What Are Carbohydrates, Fats & Proteins?

With the exception of water, just about everything you eat or drink is a carbohydrate, fat or protein. These fundamental elements make up your diet in varying proportions. Despite the number of fad diets claiming to expedite weight loss by eating one of these elements to the exclusion of the others, you need all three components in a healthy diet. Carbs, fats and proteins each make essential contributions to the physical upkeep of your body.

Carbohydrates

Blamed for causing obesity and diabetes, carbs have taken a bad rap ever since the introduction of the Atkins diet. Yet, they provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. Because carbohydrates contain compounds of starches, they easily convert to energy for the body's cells. Without this energy, you wouldn't breathe, move your muscles or circulate your blood. Simple carbs convert to sugar faster than complex carbs. This unwanted trait of simple carbs causes a strain on the pancreas to produce enough insulin to escort this sugar into the body's cells all at one time. Simple carbohydrates include bleached white bread and pasta, white rice, and sugary desserts. Complex carbs, such as whole grain bread, pasta or flour, turn to sugar at a slow, steady pace, allowing the body to absorb the glucose energy a little at a time.

Fats

Your body needs fats to control digestion. The density of fats causes them to pack more calories than carbs and proteins. A diet high in fat causes obesity and raises cholesterol. The insolubility of fats gives you a feeling of fullness, a necessary function to avoid overeating. Some fats benefit you more than others. The bad fats, saturated fats, come from beef, butter, cheese, coconut oil and palm oil. The better unsaturated fats exist in most vegetable oils and the best fats come from olives, almonds, canola and olive oils. These contribute to a healthy heart and low cholesterol. Some other beneficial fats, omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, not only prevent high cholesterol, they can lower high cholesterol. You'll find these oils in fish such as tuna, herring, salmon, sardines and flax seed oil and these oils come in capsules.

Proteins

Protein composes 50 percent of your body's weight. It makes up muscles, organs, hair, skin and nails. As your body's tissues replenish their cells, your body needs new supplies of protein for this transformation. This ongoing process requires protein or it cannot take place. Animal meat such as beef, pork, lamb, fowl and fish supply complete proteins, a form comparable to what the body contains. Animal byproducts such as dairy products and eggs also have the same composition. Plant proteins, considered incomplete proteins, lack some of the amino acids that make up a complete protein. However, by pairing plants and grains, you create a complete protein, as each supplies what the other doesn't have. Some combinations that make complete proteins include all types of beans with brown rice, whole grain bread, couscous, whole grain pasta or quinoa. Soy beans have the same complete protein as meat and come in many forms such as tofu, tempeh, edamame or roasted soy nuts.

A Healthy Diet

Whether you want to lose weight or just want to eat healthier, complex carbs, unsaturated fats and meat and plant proteins will provide you with the necessary nutrition. Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid will give you the approximate proportions for a healthy balance. Portion control is far healthier than eliminating one food group from your diet. Be sure to drink lots of water every day and eat heavily from the fruits and vegetables group. Remember to exercise regularly while you eat from these three essential food groups.