As organic foods have gained more popularity over the years, it’s worth discussing whether or not it really matters.
Let’s first clear something up before we get into it. In this article, I will be speaking in regards to lower body fat percentages and sound health, as that’s why most of us exercise and eat well. We do it to look and feel better.
In the realm of nutrition, there is a hierarchy. When it comes down to it, some things matter more than most. The nutritional hierarchy I’m speaking of has a few different levels
LEVEL #1: Calories
When it comes to losing body fat, calories matter most. You must be burning more calories than you are consuming in order to lose body fat. I wish I didn’t think I could beat this when I first started working towards my fitness goals.
I was eating so healthy. My diet consisted of meats such as lean turkey, lean beef, and chicken breast. The carbohydrates I consumed came from oats, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. I was getting plenty of healthy fats in from nuts, seeds, avocados, and whole dairy. My diet was loaded with veggies. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. But I kept gaining fat.
It wasn’t until I began tracking my food intake that I realized I was doing something wrong. I was eating way too much food. I came to the realization that you really can eat too much healthy food. Eating too much caused me to gain body fat, making more unhealthy despite all of that healthy food. Frustrating.
After learning that calories in vs. calories out was the main factor, I made a dramatic swing. We’ll get back to that story in a bit.
LEVEL #2: MACROS
Macros is short for macronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients that our body needs in high quantities. They contain calories. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are all macronutrients. Our body needs proteins and fats to survive, meaning they are essential macronutrients. We do not need carbohydrates to survive, however carbohydrates do play an important role, especially when it comes to fat loss.
Back in the day when we first realized the importance of calories and how they play a role in fat loss, tracking calories became all the craze. Make sure you’re not eating too many calories, and you won’t gain body fat. Which is true, but there is more to it.
Although calories are important, we need to understand what nutrients those calories are coming from. Proteins and carbohydrates have roughly four calories per gram. Fats contain nine calories per gram. These three nutrients offer us the calories our body needs, but in different fashions.
Proteins help our body build and repair tissue. Fats help our body regulate hormone function, and provide sources of energy. Carbohydrates supply our body with easily accessible energy in the short term. Because each nutrient plays a different role, it’s extremely important to understand where your calories are coming from.
If you want to lose body fat, you can eat fewer calories. But, you also need to make sure you’re eating enough protein to at least preserve your muscle tissue. You need to be sure you’re taking in the right amount of fat to support your hormone function, and using the optimal amount of carbohydrates can support your recovery as well as your effort in the gym. Let’s return to my story.
When I came to this realization, I jumped on the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) train. If the food I ate fit within the protein, carb, and fat targets I was aiming to reach, I was going to eat it, no matter how unhealthy it was. I justified this as a way to eat whatever I wanted (as long as it fit my macros, and still get leaner and healthier.
I got a hell of a lot leaner (because I was finally focusing on meeting my macro and calorie goals), but I was not getting healthier.
My sleep wasn’t great. I felt extremely sluggish and my energy levels would crash constantly. My digestion was shit (pun intended), and my relationship with food made a turn for the worst.
Lesson learned. During that period of time I remember coming to another realization. Eating clean could potentially lead to gaining fat if I was eating too much. Eating whatever I wanted within my macro targets wasn’t serving my overall health. It was then I realized that there had to have been a happy medium. We’ll wrap that story up later.
LEVEL #3 MICRONUTRIENTS
Micronutrients are nutrients that our body needs in smaller quantities. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, sodium, potassium, and vitamin K. We get a lot of these nutrients from whole, natural foods.
Although our bodies don’t need the same amount of vitamins and minerals in comparison to proteins, carbs, and fats, they are still extremely important and deficiencies in micronutrients can lead to poor health.
If that is the case, why don’t we track our micronutrients?
Well, individuals with deficiencies may need to track and make sure their daily intake gives them the proper amount of vitamins and minerals they need. Most people, though, find that they get all their micronutrients in when they focus on hitting their macronutrient targets while whole natural foods. When you eat foods that are minimally processed and come straight from a plant or animal, you’ll likely get all of the vitamins and minerals you need.
LEVEL #4: FOOD QUALITY: STANDARD VS. ORGANIC
When it comes to fat loss, eating organic food isn’t going to make a difference, especially if you’re eating more calories than you are burning on a consistent basis. You can eat all the organic food in the world, and still gain fat.
Organic doesn’t mean healthy, either. I see people in the grocery store getting organic cheez-it like crackers instead of traditional Cheez-It. Both of those foods (organic or not) are still highly processed, and you’re talking about a microscopic difference in food quality when everything else (calories, macros, micros) are dialed in. I would say about 1% (at most) of the human population has all of those things dialed in. For most of us, it won’t make much of a difference.
Does that go to say that organic is a waste of time, resources, and money? Absolutely not. Organic foods are usually better options when they are whole natural foods like veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, and meats.
So what gives? The key is balance.
Eat a diet that consists of whole, natural, healthy foods. Enjoy a treat or a dessert here and there. Unhealthy foods have some value, too.
THE TAKEAWAYS
At the end of the day, losing body fat and living a healthy life consists of a few different things.
If you eat too many calories, you can gain body fat.
Each macronutrient serves a different purpose. Make sure your body gets the right amount of proteins, carbs, and fats.
Those foods that contain macronutrients also contain important micronutrients. Eating lots of whole natural foods can ensure you are getting enough micronutrients.
Organic plays a role, but organic doesn’t always mean healthy.
Eating a diet that serves your body well through natural foods is one of the best ways to stay lean and live a long and happy life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life.
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