Macronutrients

Macronutrients are very important in the diet of a teenage athlete. A Macronutrient is a food that people need a big intake of everyday. Macronutrients include protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Consuming foods that contain protein is crucial when dealing with an athlete because protein is what helps basically  all of our different body systems function. Each protein within our bodies are made up of a chain of about twenty amino acids. Depending on the amino acid chain and what order they are in, each protein performs a different function. Foods that are high in protein include eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, processed soy products, nuts, and many other foods. It is recommended that about 12-15% of a teenage athlete's everyday diet is protein.
     A teen needs, however, a lot more carbohydrates than protein. The recommended intake of carbs per day for teen athletes is 60-70% of their diet. Carbohydrates break up into three main groups: sugar, starch, and fiber. These sugars include monosaccharides (glucose, fructose and ribose), polysaccharides (cellulose), and disaccharides (Sucrose and Lactose). Monosaccarides are basically the simplest form of sugar, which means that it can not be broken down any further. A polysaccharide is a complex sugar that is made up of a chain of monosaccharides and disaccarides are sugars made up of only two monosaccharides. In general, the role of Carbohydrates is that it provides the body's primary energy and that it helps aid a healthy digestive system. Some healthy examples of foods that are carbohydrates are sweet potatoes, oats, and brown rice. Carbs are especially important to athletes because it provides them with the energy that they need to perform well. That is why the daily intake of Carbohydrates is significantly higher than those of an un-active person.
     The last of the macronutrients is fats (lipids). There are three different types of fats: saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat. Saturated fats are typically the fat that people should stay away from because it raises cholesterol and puts an individual at higher risk for disease. Saturated fats usually come from animal products. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are not particularly bad for you. It is natural oil that comes from things like nuts. Lastly, trans fat is hydrogenated oil, meaning that it is turned into a saturated fat like substance that is bad for the body. It is usually found in processed foods. The main role of fats, in general, is long term energy for the body and insulation. The recommended intake per day of fat is 20-30% of our daily food.

Sources:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/W8079E/w8079e0h.htm
http://www.achd.net/chrond/pubs/pdf/nutrteen.pdf