbohydrates contribute 4 calories per gram, protein 4 calories per gram, and fat 9 calories per gram.

For example, a 100-gram slice of white bread has 56 grams of carbohydrate, 12 grams of protein and 1.8 grams of fat.

If you multiply the carbohydrate grams (56) by 4 calories, you’ll get the number of calories that come from carbohydrates (56 grams x 4 calories = 224 calories come from carbohydrate).

http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h3978


Then do the same for the protein grams (12 grams x 4 calories) and the fat grams (1.8 grams x 9 calories) and you’ll get the calories coming from protein and fat (48 calories and 16.2 calories respectively).

The sum of calories from carbohydrate (224), protein (48) and fat (16.2) gives you the approximate total caloric content (288.2) in a 100g slice of bread.

224 calories come from 56 grams of carbohydrate, 48 calories come from 12 grams of protein and 16.2 calories come from 1.8 gram of fat. See the figure below with the calculations per nutrient:


Where can I find the nutrition facts of food?

If the food is packaged, this information should be available on the label. For other foods, a reliable resource is the Google calorie checker. You can find the nutrition facts in 3 simple steps:

1- Open Google: www.google.co.uk 2- Type in “[ food name ] calories” or “[ food name ] nutrition facts” 3- Click on Search, and the nutrition facts for 100 grams will be displayed.

You can adjust the values of your search by clicking on the drop down menu “Type” or “Quantity” (e.g. grams, ounces, cups, etc.)

Here’s an example for a “pita bread calories” search:

http://www.google.co.uk/


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