The Carb, Fat And Protein Cheat Sheet

Here is the quickest overview in the world about what carbs, fat and protein are and what they do. It only takes one minute!

Carbs

• The body’s main and fastest source of energy
• Your brain runs on them
• Without them you will do worse at weightlifting and endurance activities like running
• They are divided into simple carbs, that occur in fruits and some vegetables, and complex carbs, mainly found in grains
• Sweets and sodas contain carbs but no other nutrients, making them “empty carbs”
• 50% of your daily calories should come from a mixture of complex and simple carbs

Fat

• With 9 kcal has the most calories per g of all nutrients
• The body needs fat to get vitamins A, D, E, and K to your cells
• It also uses it to keep your body temperature stable
• When you give your body too many calories, it turns them into fat as bad times reserve
• It’s turned into energy slower than carbs, which is why the body uses it to run low maintenance tasks
• 25% of your daily calories should come from a variety of fats and oils

Protein

• Helps build and repair blood, bones, muscle cells and skin
• It also provides assistance when building antibodies to fight disease
• You need a maximum of 1 g protein per pound of body weight to build muscle
• When  carbs and fat are depleted, the body uses protein as last-ditch energy reserve
• Natural sources for protein are dairy products, fish and legumes
• 25% of your daily calories should come from different protein sources

Not Satisfied?

If you want to get all this in excruciating detail, check my long explanation of carbs right here, then the detailed article on fat, and finally everything you need to know about protein. It all comes together in this simple concept of healthy nutrition.

Picture courtesy of Bruce Tuten.