Nutrition: Getting Started with the Basics
- Dr. Morgan Gepfrey
- Aug 18
- 4 min read
Tackling Nutrition by Starting with the Basics
When I was growing up, meals were always placed in front of me with the expectation of eating what is on your plate or not eating until the next meal (in a loving way, remember feeding 7 kids is hard!). This often meant not really knowing what went into planning meals. I had no idea what building meals or plates should look like until taking my first nutrition class in college so it’s completely normal if you’re feeling that way too. Let’s break it down together!
Nutrition Basics: The Building Blocks of All Food
Protein
Protein plays an integral part of building every cell in our bodies. Your protein sources should account for approximately 50-60% of your total daily calories. Because this nutrient is so important, it is where I like to start when it comes to any of my three meals a day. A goal I often set for myself and patients is to aim for 30-50 grams of protein per meal. Protein provides great benefits to us by helping to build lean muscle, keeping us fuller for longer, and helping to regulate our blood sugar.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate are the next nutrient to focus on when building a plate. Carbohydrates breakdown three types of simple sugars- glucose, fructose, and galactose. The most important for our bodies is glucose because this is what our brain uses for energy. When adding carbs to our diet, we primarily want to focus on complex carbohydrates (potatoes, corn, beans, etc) as a way to keep our blood sugar spikes balanced and avoid a the quick crash that usual follows from consuming simple sugars. Simple sugars (fruits, honey, candies, etc) are good to consume alongside a protein to help avoid the drastic spike in blood sugar- think pairing pineapple with cottage cheese (one of my favorite snacks!). Carbohydrates should make up approximately 25% of your daily calories.
Fat
Fat is a nutrient that gets a bad rap. It is often packed into foods to add flavor, but consuming too much fat can lead to bad things like increased adipose tissue, high cholesterol levels, and increased risk of a heart attack. We want to focus on filling our plates with healthy fats the majority of the time. You'll often hear people talk about Omega 3's and Omega 6's as being healthy fats. It's important to focus on those fats because they are essential in our diets because our body does not have the ability to make these fats on its own. You'll find Omega 3's and 6's in foods such as fatty fish (salmon) or seed oils (olive oil). Fats should make up approximately 25% of your daily calories.
Nutrition Basics and Building Your Meal
When it comes to planning a meal you want to keep the following portions in mind: proteins 50%, carbohydrates 25%, and fats 25%. Below you'll find some of my favorite go to meals listed as the dominant nutrient of each component with the order Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat.
Number One
Combination of Greek Yogurt, Pineapple Slices, and Sliced Almonds. The fun of this meal is it is SO versatile and easy to prepare ahead of time to have ready when needed. Simple mix it up between different flavors of yogurt, different fruits, or different nuts and the possibility is endless!
Number Two
Combination of Grilled Chicken Breast, Macaroni and Cheese, and Broccoli. This might be my favorite comfort meal but again it is easy enough to change that you never get bored. Simply switch out chicken for ground beef, or switch macaroni and cheese for your favorite pasta and sauce, and you can see how many different dinners you can make.
Number Three
Combination of Hard Boiled Egg, Bagel, and Avocado Slices. This is a staple breakfast in my house and my favorite way to mix this one up is just by changing the cooking method of the egg! Granted you could also opt for toast instead of a bagel or even switch for a side of pancakes and still get a well balanced meal.
Number Four
Combination of Salmon, Rice, and Grilled Peppers. When planning a dinner this is the ideal make up. Start with your available protein (salmon, chicken strips, ground beef, etc), add in a carbohydrate source (pasta, rice, beans, etc), and add healthy fats (most often this is cooking vegetables in oils).
Getting Started with Nutrition on Your Own
When you're first getting started with figuring out how to hit your nutrition goals don't get discouraged if it isn't perfect. I always instruct patients that if you're hitting your goals 70-80% of the time that is still success! If you're interested in working with a provider who understands nutrition and can help you make necessary changes to hit your goals, call our office at (513) 727-2540 to get scheduled for a Functional Medicine Assessment today.
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