What are macro-nutrients and should you be tracking them?

Calorie counts are probably the first thing you look at when you look at a nutrition facts label. However, to get a better understanding of a product or meal, it’s helpful to look at macro-nutrients.
Food provides energy in the form of calories (which are called kilo calories). All foods provide calories, whether they have a nutrition label or not—and all foods have macros, too.
Macro-nutrients
Macro-nutrients are defined as foods containing nutrients that your diet requires in large amounts. (Micro-nutrients, by contrast, are substances required in much smaller amounts such as vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.) The three macro-nutrients that humans need to survive and thrive are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats —you need all three, at least in some capacity.
Carbs
Carbohydrates provide us with quick energy, especially during exercise and if we get hungry in between meals. When we eat carbs, they are converted to glucose (sugar) in our body and are either used immediately or stored as glycogen for later use.
Carbs also promote digestive health because carb-heavy foods are often packed with fiber. Some examples of foods high in carbohydrates include grains, potatoes, fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds also contain carbohydrates, but not as many as starchy foods do.
Proteins
Proteins are the building blocks of many structures in our body. The protein we consume in our diet helps us grow, build muscle, repair injuries, produce hormones and enzymes, and fight illnesses, among other functions. Protein-packed foods include poultry, beef, fish, cheese, soy products, and some starches and vegetables.
Fats
Finally, fats are essential to almost all our bodily processes. Dietary fat is required for our body to absorb any of the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) we consume. Fat is also essential for insulation during cold weather and for allowing us to go long periods of time without eating. Plus, a certain level of body fat serves as a helpful energy reserve for endurance athletes.
The Best Macro Ratio
The federal dietary recommendations suggest that 45 to 60 percent of daily calories come from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent of daily calories come from healthy fats, and that the remainder come from proteins.
These recommendations are because carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel and the easiest way for the body to convert food into energy (as compared to protein and fats). The fat recommendation stems from the essential regulation properties of dietary fat.
However, every person is different. Many people thrive on a low-crab diet, while others feel like they need more carbs to function. Similarly, some people may do well on a high-protein diet, and others might get an upset stomach from too much protein.
Calories in Macros
Each macro-nutrient provides a number of calories per gram.
Calories in Macro-nutrients

• Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram
• Proteins provide 4 calories per gram
• Fats provide 9 calories per gram

 
 
Please note that the following ranges are generalisations. Specific macro trackers will vary in the proportion of macros they recommend depending on the certain diet being followed.
Macros for Weight Loss
A good daily macro-nutrient ratio for weight loss or fat loss is:

• carbohydrates: 40 to 50 percent
• protein: 25 to 30 percent
• fat: 25 to 35 percent

Macros for Muscle Building
A good daily macro-nutrient ratio for building muscle or gaining weight is:

• carbohydrates: 50 to 60 percent
• protein: 25 to 35 percent
• fat: 10 to 15 percent

Macros for Maintenance
To maintain your current weight and body composition, a good macro-nutrient ratio to follow is:

• carbohydrates: 45 to 60 percent
• protein: 25 to 30 percent
• fat: 20 to 30 percent

Remember that although macro-nutrient ratios can be helpful, meeting weight-related health goals really comes down to energy balance. That is, you can look at what calories you're taking in versus the number of calories you burn. As long as you’re in a calorie deficit, you’ll lose weight; as long as you’re in a surplus, you’ll gain weight.
Calculation
The information above gives us macro ratios in percentages of total calories. However, nutrition information is given to us in grams, so we’ll want to figure out how many grams of each macro-nutrient to eat in a day.
There are two ways to calculate your macro ratio. One way that may be more difficult is by using an equation.

1. First, determine how many calories you need in a day to reach your goal. Let's use 2,000 calories as an example.
2. Determine your ratio. For instance, if you want to maintain your current weight, you'll use 50 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 25 percent fat.
3. Multiply your total calories by each percentage (don’t forget to move the decimal!). For example, 2,000 multiplied by .50 equals 1,000. So you get to eat 1,000 calories worth of carbs each day. That leaves you with 500 calories for protein (2,000 x .25) and 500 calories for fats (2,000 x .25).

So now you know how many calories worth of each food you'd get each day based on the example above. In terms of actual grams, we noted earlier that each macro offers several calories per gram: 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates and protein, and 9 calories per gram of fat.
Since you now have the calorie amount, all you have to do is divide the calorie number by each macro’s respective gram number.
Based on the example above, this means 250 grams of carbs (1,000 divided by 4), 125 grams of protein (500 divided by 4), and 56 grams of fat (500 divided by 9).
Luckily, you don’t have to do that all by yourself. The web is home to many macro calculators that will do this for you.

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