Macronutrients
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By macronutrients one means that part of the nutrients that we take in in large numbers in our diet, which means, that they make up the main part of our food. The definitions of which substances should be counted among the macronutrients and which should not differ in nutritional science. To put it simply, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water and fiber can be counted among the macronutrients. All five nutritional components are important to keep our organism alive. As part of our food blog, we will neglect water. Although it is vital for our body and also contained in different doses in various foods, it is not relevant for our analysis of the dishes, especially since the amount of water contained also changes during cooking. Of course, drinking enough fresh water is part of a healthy lifestyle.
In the following, the individual macronutrients are explained and also recommended daily values that correspond to the latest scientific standards are listed. However, fat is hardly discussed here, since fat is also considered one of the nutritional elements whose consumption should be limited and therefore a whole paragraph has already been devoted to the component fat, which can be read under Diet Concern values. However, one aspect is discussed in more detail, namely the correct ratio of unsaturated omega fatty acids, which are healthy and must be ingested through food.
We will also talk about calories here and also provide healthy guidelines here. Calories are not macronutrients, but since macronutrients provide the body with energy, calories are the result of consuming macronutrients, so to speak, and have therefore found their place here.
You have probably already seen or even cooked one or the other recipe from our blog. Then you've probably noticed that each recipe provides detailed information on the composition of macronutrients and calories. In our recipes we calculate the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates and fiber per serving or 100g and the percentage that this recipe provides compared to the corresponding recommended daily value. To make it easier for you to estimate how much the selected recipe contributes to the recommended daily allowance of a macronutrient, we use a bar with three areas, which are denoted by a different shade of green. A white indicator shows where the value of a macronutrient ranks in relation to the total daily requirement. We have decided on a color scale that only consists of green tones, since the macronutrients are the main component of our food and we don't have to limit them so much, but rather cover our needs step by step throughout the day. Of course, one should not exceed the recommended total number of calories per day. The individual areas are defined as follows: the first light green area covers from 0% to a third of the daily requirement, the second covers values up to 66% and finally the third area, which is marked with dark green, describes the nutrient content that is 66% up to 100% of the total requirement.
Macronutrients bar used to show the content in relation to the total recommended value
Calories
In order to fulfill vital tasks (e.g. breathing, thinking, moving, etc.), our body needs energy. He gets it through food and liquids. However, each food provides different amounts of energy. In order to measure these and thus make them comparable, the unit kilocalories (kcal) can be used. The higher the value, the more energy that food or dish provides. If we take in more energy than we can use, we gain weight, if we take in too little, we become deficient and our body cannot perform its functions. Energy requirements vary according to age, gender, weight and activity level. The DGE (German Society for Nutrition) states that the average daily calories requirement for adult men is 2300 kcal and for an adult women is 1800 kcal¹. The WHO (World Health Organization) gives an average of 2000 kcal per day for adults².
Basically, one can say that all foods, that are considered ideal, contain as many nutrients as possible with a low energy density. Nevertheless, you can also eat more substantial meals if the daily balance is right. With Clean & Yummy's recipes, it's easy to stay within the daily recommendations, as we always ensure a balanced, low-fat diet.
Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
Proteins
You read and hear a lot about proteins these days. At the grocery store, you'll see tons of high-protein products, and many fitness enthusiast on social media will recommend a high-protein diet to get in shape. But for what exactly does our body require protein for and how much of it do we really need?
In fact, the daily protein requirement is linked to our body weight or the ideal weight according to our height and gender. The WHO (World Health Organization) gives a value of 0.83 g per kg of body weight³. A woman who weighs around 60 kg should therefore consume around 50 g of protein per day through food. A man who weighs 75 kg comes to about 62 g of daily protein need. In fact, protein requirements also vary with activity levels. So the more active you are, the more protein you need. So should athletes eat more protein? No, because those who do a lot of sport are usually more hungry and eat comparatively more. Due to the higher total intake of calories, the amount of protein is automatically higher if you eat healthily and consciously⁴. In addition, the 0.83 g of the WHO does not represent the minimum requirement, but already contains a buffer for more physically demanding activities and is therefore to be understood as an optimal requirement.
The accusation is often raised that vegans do not absorb enough protein. In order to deal with this, one must first understand that there are both animal and vegetable proteins. Animal proteins are found in eggs, dairy products and meat. Nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, oatmeal, quinoa and millet contain valuable amounts of plant-based proteins. In the past, plant-based proteins were wrongly dismissed by critics as less nutritious. Science is now also recognizing that this assessment is no longer correct: The AHA (American Heart Association)⁵ comes to the conclusion that a balanced vegan diet that covers the daily calorie requirement also easily covers the protein requirement. The BDA (British Dietic Association)⁶ also states that a varied plant-based diet ensures the protein supply. The ADA (American Dietic Association)⁷ even recommends a vegan diet for every person and every life phase.
Foto: Marco Verch | ccnull.de | CC-BY 2.0
However, several sources suggest that the protein requirement for a purely plant-based diet is slightly higher, at 0.9 g per kg of body weight⁸. This is assumed below. If we use the following calculation example⁹ as a basis, we get a simpler guideline that we can use to estimate where we are at the end of the day: A woman weighing 60 kg needs around 2000 kcal per day. With a protein requirement of 0.9 g per kilogram, this results in a daily requirement of 54 g protein. Assuming an average calorie density of 4.1 kcal for every gram of protein, a total of 221.4 kcal of proteins are required. This corresponds to around 11 percent of the total daily calorie intake.
Current research has shown that the best way to get protein is to combine as many protein sources as possible, rather than over-consume a single protein source¹⁰. This can be explained by the fact that proteins consist of different amino acids, all of which are important for our body. Since the composition of amino acids in the individual foods varies, you are better supplied if you combine different protein-containing foods throughout the day.
Now you don't have to use this percentage as a benchmark for every dish or meal, it depends on what you have eaten in total during the day. We at Clean & Yummy want to help you to assess your individual dishes well and therefore always give you the percentage of the total daily amount so that you know immediately how well you are already supplied this day.
Finally, a few words about the protein diet mentioned at the beginning of this section. The motto "the more the better" represented here is not medically reasonable. A chronic oversupply of proteins harbors health risks¹¹. Therefore, this trend should be viewed very critically. However, there is no need to worry if you exceed the recommended protein requirement on individual days. In the long run one should move within the framework of the recommendations given here.
Our top 10 protein ingredients
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Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have a pretty bad reputation in our society. They are supposed to make you fat, which is why various modern diets recommend consuming as few carbohydrates as possible. But is that healthy? And what are carbohydrates and what use do they have for our body? All of these questions will be addressed below:
Our body can convert carbohydrates into immediate energy or it can first store this energy and later release it again when there is an increased need for activity. In this respect, carbohydrates have a very important and legitimate function in our diet and should not be completely eliminated. Especially since in most low-carb diets they are usually replaced by foods containing fat and cholesterol, which are not beneficial to the body¹².
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)¹³ recommends that 45-65% of our calories should come from carbohydrates, 10-35% from protein and 20-35% from fat (but no more than 10% saturated fat). The WHO (World Health Organization)¹⁴ takes a similar view, estimating the carbohydrate requirement at between 55 and 75% of the daily energy requirement. The DGE (German Society for Nutrition)¹⁵ also makes a similar statement and states that a wholesome diet should contain more than 50% of the energy intake in the form of carbohydrates.
But it has to be said that not all carbohydrates are the same, which means that there are significant differences and it is important to cover your energy requirements with healthy carbohydrates.
From a chemical point of view, carbohydrates are sugar compounds. There are three subgroups: First, simple sugars (fructose and glucose, also known as dextrose), second, double sugars (sucrose, i.e. table sugar, and lactose), and third, polysaccharides (starch).
Foto: congerdesign | pixnio.com | CC-BY 2.0
In order to be able to understand the differences between the individual subgroups, let's take a look at what actually happens in the body when carbohydrates are absorbed: All carbohydrates that enter the body are either first broken down into individual glucose building blocks or converted in the liver to glucose. The released glucose can then be used as energy or stored in our fat cells in the form of triglycerides.
Single and double sugars can be converted relatively quickly by the body and are therefore also stored relatively quickly, leading to weight gain if they are not converted into physical activity. In addition, the blood sugar level rises very quickly and is therefore regulated down by our pancreas, which is why hunger can occur again as a result. You can get into a spiral of food cravings and develop the feeling that you are never full, even though you eat regularly. Fructose is found naturally in fruits and vegetables. But it is also extracted by the food industry and used in isolated, highly concentrated form as a sweetener, for example in soft drinks and ready sauces. The fructose in fruits and vegetables is in no way questionable. Firstly, it occurs in comparatively very small amounts in the fruits and vegetables and secondly, they are surrounded by a large number of minerals and trace elements that are essential for our body. Table sugar and lactose, which are considered double sugars, are generally not used on this blog, as we reject refined industrial sugar and present vegan recipes. Maple syrup and coconut sugar form also part of the double sugars, and those are used on this blog. They are less industrially processed and therefore do not consist of 100% sucrose but also contain some vitamins and minerals. As often as possible, however, we also use the natural sweetness of fruits such as ripe bananas, dates and figs.
The multiple sugars are long, multi-linked glucose chains that the body first has to break down. Since the body needs longer for this, we are full longer and our glucose level does not rise as quickly and our blood sugar balance does not rise and fall like a roller coaster. All grains, legumes and starchy vegetables fall into this group. It is true that white flour products are less healthy because important nutrients have been lost due to the loosening of the outer shell. Whole grain products, legumes and starchy vegetables are therefore clearly preferred. In addition to complex carbohydrates, they contain minerals, vitamins and important dietary fibers. Basically, it should be pointed out here that whole, unprocessed grains are the healthiest choice¹⁶.
Fiber
You can read everywhere that fiber is important for a healthy diet. But why exactly and how much of it should you eat every day? Let's start with what fiber actually is. The vegetable fibers found on the outer part of plants that our bodies cannot digest are known as dietary fiber. This sounds negative or pointless at first, but it is ultimately very positive! Fiber cannot be used by the body to generate energy, the body cannot convert it. But they have countless other great effects. A distinction is made between soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Soluble fiber has the property that when it comes into contact with liquid, it begins to swell and increase in volume, filling the stomach and making us feel full for longer. The insoluble fiber cannot be broken down in the intestine and the remaining fiber makes our stool bulkier and is therefore excreted more often. Regular digestion is known to be very healthy. The fiber also cleans the intestines and transports toxins out. It is well known that the intestinal bacteria, which should be in balance, is important for a healthy immune system. The good news is that the intestinal bacteria love fiber and we are doing something good for our entire body if we always include enough fiber in our diet. In addition, such a diet counteracts some lifestyle associated diseases such as diabetes.
Fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, millet and quinoa, as well as nuts and seeds contain valuable dietary fiber. By the way, animal foods do not contain any fiber.
According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition)¹⁷, the recommended daily intake is 30g of dietary fiber per day. The WHO (World Health Organization)¹⁸ states that we should consume more than 25g of fiber per day. The following table shows that this is not so easy to achieve.
Below we list the ranking of our ingredients with dietary fiber content per 100g:
Our top 25 fiber ingredients
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How much fiber is good for you also depends on individual factors. Basically, you can't eat too much fiber. But if you change your diet, you should approach it slowly and increase the amount step by step. Otherwise there is a risk that the body will overreact with strong intestinal activity.
The mission of Clean & Yummy is to conjure up healthy and delicious recipes, fiber is an important part of our creations and with us you are well supplied with it.
Omega fatty acids balance
Basically, fat is a macronutrient that provides us with energy but should be consumed in moderation. Therefore, there is already a detailed chapter on the subject of fat in the section Diet concern values. When it comes to fat, there are different subgroups: The saturated fatty acids can be produced by the body itself, so we do not have to ingest them with food. However, they are still found in many foods, especially those of animal origin, and are considered unhealthy. The (poly)unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, are healthy and must be ingested with food because our body cannot produce them on its own. They are found in particularly large numbers in marine animals, in some oil seeds and, of course, in fruits and vegetables. Now you might think that a lot helps a lot and try to eat a lot of unsaturated fatty acids. But it's not that simple, because there are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are opponents in our body and when they are in balance they help the body to regulate itself perfectly. While the omega-3 fatty acid has an anti-inflammatory, vasodilating and anticoagulant effect, the omega-6 fatty acid is considered to be pro-inflammatory, vasoconstrictive and coagulation-promoting. So both are important. But the body needs a balance of both fatty acids. According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition), a ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 of 1:2 to a maximum of 1:5¹⁹ is ideal. Unfortunately, science²⁰ has repeatedly shown that the average value for Europeans is 1:15 or higher and for Americans it is even 1:17 or higher. Various negative health consequences are studied in medicine in this context²¹. You can counteract this with a conscious diet.
Below you will find a table with the top 25 ingredients of Clean & Yummy in relation to an ideal ratio of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. At the top of the table you will find foods that are omega-3 dominant. This is rather rare and such ingredients are well suited to regulate our overall balance downwards. In addition, we have designed our own nutrition symbol, which shows you recipes with a good fatty acids balance. You will then also find the exact values and the omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids ratio for this recipe in the middle of the recipe, in the exact nutrient analysis. If you want to find more recipes like this, simply use our search engine and search for new cooking ideas under the keyword omega fatty acid balance. Last but not least, it should be mentioned that it can also make sense to increase your omega-3 fatty acid level with a supplement. It is not easy for vegans to find a suitable product, as most of these dietary supplements are made from (low-quality) fish oil, which is why the capsules often taste very rancid. Fortunately, there are now also herbal products that use algae as a basis. But here, too, you have to be careful about which co-formulants the products contain. In our Recommendations category you will find a clean product that we can recommend with a clear conscience.
Our top 25 fatty acids Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio ingredients
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