Rule number one: the key to success is the right ratio
All the body’s needs for nutrients, micro- and macrocomponents, of course, are strictly individual. Therefore, since most of the calculations based on the criterion “daily intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates” are made for an ordinary, average person, after a while you yourself will understand what exactly your body requires, and you will be able to slightly adjust any program exclusively for yourself.
The simplest formula for the ratio of BJU (or proteins-fats-carbohydrates) is approximately 1:1:4. But it is not suitable for everyone, since much of nutrition depends on your age, weight, lifestyle and the results you want to achieve. Therefore, if you want to learn in more detail how to most rationally use this formula in your diet, let's look at each of its components separately.
Diet menu and cheese: BJU, calorie content, consumption rate
Low-fat cheeses are a staple of many low-calorie diets. One of the popular curd cheeses, reminiscent of unsalted and low-fat cheese, is considered tofu with a fat content of 1-4%. Produced on the basis of soy milk, it is rich in high-quality amino acids that can successfully replace meat products. 100 g of tofu contains less than 100 kcal, so it is ideal for people losing weight or suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Another dietary product is country cheese or cottage cheese with a fat content of 5%. It is mixed with cream (fresh, lightly salted). 100 g of granular or Lithuanian cottage cheese (the name of the same village cheese) contains 85 kcal and 19 g of protein. Among the low-fat cheeses in demand: “Gaudette” (with a fat content of 7%), dietary “Chechil”, “Fitness”, “Grunlander” (5-10%), “Ricotta” (13%) - its slice contains 4 g of fat and 50 kcal.
In light cheese and feta light versions, the fat content varies between 5 and 15%. This cheese is made from goat's milk and contains no more than 30% fat, while traditional feta from sheep's milk contains about 60% fat.
Nutritionists do not advise overusing any type of cheese; a couple of slices before lunch (30-50 g) is quite enough. They can be chopped into a salad, eaten on their own, or used on thin, toasted toast. Brine cheeses must first be soaked in water or fresh milk for an hour.
Squirrels
Protein is an essential component of all tissues of the human body. In a child’s body they are needed for growth, in an adult – for tissue regeneration. All proteins contain various amino acids, each of which is simply necessary for humans.
The primary sources of protein, which have a unique set of amino acids, are nuts, sprouted grains, soy milk, white meat chicken or turkey, fish, low-fat cheeses or other fermented milk products, and milk.
Is cheese a fatty product?
Those who care about their figure often have to deny themselves the pleasure of eating cheese, since it is considered an extremely fatty food. However, you should not make hasty conclusions if you come across cheese with a fat content of 45, 50 and 60% on store shelves. These numbers are indicated by manufacturers to determine the concentration of fat in dry matter. At the same time, the amount of fat in a complete fermented milk product is no more than 20-30%. In addition, you can find dietary varieties of cheese on sale with a mass fraction of fat in dry matter ranging from 18-25%.
Low-fat types of cheese differ in color - they are much lighter than varieties made from whole milk with the addition of cream. The described product is a leader in calcium content: 100 g contains 1300 mg of an important microelement, which corresponds to 130% of the required amount per day. It is absorbed only with fat-soluble vitamin D, so cheese (the BJU contained in it is ideal for saturating the body in the first half of the day) brings the human body so much calcium, as well as vitamins B, A, E and D, minerals and amino acids. As for the milk fats present in cheese, they are rich in phosphatides - components that help digest and assimilate 90% of food and ensure proper metabolism of fats in the body. In addition, milk fat has a low melting point, which further facilitates its absorption.
Fats
It is a big misconception to believe that consuming fat can only harm yourself and your figure. The main thing is that there should be moderation in everything. Fats are simply necessary for the human body, because without them many cells will not be able to function normally.
All fats that exist in nature are divided into saturated and unsaturated, this is determined by the ratio of fatty acids and glycerol in the composition.
For normal functioning, the body needs three main polyunsaturated fatty acids - Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9. You can find them in fish, pumpkin seeds, and vegetable oils (olive, almond).
Saturated fats, selected in strictly defined quantities, saturate the body with the necessary energy. However, be careful, a large amount of saturated fat in food contributes to increased cholesterol deposition on the walls of blood vessels.
What happens if you completely eliminate fats?
It is also worth reducing the consumption of so-called trans fats to a minimum amount, since their effect on the body cannot be called positive. Often such fats are present in flour products, and especially in margarine.
The recommended daily intake of fat for men is 100-150 grams, for women – 85-115. For older people, it is recommended to reduce fat intake to 70 grams per day.
A lack of fat can lead to a decrease in overall immunity, disturbances in the central nervous system, intestinal problems and duodenal ulcers.
Excessive presence of fats in the diet causes increased blood cholesterol levels, obesity and memory loss.
How to correctly calculate BZHU
The last step on the path to results is to convert calories into grams of individual nutrients. To do this we need to know the following:
- One gram of protein or carbohydrate contains 4 calories;
- One gram of fat contains 9 calories.
Thus, to find out your daily requirement of a particular nutrient in grams, you need to multiply the percentage of this nutrient in the diet by the caloric intake calculated above, and then divide this by the number of calories in one gram of the nutrient.
Now let's look at two examples of a full-fledged calculation of BZHU. Let a 30-year-old man, 180 cm tall and weighing 80 kg, spend about an hour every day to get to the office, and the same amount on the way back. He wants to switch to a healthy diet. Let's calculate the BZHU norms for his case. We have:
- Height - 180 cm;
- Weight - 80 kg;
- Age - 30 years;
- Activity - weak;
- The goal is to stay fit and switch to a healthy diet.
Based on the goal, we get a proportion of 3/3/4, that is, proteins and fats in the diet - 30% each, carbohydrates - 40%.
Activity corresponds to a coefficient of 1.375. Let's find out the caloric intake using the Mifflin-San Geor formula: (10 * 80 + 6.25 * 180 - 5 * 30 + 5) * 1.375 = 2447.5 kcal. Now we find out the amount of each of the nutrients: 2447.5 * 0.3 / 4 = 183.5 g - proteins; 2447.5 * 0.3 / 9 = 81.6 g - fat; 2447.5 * 0.4 / 4 = 244.8 g - carbohydrates. Let's consider another case. A 25-year-old girl, 165 cm tall and weighing 70 kg, wants to lose weight. Due to her employment in the mental sphere, her activity is as limited as possible. So we have:
- Height - 165 cm;
- Weight - 70 kg;
- Age - 25 years;
- Activity - absent;
- The goal is to lose weight.
She will consume 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 20% fat.
The activity level gives a coefficient of 1.2. Let's calculate the caloric intake using the Harris-Benedict formula: (447.593 + 9.247 * 70 + 3.098 * 165 - 4.33 * 25) * 1.2 = 1797.3 kcal. Then the girl needs to consume: 1797.3 * 0.3 / 4 = 134.8 g - protein; 1797.3 * 0.2 / 9 = 40 g - fat; 1797.3 * 0.5 / 4 = 224.7 g - carbohydrates. Our calculator (new version) uses this formula:
The result of a 1200 calorie average consumption for gaining weight or maintaining weight:
- 1200 * 0.3 / 4 - proteins;
- 1200 * 0.3 / 9 - fat;
- 1200 * 0.4 / 4 - carbohydrates.
And for weight loss
- B: (1200*0.3)/4;
- F: (1200*0.2)/9;
- U: (1200*0.5)/4.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are one of the main components of our daily diet. Moreover, it is one of the most important sources of energy. That is why reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed will not lead to anything good. It is more important to learn to choose the “right” carbohydrates.
The energy that enters the human body per day should be replenished by approximately three to four fifths through complex carbohydrates, one tenth from simple carbohydrates, and the remainder from burning proteins and fats. Therefore, the daily intake of protein and carbohydrates in your diet must necessarily correspond to the amount of fat.
All carbohydrates that can appear on your plate are divided into three large groups: monosaccharides, polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. All of them are simply necessary for our body, otherwise no proteins or fats will simply be able to be absorbed. The largest portion of carbohydrates entering the body are monosaccharides and disaccharides. Be careful, if excess sugar enters your body, some of it can accumulate in the muscles and liver as glycogen.
What other carbohydrates are there?
Also, according to the time or speed at which the body receives energy, carbohydrates are divided into fast and slow (or, as they are also called, simple and complex).
Slow carbohydrates should become a regular part of your daily diet, but again, do not overdo it, the amount of this substance directly depends on how active your lifestyle is. However, the average daily intake of carbohydrates is approximately 350-500 grams, no more.
One of the most accessible representatives of fast carbohydrates is sugar, since it contains only two molecules - glucose and fructose. Fast carbohydrates (all kinds of sweets, fruits, buns, etc.) are absorbed into the blood at an instant speed, almost immediately after we eat, but they also disappear as quickly as they appear. Therefore, it is advisable, if not completely, then at least as much as possible, to exclude from your diet foods that are oversaturated with fast carbohydrates. Remember, fast carbohydrates are the main initiators of obesity. Therefore, if you want to independently calculate the daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, be sure to pay attention to the latter.
Unlike the former, slow carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood over a much longer period of time, but this happens much more evenly, and our body’s fat reserves are not replenished.
Calculation formulas
Above, we determined what portion of our diet (in calories) should be made up of one or another nutrient.
The next step is to determine the total number of calories we should consume per day. You can find out your caloric intake using special calculators on the Internet. You just need to enter gender, weight, height, age and lifestyle in the appropriate lines and get an answer. However, you can do the calculations yourself. There are special formulas for this.
Mifflin-St. Geora counting formula
Developed in 2005 by a group of American nutritionists and has the following form:
- (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (g) + 5) x A - for men;
- (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (g) – 161) x A – for women.
For greater clarity, let’s take a closer look at the calculation process using this formula:
- Multiply the weight in kilograms by 10;
- Multiply height in centimeters by 6.25;
- Multiply the age in years by 5;
- We add the results of steps 1 and 2 and subtract the result of step 3 from the resulting amount;
- For men, we add 5 to the resulting number, for women, we subtract 161 from it;
- We multiply the result by coefficient A.
A is a coefficient expressing the level of human activity. It has 5 meanings:
- 1.2 - almost complete lack of activity. This includes people with a sedentary lifestyle who do not exercise.
- 1.375 – weak activity. This is either a sedentary lifestyle coupled with small workouts 1-3 times a week, or activities that require regular long walking.
- 1.55 – average activity. This coefficient is chosen by those who play sports 3-4 times a week for 30-60 minutes.
- 1.7 - high activity. This includes daily or almost daily training, or employment in construction, agriculture, etc.
- 1.9 - extreme activity. This includes athletes with repeated daily training sessions and people with long working hours, such as in coal mines.
Using this scheme, calculating the calorie level is recommended only for persons from 14 to 80 years old.
Harris-Benedict formula
Its first version appeared already in 1919, but 65 years later an adjustment took place and now the formula looks like this:
- (88.362 + (13.397 x weight (kg)) + (4.799 x height (cm)) - (5.677 x age (g))) * A - for men;
- (447.593 + (9.247 x weight (kg)) + (3.098 x height (cm)) - (4.330 x age (g))) * A - for women
The activity coefficient in this case is determined in exactly the same way.
Daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates: calculation table
The most important thing in the diet is the correct ratio of BJUs, the amount of which is determined mainly by your age and lifestyle. Remember, the whole point of diets and just proper nutrition is not to completely eliminate all sorts of harmful things from your diet, leaving only vegetables and herbs. The main and main goal is to ensure that the body receives exactly the amount of nutrients that it requires.
For children and the elderly, the daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates (the table below) is significantly different. This should definitely be taken into account. If you strictly follow all the tips mentioned above, you will understand that calculating the daily intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is, in general, a simple matter. And there are a lot of benefits from it!
To make it more convenient for you to choose what is right for you, below is the daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
The table for men and women contains all the necessary values. Men
Group | Weak physical loads | Average physical loads | Strong physical loads | ||||||
Age | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 |
Proteins, g | 90 | 88 | 82 | 96 | 93 | 88 | 110 | 106 | 100 |
Fats, g | 50 | 48 | 45 | 53 | 51 | 48 | 61 | 58 | 56 |
Carbohydrates, g | 110 | 105 | 100 | 117 | 114 | 108 | 147 | 141 | 135 |
Energy (kcal) | 1670 | 1550 | 1520 | 1850 | 1790 | 1700 | 2350 | 2260 | 2160 |
Women
Group | Weak physical loads | Average physical loads | Strong physical loads | ||||||
Age | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 | 18-29 | 30-39 | 40-59 |
Proteins, g | 77 | 75 | 70 | 81 | 78 | 75 | 87 | 84 | 80 |
Fats, g | 42 | 41 | 39 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 48 | 46 | 44 |
Carbohydrates, g | 90 | 87 | 82 | 99 | 95 | 92 | 116 | 112 | 106 |
Energy (kcal) | 1420 | 1360 | 1300 | 1560 | 1500 | 1445 | 1850 | 1800 | 1700 |
Conclusion
Always think through your menu wisely. For example, eating fats at the same time as carbohydrates is not recommended for the reason that when both are consumed at the same time, the body first begins to break down carbohydrates, since this requires much less time than processing fats. Thus, fats are simply stored in reserve.
It is better to limit or even eliminate the intake of carbohydrates after six or seven o'clock in the evening; in the evening the metabolism becomes a little slower, which means that carbohydrates are no longer completely processed, and insulin enters the blood in excess.
If you want, for example, to lose excess weight, give up simple carbohydrates for a while, and it is best to consume fats from nuts or fish. Also limit the amount of white rice and potatoes.
And it will become much easier to maintain internal balance by correctly calculating the daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The table will become your indispensable assistant.
And to make it easier for you to control yourself at first, try keeping a food diary. In it you will write down everything you ate during the day. Moreover, you need to not only write it down, but also work hard, and before eating, weigh the portion and calculate how much protein, fat, carbohydrates and calories it contains. You just need to do this really honestly, because you certainly can’t deceive your body! Never forget that there is a certain daily allowance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which you simply must follow.