Age-Proofing Your Brain – Macronutrition, 1

Macronutrients refer to foods that provide nutrition in the form of calories. High quality macronutrients include unrefined, unprocessed foods (fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, vegetables) in as natural a state as possible along with healthier plant fats. Your brain and body are nourished by high-quality nutrition. Less desirable foods are usually dense, refined and processed, and of lower quality. Often dubbed ‘empty’ calories, they can add weight to your frame but contribute little if any quality nutrition. It’s really pretty simple. Ingest 3,500 calories more than you use and add one pound to your weight. Expend 3,500 more calories than you take in and you stand to lose a pound. The quality of your macronutrition affects your neurochemistry, which in turn influences your brain, mood, actions and behaviors, thought processes, and even emotions and feelings. Macronutrients are typically grouped into three general categories: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. More tomorrow.