Optimum Macronutrients Per Day

As part of a healthy lifestyle, it’s worth understanding what the optimum amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats recommended on a daily basis.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy, and should make up the largest percentage of your daily calorie intake.

Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram.

For a balanced diet a man needs 2,500 and a woman needs 2,000 calories per day. (Values can vary depending on age, metabolism and levels of activity amongst other things.)

If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, aim for 260 grams of carbs per day. Remember that some carbs contain sugars, so it is recommended that you spilt your carb intake as follows:  170 grams of non-sugar carbs and 90 grams of carbs containing sugar.  Of the 90g containing sugar, only 30g should come from “added sugars” (often added in the manufacturing process of foods).

Lowering your carb intake and replacing with protein may help reduce your total calorie intake. Aim to consume about 50 percent of your calories from carbs for successful weight loss.

Although carbs should make up the majority of your calorie intake, it is worthwhile considering that carbs such as refined grains and added sugars provide calories but few additional nutrients.

Meeting your daily carb requirements with healthy carbs, instead of refined grains and sugars, will help you maintain a healthy body weight and boost your energy level.

Examples of nutritious carbs include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, nuts and seeds.

Look out for hidden sugars!

Added sugars are hidden in prepared meals, desserts, sweets, syrups, pastries, many granola bars, fizzy drinks and other sugary beverages. Refined grains are in foods such as white bread and white rice. Take a look at our fact sheets to see some how much sugar is included in some of our favourite meals!

Protein

Protein is incredibly important and if we don’t get enough from the diet, our health and body composition suffers. However, there are vastly different opinions on how much protein we actually need.

Protein also provides 4 calories per gram.

If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, aim for 50 grams of protein per day.

Proteins are the main building blocks of the body. They’re used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin. Proteins are also used to make enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and various tiny molecules that serve important functions.

Without protein, life as we know it would not be possible.

Protein is not just about quantity. It’s also about quality. Generally speaking, animal protein provides all the essential amino acids in the right ratio for us to make full use of them (which makes sense, since animal tissues are similar to our own tissues).

If you’re eating animal products (like meat, fish, eggs, or dairy) every day, then you’re probably already doing pretty well, protein-wise.

If you don’t eat animal foods, then it is a bit more challenging to get all the protein and essential amino acids that your body needs.

Fat

Fat contributes to energy intake and helps you absorb vital vitamins; therefore a healthy diet should always contain a certain amount of fat. The two main forms of fat are saturated, predominately from animal sources, and non-saturated, predominately from vegetable sources.

Fats provide 9 calories per gram

If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, aim for 70 grams of carbs per day. Remember that not all fats are good for you so it is recommended that you spilt your fat intake as follows:  46 grams of non-saturated fat and 24 grams of saturated fat.

Because fat is a rich source of energy, you should try and eat no more than your recommended intake. It is also important to choose non-saturated fats as much as possible.  These can be found in oily fish, nuts and seeds, avocado, and spreads made from sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil.

Too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease. You should therefore consume no more than your recommended daily intake.

Watch SmallerKnickers Meal Reveal films to get more insight into what macronutrients are in our favourite meals.