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Nutrition FAQs

Your Questions Answered

Nutrition is the process of obtaining energy and nutrients from food and using it for the biological and physiological processes which support life.

Nutrition is important for maintaining good health. Nutrition plays a central role in optimal health, immunity, performance and overall well-being.

Macronutrients are nutrients which provide us with energy. They are nutrients required in relatviely large quantities by the body, hence the term ‘macro’. There are actually 4 ‘macros’ or macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat and Alcohol.

‘Macros’ is a shorthand term for ‘macronutrients’. 

Protein is made up from amino acids which are the building blocks for the body, used for building, maintaining, and repairing tissues, cells, and organs. Protein also plays an important role in hormone and enzyme production.

We can obtain protein from animal and plant-based food sources. Most animal sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, deliver all the amino acids your body needs, while plant-based protein sources such as grains, pulses, beans and vegetables often lack one or more of the essential amino acids. However, by eating a variety of plant-based sources of protein each day you can use clever combinations to ensure your body gets all the essential amino acids it needs.

Protein provides 4 calories per gram.

Carbohydrates in the form of glucose are the body’s primary source of energy. They are required for brain and organ function, as well as fuelling us for physical activity.

You can find carbohydrates in a wide range of foods:

Whole-grains (Brown Rice, Quinoa, Oats)
Fruits (Apples, Bananas, Berries)
Vegetables (Broccoli, Carrots, Kale)
Legumes (Chickpeas, Lentils, Beans)

Carbohydrates contain 4 Kcal per gram.
Carbohydrates are sugars that come in two primary forms: ‘complex’ and ‘simple’.

‘Simple’ carbohydrates, or “simple sugars” and ‘starches’, include fruit, syrups and sugars, often found in processed foods.

‘Complex’ carbohydrates include vegetables, grains, potatoes, beans and pulses.
There are 3 types of dietary fat – Saturated, Mono-unsaturated and Poly-unsaturated.

Unsaturated are found mostly in plants (nuts seeds, avocado, olive oil), and saturated fats found mostly in animal sources (dairy, eggs, meat), but most foods will contain both.

We want to ensure we consume a variety of high quality fat sources to ensure we are getting the different types of dietary fat our body requires.

There are 3 types of dietary fat – Saturated, Mono-unsaturated and Poly-unsaturated.

Unsaturated are found mostly in plants (nuts seeds, avocado, olive oil), and saturated fats found mostly in animal sources (dairy, eggs, meat), but most foods will contain both.

We want to ensure we consume a variety of high quality fat sources to ensure we are getting the different types of dietary fat our body requires.

Yes!

There are actually 4 ‘macros’ or macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat and Alcohol. Alcohol isn’t generally included when we refer to macronutrients. Although it contains 7 calories per gram, it doesn’t really provide any additional nutritional benefits and is therefore not essential for the body to function optimally.

Water is not a macronutrient, though it is essential for the body to be hydrated to be able to function optimally.

The proper definition of a calorie is: ‘one calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree celsius’.

Calories are units of energy we extract from our food during the process of digestion, and which our body uses to carry out its daily functions, such as thinking, breathing, running, or dancing!

Government guidelines recommend the following daily calorie intake based on the average weight, muscle mass and physical activity level.

Females: 2000 calories
Male: 2500 calories

These estimations are based on the population, not the individual.

It’s essential to note, that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to nutrition. Everybody is unique and therefore so are our nutritional requirements.

The number of calories we require per day is completely individual and depends on a number of factors including our weight, height, sex, genetics, body composition, exercise frequency and activity level.

It can also vary depending on your current circumstance such as pregnancy, injury, or illness.

How many calories we burn in a day is referred to as our total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and will vary from person to person.

TDEE will depend on both our resting energy expenditure (how many calories are burned just by being alive), and our physcial activity.

The industry-standard formula that we use to calculate our TDEE is the Mifflin St Jeor formula.

Micronutrients are nutrients required by the body in relatively small amounts, hence the term ‘micro’. These are comprised of vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients play vital roles in the functioning of our body’s systems, and deficiencies can lead to detrimental effects on our health. They are termed ‘essential’ because we have to obtain them from food.
Dietary fibre is a term for a certain type non-digestible carbohydrate. Fibre cannot be digested in the small intestine, and therefore passes relatively unchanged into the large intestine (unlike sugars and starch).


Fibre is often split up in two categories:
– Soluble fibre: dissolves in water and becomes a gel-like substance in the body.
– Insoluble fibre: doesn’t dissolve in water and retains its form in the body.
A dietary supplement is a product designed to supplement specific nutrients within a your diet. They usually come in pill, capsule, liquid or powder form.
Supplements should never replace a healthy, balanced diet.
Electrolytes are minerals and salts, for example sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride which are present in the blood.
A low carbohydrate diet is a diet whereby the intake of carbohydrates is reduced. There is no universally agreed definition of a ‘low-carb’ diet and so the degree of carbohydrate restriction can vary a great deal. For example some people think a low-carb diet provides 30% of calories from carbohydrates, whilst others believe this to be more like 15% of calories from carbohydrates.

We are able to offer a low carbohydrate plan.

The preference has a set macronutrient split of 35% protein, 25% carbohydrate and 40% fat, but the split can be further altered if the client desires, with a minimum of 15% carbohydrates.

A ketogenic diet is a diet with a very high fat content, moderate protein and very low carbohydrate content. There are variations on how the diet might be implemented, but on a typical ketogenic diet about 75% of calories come from fat and only about 10-20% from protein and 5-10% from carbohydrate.

We not offer ketogenic diets at HealthyBee.

According to the Standard, a balanced diet involves the following:

– eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
– base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
– have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
– eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein

At HealthyBee, our balanced meal preference has the following macronutrient split (percentage proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat):

25% protein
35% carbohydrates
40% fat

Our balanced meal preference is designed in this manner, based on the most up-to-date scientific research, as well as trial and error with our clients over the past 7 years.

Our diet can be broken down simply into being made up of macronutrients and micronutrients. All of these components have crucial roles within the body, which is why consuming a balanced diet providing adequate portions of the macronutrients and micronutrients is important.

A vegan diet is a plant-based diet, which contains absolutely no animal based products.

Still, Have A Question?
Speak with your expert nutritionist


Our team of in-house nutritionists are on hand to speak with you about your plan and tailor it to your tastes and tweak as you go. 

Book in a complimentary nutrition consultation here.

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