Derval O'Rourke: The three macronutrients — and my recipe for healthy seedy crackers

This week I share a baseline understanding of the three macronutrients that our bodies need in large amounts in order to function well

Derval O'Rourke: "Let’s chat about the three main macronutrients, these are fats, carbohydrates and protein."

As an athlete, I was very aware of the power that food has. I had to be. In order to properly fuel my body, I needed to know and understand how different foods affected my ability to train, recover and compete. 

Food science can seem like a complex and confusing subject. I was very fortunate as an athlete to work with really qualified experts and these days I spend time working with experts about food. This week I will share a baseline understanding of the three macronutrients that our bodies need in large amounts in order to function well. My recipe of the week is delicious seedy crackers (the perfect accompaniment to my hummus last week).

Let’s chat about the three main macronutrients, these are fats, carbohydrates and protein.

Fats have multiple jobs in our diets, they help to keep our bodies warm, provide us with energy, help to build cells and allow us to absorb different nutrients all while cushioning our organs and lubricating our joints. Note that not all fat has these benefits. These generally come from unsaturated, non-animal fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut oils, etc.

For women, fats play another important role in helping to keep our hormones regulated and balanced. We should aim to have about a palm/thumb sized amount of fat with each meal. For example this could be about 8-10 almonds worth of fat.

Most of us don’t need to be too concerned about our fat intake as generally we already get enough in our diets. It is good to be aware and conscious of it. A great way to get good fats in your diet is to eat healthy snacks. I like to have rice cakes with nut butters and fruit in the afternoon, or even just a handful of nuts.

Carbohydrates have three main categories, sugars, starches and fibre. For the most part the carbs we consume are a main source of the energy we need every day. There are whole carbs, and there are refined carbs. Generally refined carbs have been processed and their fibre content has been removed. Whole carbs, like vegetables, grains, quinoa, beans, etc, are generally better at providing the health benefits we need as well as a wide range of nutrients. Portioning is important when it comes to carbohydrates, as it is with most things in life. Something I have found that helps me when it comes to carbs is to ask myself is this whole or refined? Generally speaking you can’t go wrong with whole carbs like beans, vegetables, potatoes. Refined carbs are the ones that generally have the negative effect on our bodies like spiking our blood sugar levels, and lack many of the nutrients that whole carbs provide us.

Protein is responsible for a lot within our bodies such as building cells, muscle and tissue as well as being responsible for the production of hormones and antibodies. Protein also helps to repair and maintain the muscle and tissue we already have. A lot of time people get quite focused on the protein we get from meats, but there are also other sources of protein that are fantastic to know about as well, things like beans, peas, soya, lentils, eggs and even dairy products are all sources of protein as well. While plant based proteins are great, it is important that if you are relying on them for your total protein intake that you are eating a variety of them and not relying too heavily on one source.

Understanding what each macronutrient does for our bodies helps us to conceptualise why each group is important and how you can enhance your health. Once you have that understanding it can help to think about the portion sizes of each group. It can be helpful to use your hand as a guide for each meal. Think of having an entire hand’s worth of vegetables, your fingers worth of starches, thumb size of fat and palm size of your protein. I like to try and use this as a guide when I am preparing meals and thinking about what I do or don’t have on my plate.

Wellness Tip: Think about what food you eat on a weekly basis, and see where you can change things up! Variety is the key to getting a wide range of nutrients that are vital for us!

Fitness Tip: Use the same thinking with your body - change up your routine and ensure you are engaging your entire body and training every muscle group!

Seedy crackers

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

My recipe of the week is delicious seedy crackers (the perfect accompaniment to my hummus last week!)

Servings

16

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 90g whole chia seeds

• 80g sesame seeds

• 80g pumpkin seeds

• 80g sunflower seeds

• ½ tsp Pink Himalayan Rock Salt

• 250ml water

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 150C (300F).

2. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and set to one side for 5 minutes.

3. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

4. Spoon the mixture out onto the tray and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

6. Remove, slice into crackers, carefully flip them over one at a time. Return to the oven for 25 more minutes. Allow to cool on the tray.

7. Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to one month.