Carbs vs Protein: Finding the Right Balance for Your Diet

Understanding Carbohydrates

Simple Carbs v/s Complex Carbs

We get our carbs from sugars, starches, and fibers, which are digested and metabolised differently. This also gives an easier explanation of the two distinct types of carbs that we know of – simple and complex.

The more sugar content your carb has, the easier, or rather simpler, it is to digest. On the other hand, the fibers are complex by nature and hence require more time for digestion and you need to balance both of them.

Carbs as an Energy Source

Most carbs are turned into glucose that is stored in the form of glycogen in your muscles and liver. They, in turn, serve as the major source of energy your body relies upon for exercising and other allied intense activities throughout the day.

Usually, within an hour or two, most of the carbs are changed into sugar, which then enters your bloodstream to help raise the blood sugar level. This results in your pancreas producing insulin.

Daily Recommended Intake of Carbs

For an average person, it is suggested that 45-55% of your calories should come from carbs. This means that if you are consuming 2,000 calories everyday, your carbs should make 900-1300 of it, which roughly translates to 225-325 gm of carbs per day.

Exploring Protein

Role of Protein in the Body

For all the muscle enthusiasts out there, protein is your friend. So, there is a reason why you see people hanging out in the gym with a protein shake in their sippers. Proteins are your muscles’ building blocks. A major source of amino acids, they help in nutrient absorption. Apart from building and recovering your muscles, they also help in strengthening your immune system.

Animal-based v/s Plant-based Protein

Depending on your lifestyle and choices, you can pick between either of the two sources of protein – animal or plant-based. Proteins derived from animals contain all nine essential amino acids and are therefore called complete proteins. On the other hand, apart from soybeans and pea protein, almost all other plant-based protein lacks one or more amino acids, making them incomplete proteins.

Satiety Factor of Protein

Protein also plays a major role in satiating you. It helps in making you feel fuller, thereby stopping you from eating more than you should. It does so by stimulating the greater appetite-suppressing hormone in your gut. As such, it helps in weight management.

Daily Recommended Intake of Protein

When it comes to the daily intake of protein, it is recommended that around 20-30% of your total calories should be derived from proteins. This means that if you are consuming around 2,000 calories a day, then 200-700 of those calories should be sourced from protein; irrespective of whether they are animal-based or plant-based. It translates to 50-175 gm of protein everyday.

Assessing Your Nutritional Needs

Factors Influencing Your Macronutrient Requirements

There are several factors that play a major role in determining the macronutrient quantity you need. It is extremely subjective and differs from person to person. This is why just blindly following someone else’s dietary chart is never a bright idea. What worked for them may not necessarily work for you. Yes, you can get a rough blueprint on the protein and carb quantity, but at the end of the day, it should always fall upon several other factors for personalizing your diet. 

Some of the key factors in determining your macronutrient intake are sex, age, activity level, present weight, health conditions, and muscle mass. Additionally, if you are pregnant, that should also be taken into consideration. Our customized meal plans take care of your specific needs as per your body’s requirements. 

Calculating Your Daily Carb and Protein Needs

If you want to live healthily and make sure that you stay healthy through your old age, it is wise to start making conscious health choices early on. The sooner you begin, the more benefit you will derive as you age. And one major activity in it is tracking the amount of macronutrients daily.

Since we are speaking of carbs and protein here specifically, here is how you need to calculate their breakdowns. However, fats also comprise a major third of the overall macronutrient. So, while figuring out the first two, you eventually will find answers to the quantity of fats as well. 

Now, considering the following equations, you need to derive the macronutrient intake.

• 1 gm of carb = 4 calories
• 1 gm of protein = 4 calories
• 1 gm of fat = 9 calories

If you are assorting 45% of your calories from carbs, 25% from proteins, and the rest 30% from fats, and overall consuming 2,000 calories, then this is how the breakdown should be.

• Carbs: 45% x 2,000 calories / 4 calories = 225 gm
• Proteins: 25% x 2,000 calories/ 4 calories = 125 gm
• Fats: 30% x 2,000 calories/ 9 calories = 67 gm

Customizing Your Diet Based On Personal Preferences

It is no secret that the more you personalize your diet, the quicker and more efficient results you will notice. This is because a personalized diet helps in targeting the key factors in you and addresses them at their core. When your diet is built around your health conditions and health goals, you give yourself better odds at meeting the desired objectives.

So, whenever you are picking up a diet, don’t forget to personalise it further down the line by tweaking a factor or two to make it resemble your lifestyle as much as possible. Now remember, in your attempt to customising your diet, there are certain factors you need to pay attention to.

First, you have to decide how many meals in a day you will be consuming – three heavy meals, five moderate medals, or eight short meals. Next, how much time you are allotting to preparing your food?  Finally, what is your activity level going to look like other than the average daily activities? Will you take part in exercises, running, swimming, and other allied activities or not? Finding the answers to these and discussing them with a nutritionist will help you in personalising your diet better.