Question

Isaiah wants to begin eating a more balanced diet. He thinks he should consume 2,000 calories each day. Recommended the percentage of carbohydrates, fats and proteins he should consume.

Answer 1

- Carbohydrates: 300 grams per day

- Proteins: 65 grams per day

- Fats: 60-80 grams per day

Explanation:

Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are fundamental macronutrients that must be consumed daily to maintain a healthy body. Carbohydrates are key macronutrients needed to obtain energy. Moreover, proteins are required to synthesize other proteins (e.g., in muscle cells) and different types of molecules (e.g., peptide hormones). Finally, fats macronutrients are broken into fatty acids which are used by cells to store and obtain energy. In a 2,000 calorie diet, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) recommends the following values:

1) 300 grams of carbohydrates per day, which represent approximately 45-65 % of daily calories (900-1,300 cal)

2) 65 grams of proteins per day, which represent approximately 10-35 % of daily calories (200-700 cal)

3) 60-80 grams of fats per day, which represent approximately 20-35 % of daily calories (400-700 cal). It is important to highlight that it is recommended to avoid high-fat foods (e.g., potato chips) in order to consume healthier fat sources which are rich in omega fatty acids (e.g., salmon, sardines, chia seeds, walnuts, etc).