Nutrition Basics
The Big Three, and the small but mighty
A plain-language guide to the macronutrients and micronutrients in your guides, what each one does, where to find it in food, and how it ties to your personalized guides.
Macronutrients
Protein, carbohydrates, and fats are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts, they fuel you, build you, and keep you running. Your Macronutrient Guide shows how your genetics handle each one, and your daily calorie and macro targets.
Protein Builds & repairs
Protein helps build and repair your body, like muscles, skin, and organs. Protein is made of smaller parts called amino acids.
Animal proteins come from foods like meat, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese. Plant proteins come from beans, lentils, soy foods (tofu/tempeh), nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
If you don’t get enough
- Muscle loss or weakness
- Slower healing after cuts or illness
- In children, slower growth
If you get too much
- Crowds out other foods you need (fruits, vegetables, whole grains)
- When mostly from processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, deli meats), it's linked with higher colorectal cancer risk
- People with chronic kidney disease may need a lower-protein plan unless on dialysis, follow your clinician's guidance
Animal-protein foods
| Food | Typical serving | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 26.4 g |
| Turkey breast (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 25.6 g |
| Lean ground beef (90–94% lean) | 3 oz (85 g) | 21.3 g |
| Tuna (canned in water) | 3 oz (85 g) | 20.1 g |
| Shrimp (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 20.4 g |
| Salmon (Atlantic, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 18.8 g |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 1 container (170 g) | 17.3 g |
| Whole milk (3.25%) | 1 cup (244 g) | 7.7 g |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 oz (28 g) | 6.5 g |
| Hard-boiled egg | 1 large (50 g) | 6.3 g |
Plant-protein foods
| Food | Typical serving | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Seitan | 2 slices | 24 g |
| Firm tofu | 1/2 cup | 21.8 g |
| Cooked lentils | 1 cup | 17.9 g |
| Tempeh | ~3 oz (85 g) | ~17 g |
| Cooked black beans | 1 cup | 15.2 g |
| Cooked chickpeas | 1 cup | 14.5 g |
| Pumpkin seed kernels | 1 oz | 8.6 g |
| Cooked quinoa | 1 cup | 8.1 g |
| Peanut butter (smooth) | 2 tbsp | 7 g |
| Unsweetened soy milk | 1 cup | 7 g |
| Almonds | 1 oz | 6 g |
| Chia seeds | 1 oz | 4.7 g |
Good to know: Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal foods. People who eat no animal foods often need B12-fortified foods or a supplement to avoid deficiency.
Your Macronutrient Guide scores Animal Protein and Plant Protein separately, how well your genetics handle each, plus whether you're naturally drawn to or away from them, so your protein target fits your body and your preferences.
Carbohydrates Your body's main fuel
Carbohydrates are a main nutrient in many foods. Your body breaks carbs down into sugar (glucose), which your cells use for energy. There are two main types: simple (sugars) and complex (starches and fiber).
Complex carbs are mostly starch and fiber, found in oats, beans, and whole grains. They digest more slowly and can help you feel full longer. Simple carbs are mostly sugars, found naturally in fruit and milk, and added to foods like soda, candy, and pastries.
If you don’t get enough
- Low energy, tiredness, and trouble focusing
- Harder workouts (muscles often use carbs for quick energy)
- Constipation if you're also low in fiber. Tip: if you lower carbs, keep fiber foods like vegetables, beans, and whole grains
If you get too much
- Blood-sugar spikes and crashes (feeling hungry again soon)
- Weight gain if you regularly eat more calories than you use
- More tooth decay, especially from sipping sugary drinks. The WHO suggests keeping free sugars under 10% of daily calories; sugary drinks are linked with higher type 2 diabetes risk
Complex-carbohydrate foods
| Food | Typical serving | Carbohydrates (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Brown rice (cooked) | 1 cup (202 g) | 45.8 g |
| Whole-wheat pasta (cooked) | 1 cup (151 g) | 40.2 g |
| Dry oatmeal (rolled oats) | 1/2 cup dry (50 g) | 34.0 g |
| Sweet potato (baked) | 1 medium (130 g) | 26.1 g |
| Lentils (cooked) | 1/2 cup | ~20 g |
| Black beans (cooked) | 1/2 cup | ~20 g |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 1/2 cup (93 g) | 19.8 g |
| Whole-wheat bread | 1 slice | ~14 g |
Simple-carbohydrate foods
| Food | Typical serving | Carbohydrates (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Regular soda | 1 can (12 fl oz) | 39.0 g |
| Banana | 1 medium (118 g) | 27.0 g |
| Apple | 1 medium (170 g) | 26.0 g |
| Orange juice | 1 cup (248 g) | 26.0 g |
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21 g) | 17.3 g |
| Granulated sugar | 1 tbsp (13 g) | 13.0 g |
| Milk (whole) | 1 cup (244 g) | 12.0 g |
| Yogurt (plain, whole milk) | 1 cup (245 g) | 11.4 g |
Good to know: When carbs come from whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, studies link them with lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and with better digestion. (These are associations, not proof any one food cures disease.)
Your Macronutrient Guide shows Simple Carbs and Complex Carbs separately, how your body handles each, plus your genetic pull toward sweets, so you can time and balance carbs to your biology.
Fats Energy & absorption
Dietary fat gives your body energy and helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Fat also helps build cell walls and make some hormones. Fats can be saturated or unsaturated, unsaturated fats are often called the “healthier” choice.
Saturated fat is found in many animal foods (butter, cheese, fatty meats) and some tropical oils (coconut, palm). Unsaturated fat is found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fish. Many guidelines suggest replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.
If you don’t get enough
- Trouble absorbing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
- Dry skin
- Feeling hungry often (fat helps with fullness)
If you get too much
- Weight gain over time if total calories are too high (fat is calorie-dense)
- Higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol if the extra fat is mostly saturated fat, which can raise heart-disease risk over time
Saturated-fat foods
| Food | Typical serving | Saturated fat (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut oil | 1 tbsp (14 g) | 11.2 g |
| Ground beef (80/20, raw) | 4 oz (113 g) | 8.6 g |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14 g) | 7.3 g |
| Dark chocolate (70–85%) | 1 oz (28 g) | 7.0 g |
| Beef tallow | 1 tbsp (13 g) | 6.4 g |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 oz (28 g) | 5.4 g |
| Lard | 1 tbsp (13 g) | 5.0 g |
| Whole milk | 1 cup (244 g) | 4.6 g |
| Vanilla ice cream | 1/2 cup (66 g) | 4.5 g |
| Cooked bacon | ~3 slices (36 g) | 4.3 g |
Unsaturated-fat foods
| Food | Typical serving | Unsaturated fat (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 1 avocado (201 g) | 23.35 g |
| Walnuts | 1 oz (28 g) | 15.93 g |
| Canola oil | 1 tbsp (14 g) | 12.80 g |
| Almonds | 1 oz (28 g) | 12.46 g |
| Sunflower seeds (dry roasted) | 1 oz (28 g) | 12.04 g |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp (14 g) | 11.27 g |
| Flax seeds | 1 oz (28 g) | 10.30 g |
| Peanut butter (smooth) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 10.26 g |
| Salmon (Atlantic, farmed, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.42 g |
| Chia seeds | 1 tbsp (10 g) | 2.57 g |
Good to know: Omega-3 fats (a type of polyunsaturated fat) are important for health. Omega-3 supplements can interact with some medicines and can raise bleeding risk for some people, so it's smart to ask a clinician if you take a blood thinner.
Your Macronutrient Guide shows Saturated Fats and Unsaturated Fats separately, how your genetics handle each, so you can shift the balance toward the fats your body uses best.
Micronutrients
Vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and a few key supplements are needed in small amounts, but they power nearly everything your body does. Your Micronutrient & Supplement Guide scores how much genetic friction© your body faces for each.
Vitamins Every body function
From vision and immunity to energy production and blood clotting, vitamins A, B2, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E, and K each play unique roles. Your genes affect how well you absorb, convert, and utilize these critical compounds.
In your Micronutrient & Supplement Guide, vitamins appear across the B-Complex & Methylation and Fat-Soluble groups, each with a Genetic Friction© Score showing where your genes make a vitamin easy or harder to maintain.
Minerals Foundation of a strong body
Calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium support strong bones, healthy blood, nerve signaling, and heart rhythm. Your genetics influence how efficiently you absorb and use these vital nutrients.
Your guide groups these under Bone & Structural Minerals, Electrolytes, and Metabolic & Hormonal Minerals, each scored for how much genetic friction© your body faces.
Trace Elements Small amounts, big impact
Trace elements like copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, and zinc are minerals your body needs in very small amounts, but they play essential roles in immune function, bone health, and cellular protection.
In your guide these sit within the Immune & Antioxidant and Metabolic & Hormonal groups, so you can see which trace elements your genetics handle well.
Supplements to Monitor Beyond vitamins & minerals
Choline, omega-3, omega-6, and CoQ10 support brain function, heart health, energy production, and inflammation regulation. Your genetic makeup influences how your body processes and benefits from each.
We don't sell supplements, your guide simply shows how well your body manages each one, so you can start with food first and talk to your provider before adding anything.
See how your body handles each one
Your guides turn this science into personalized targets and Genetic Friction© Scores, so you can eat for your biology, food first.
Explore the Guides