If you live in the US and have a heartbeat, you've inevitably been exposed to health and nutrition experts, or self proclaimed experts (Does 1MM followers on TikTok make someone an expert?), who will tell you about how important macronutrients are to your well-being. And they're right, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all play a role in a healthy diet.
And while macros are important, more research is showing that vital body functions like the immune system and cellular recovery are supported in large part by smaller, less focused-on compounds. Plant based phytochemicals such as polyphenols, minerals like magnesium and zinc, vitamin D and other micronutrients are important to keeping our body operating the best it can and activating immunity pathways that help us fend off illness.