The larger role of micronutrients

You may need more of them in your daily diet than you think.

The saying goes that good things come in small packages, and that is especially true when it comes to nutrition.

There are two major classes of nutrients in food: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macro means big, and macronutrients take their name from the fact they make up the bulk of the nutrition in the food: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. These nutrients supply your calories and serve as the building blocks for muscles and tissues. Most people get plenty — and sometimes too many — from a regular diet.