What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients, or macros, are the three nutrients that give food most of its calories: protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Quick facts
| Protein | 4 cal per gram; 10% to 35% of calories for adults |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 4 cal per gram; 45% to 65% of calories |
| Fat | 9 cal per gram; 20% to 35% of calories |
Macro calculator
Get your daily protein, carbs and fat in grams.
Try a sample:
What does it mean?
The ranges above are the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges that Health Canada uses for adults. Many people pick a split inside them to suit their goal.
Tracking macros, not just calories, tells you what a meal is made of. Two meals with the same calories can be very different.
How does it show up when you order food?
Swiss Chalet's white meat Quarter Chicken Dinner has 540 calories: 63g of protein, 32g of carbs and 19g of fat.
Chains list macros in their nutrition guides. Pleit's restaurant directory shows them for every item.