List of macronutrients
This list shows the categorization of the most common food components by these macronutrients. Macronutrients can also refer to the chemical elements humans consume in the largest quantities, see Nutrient.
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Macronutrients that provide energy
There are four primary macronutrients defined as being the classes of chemical compounds humans consume in the largest quantities and which provide bulk energy. These are protein, fat, carbohydrate, and alcohol[1].
- Standard amino acids
- Arginine
- Aspartic acid (aspartate)
- Asparagine
- Cystine
- Glutamic acid (glutamate)
- Glutamine
- Glycine
- Histidine
- Isoleucine (branched chain amino acid)
- Leucine (branched chain amino acid)
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Proline
- Serine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Tyrosine
- Valine (branched chain amino acid)
- Butyric acid (C4)
- Caproic acid (C6)
- Caprylic acid (C8)
- Capric acid (C10)
- Lauric acid (C12)
- Myristic acid (C14)
- Pentadecanoic acid (C15)
- Palmitic acid (C16)
- Margaric acid (C17)
- Stearic acid (C18)
- Arachidic acid (C20)
- Behenic acid (C22)
- Lignoceric acid (C24)
- Cerotic acid (C26)
- Linoleic acid (LA)- an essential fatty acid
- α-Linolenic acid (ALA) - an essential fatty acid
- Stearidonic acid (SDA)
- Arachidonic acid (ETA)
- Timnodonic acid (EPA)
- Clupanodonic acid (DPA)
- Cervonic acid (DHA)
These 2 essential fatty acids are the starting point for other important omega-acids (e.g. DHA, EPA)
- α-Linolenic acid ALA (18:3) Omega-3 fatty acid
- Linoleic acid LA (18:2) Omega-6 fatty acid