Confused about what the units are in the breakdown of food.

denimmaterial
denimmaterial Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Can anyone explain what units are used in the breakdown of carbs, protein, fat, sugar etc. I've tried all ways to find how these numbers relate to the total number of calories shown. They are not calories or percentages. Anyone know what these numbers actually show?

Replies

  • Faithful_Chosen
    Faithful_Chosen Posts: 401 Member
    I... am not entirely sure what you mean. Are you talking about (for example) the recommendations? Those are in grams.
  • Katleskin
    Katleskin Posts: 111 Member
    I was under the impression that they are in grams.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    1g carbs ~ 4 calories, 1g fat ~ 9 calories, 1g protein ~ 4 calories. Add it all up you get total calories.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited July 2015
    If you are using the MFP default setting, the number of grams for each macro is based on the percentage of calories.

    For a 2000 calorie goal:
    50% carbs = 1000 calories divided by 4 calories/gram = 250g goal for carbs
    30% fat = 600 calories divided by 9 calories/gram = 67g goal for fat
    20% protein = 400 calories divided by 4 calories/gram = 100g goal for protein

    The MFP sugar goal is 15% of total calories, so for a 2000 calorie goal that would be 300 calories of sugar which would be 75 grams.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    20yearsyounger wrote: »
    1g carbs ~ 4 calories, 1g fat ~ 9 calories, 1g protein ~ 4 calories. Add it all up you get total calories.
    ^^ This. Plus 1g alcohol ~ 7 calories.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Here's a table which explains the healthy macro ranges, from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/1/T1.expansion.html

    carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
    fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
    protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

    So for someone with a calorie goal of 2000 per day, that would be
    carbs, 900 - 1300 cal, 225 - 325 g
    fat, 400 - 700 cal, 44 - 78 g
    protein, 200 - 700 cal, 50 - 175 g
    (adjust for your own needs, to see where you feel best)
  • denimmaterial
    denimmaterial Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you everyone for clarifying that. Now very clear about it.
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