Good nutrition is more than counting calories: look at the balance of nutrients
When people talk about eating well or managing weight, counting calories is usually the first thing that comes to mind: are you eating more than your body uses each day?
But the same number of calories can come from very different food. A plate of chicken rice and a chicken breast salad with similar energy do not give you the same nutrients. Where the energy comes from, and in what proportions, matters as much as the calorie count.
The 3 macronutrients
- Carbohydrate: the main energy source, found in rice, flour, sugar, and also in vegetables and fruit
- Protein: found in meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans and bean products
- Fat: choose good fats such as avocado, olive oil, nuts and fish, and cut down on fried food and saturated fat
What is the 40-30-30 split?
- In an interview with Prachachat Turakij (July 2018), Dr. Rocio Medina, vice chair of Herbalife's Nutrition Advisory Board, described splitting energy into 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 30% good fat
- The interview describes this as a middle-of-the-road ratio for healthy adults only
- Children, older adults and people with specific goals need to adjust it to suit themselves
- In real life it is hard to hit this ratio at every meal, so use it as a guide for building your plate
Plan meals protein first
- Before choosing a dish, ask yourself where the protein in this meal will come from
- Then think about good fat, such as nuts, avocado or olive oil
- Carbohydrate is already in almost every food, so you rarely need to add more on purpose
- Knowing which nutrients each food provides makes it easier to adjust your plate
Personalized nutrition
- Everyone's needs are different, so it makes sense to fit your eating to yourself
- Factors to consider include how active you are each day, the foods you like, exercise you can realistically do, and your goal, such as losing, gaining or maintaining weight
- If you have a medical condition, talk to a doctor or dietitian
Read next: How much protein per meal? Spreading it across meals and snacks ›
Read next: Good fats, bad fats: how much you need and where to get them ›
Read next: "Low-fat" doesn't mean low-calorie: read the whole label ›
This article is general nutrition information based on an interview published by Prachachat Turakij. It is not a diagnosis. Results vary from person to person. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take medication, talk to your doctor before changing your diet. For help planning meals, ask us on LINE.
Image and reference from official material in the MyHerbalife media library: Nutrients we should pay attention to (illustration) (added to the library: Sep 2025)
Herbalife products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Compiled by Well Nutrition Hub from the sources listed at the end of this article. Copyright in the referenced content, images and media belongs to the respective rights holders. You are welcome to share the link to this article.