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The word macronutrients designates nutrients we need to eat in relatively large (“macro”) quantities, usually in gram amounts. They include the nutrient trio: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. There may be times we need special forms of these macronutrients, like a powdered fiber (nondigestible carbohydrate) supplement to support the movement of the gut or a fish-oil capsule to give us the right proportion of essential fats. Macronutrients are used for energy in the body as each of them supplies calories, but they are also involved in maintaining structural and physiological aspects. For example, not only are fats a rich source of energy, but their presence in the cell membrane (the outer wall of a cell) will determine how well that cell will let nutrients and waste products in and out. With a diet too low in unsaturated fats (fats that are fluid at room temperature, like vegetable oils), transport of substances in and out of the cell may be less rapid and the way the cell communicates inside its walls could dramatically change. For example, if your brain does not have sufficient levels of unsaturated fats (particularly the type referred to as “omega-3” fats), it can experience changes in how neurotransmitters flow between nerve cells. In the end, your behavior can even be affected. Insufficient unsaturated omega-3 fats have been associated with mood changes like depression.

The ratio between the three macronutrients is commonly most touted. Active debate in the nutrition community continues on the ideal proportion of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in relation to another—you might be aware of this because these ideas trickle toward consumer awareness in the form of books and radio or TV shows with experts talking about whether the ‘ideal’ diet should be “low-fat,” “low-carbohydrate,” or “high-protein,” to name a few of the commonly tossed-around diet labels.