“Where do I even start?” is the question that crosses many people’s minds looking to make a healthy diet change. Nutrition is a growing, dynamic field with much left to explore. It is also a discipline that is often manipulated by the media. Certain diets are often advocated over others as being the key to longevity and optimal health. Whenever asked this question, I always direct people to the basics of nutrition: how food provides the energy and building materials we need to run marathons, maintain a youthful complexion and build a strong body that is healthy and resilient.

‍Food provides us calories, which gives us energy. The body makes use of energy from three macronutrients in our diet. Carbohydrates, proteins and fat lock in chemical bonds within food, which are released when food is metabolized in our digestive tract. This energy must be supplied regularly for us to meet our needs for survival.

How much energy you need is dependent on a variety of factors including age, gender, weight, height, physical activity and health status. The Mifflin St- Jeor is one of the most accurate predictive equations for estimating a healthy individual’s daily energy needs. This equation will determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy you expend in a day at rest. You then multiply this number by an activity factor, which is a number between 1.2 to 1.9- the more active you are, the higher the number you use. It is important to know that nutrition is not an exact science and that this is simply an estimate, albeit a reliable one based on peer-reviewed research.

Men BMR= (10 x weight in kilograms) + (6.25 x height in centimeters) - (5 x age in years) + 5
Women BMR= (10 x weight in kilograms) + (6.25 x height in centimeters) - (5 x age in years) – 161

‍Macronutrients are nutrients that provide our body energy. Unlike micronutrients, they are needed in large quantities in an appropriate ratio to promote optimal health. 

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Carbohydrates are our major source of energy in the diet and should compromise about 45-65% of our total daily calories. This macronutrient breaks down to glucose, which is our cell’s preferred energy source. Certain carbohydrates boast fiber, which supports our body by helping to keep us regular and binding cholesterol to decrease its absorption in the body- therefore providing heart health benefit.

Sources: dairy, starchy vegetables, whole grains, beans, fruit, nuts and seeds, vegetables

Sources: seeds, nuts, olives, avocado, olive oil, fatty fish, edamame, peanut butter

Sources: Greek yogurt, quinoa, chicken, grains and legumes, salmon, edamame, hemp seeds, eggs

‍Though micronutrients are vitamins and minerals required by the body in small amounts, they are just as vital to our health and wellbeing as macronutrients and must be derived from the diet. Deficiencies can manifest in a multitude of ways- some more apparent than others. I’ve broken down five important micronutrients to be wary of and have highlighted the most quality foods that boost them.

Sources: eggs, cheese, spinach, sweet potato, winter squash, kale, grass-fed butter, shrimp

Sources: salmon, egg yolk, fortified milk and yogurt, tuna, sardines, oysters

Sources: collard greens, kale, yogurt, sardines, tahini, white beans, black-eyed peas, cheese

Sources: oysters, olives, mussels, lentils, spinach, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate

Sources: eggs, yogurt, strawberries, shrimp, cod, nori, kelp, watercress