Carbohydrates are one of the main macronutrients, along with protein and fat, that provide the body with energy. The recommended daily intake of carbohydrates can vary based on factors like age, activity level, and health goals.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are sugars, starches, and fibers found in fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and sweets. There are three main types of carbohydrates:
- Simple carbohydrates: These are sugars like glucose, fructose, and galactose that are easily and quickly digested and absorbed.
- Complex carbohydrates: These include starches like amylose and amylopectin found in starchy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lentils. They take longer to break down than simple carbs.
- Fiber: This indigestible form of carbohydrate is found in plant foods. It helps with digestion, gut health, and keeping you feeling full.
When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose. This glucose is then used for energy by cells, tissues, and organs. Any excess glucose gets stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. Carbohydrates are the primary and preferred source of energy for the brain and central nervous system as well.
How many servings of carbs per day?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45-65% of your total daily calorie intake. This comes out to:
- 225-325g carbohydrates per day for a 2,000 calorie diet
- 300-450g carbohydrates per day for a 2,800 calorie diet
However, the optimal amount varies person to person depending on factors like:
- Age: Children and teens may need more carbohydrates to support growth and development. Recommendations are up to 65% of calories from carbs for kids.
- Activity level: Active individuals need more carbs to fuel their workouts. Athletes may need up to 60-70% of calories from carbohydrates.
- Health status: People with diabetes or prediabetes may need to monitor carb intake more closely and limit to 45-60g per meal.
- Weight goals: Lower carb intake can help promote weight loss, while more carbs support weight gain.
The amount of carbohydrates you need also depends on your energy needs and calories per day. Here are some general recommendations based on calorie needs:
| Calories Per Day | Recommended Carbs Per Day |
|---|---|
| 1,200 calories | 135-195g |
| 1,500 calories | 170-225g |
| 1,800 calories | 205-270g |
| 2,000 calories | 225-325g |
| 2,500 calories | 280-413g |
It’s best to work with a doctor or dietitian to determine your optimal carb range based on your individual health profile and goals.
What foods provide carbohydrates?
There are many healthy high-carb foods you can eat to meet your daily needs:
- Fruits: 1 cup of fruit like bananas, apples, grapes, and berries contains 15-30g carbs.
- Starchy vegetables: 1 cup of veggies like potatoes, corn, peas, and winter squash provides 15-30g carbs.
- Whole grains: 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of dry cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked grains like oats, quinoa, pasta, or brown rice offers 15-30g carbs.
- Beans and legumes: 1/2 cup cooked beans, lentils, or chickpeas has 15-25g of carbs from fiber and starch.
- Dairy: 1 cup of milk contains 12g carbs while yogurt has 15-20g per 6oz serving.
- Nuts and seeds: 1 ounce of almonds or sunflower seeds has 6-10g carbs.
Focus on getting most of your daily carbohydrates from wholesome, fiber-rich sources like vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains and nuts and seeds. Limit added sugars from sweets, desserts and sodas to no more than 10% of your calories.
How many servings is that per day?
The amount of servings you need depends on the sources of carbohydrates you choose and your total carb needs. But most adults should aim for around 3-5 carb servings per day minimum from healthy whole food sources.
Here are some examples of single servings of carbohydrate-containing foods:
- 1 medium banana: 27g carbs
- 1 cup blueberries: 21g carbs
- 1 medium potato: 37g carbs
- 1 cup carrots: 12g carbs
- 1 slice whole wheat bread: 15g carbs
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice: 22g carbs
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils: 20g carbs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt: 9g carbs
Based on your individual carb needs, you can mix and match servings from this list to meet your daily goals. For a 2,000 calorie diet with 45-65% carbs, you would need around 4-7 servings daily.
Should you limit carbohydrates for weight loss?
Limiting carbohydrate intake to 50-150g per day can help promote weight loss, according to some studies. This is due to the following reasons:
- Carbs increase insulin levels which can boost fat storage.
- Lower carb diets decrease appetite and calorie intake.
- Glycogen stores get depleted, leading to loss of water weight.
- Ketosis may be achieved, promoting fat breakdown.
However, severely restricting all carbs long-term is not necessarily recommended. Moderately lower carb diets of 100-150g can still allow for intake of healthy grains, fruits and vegetables.
Here are some tips for reducing carbs to aid weight loss:
- Limit starchy grains, sugary snacks and desserts.
- Increase non-starchy veggies, proteins and healthy fats.
- Choose whole, unprocessed carb sources like quinoa and sweet potatoes.
- Consider slightly lower carb alternatives like cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
- Monitor portions and aim for 3-5 carb servings per day.
Focus on sustainable, balanced carb reduction for long-term weight management, rather than extreme carb restriction.
Bottom Line
The amount of carbohydrates you need per day can range from 135-450 grams based on your calorie needs and activity level. Most adults should aim for around 3-5 balanced carb servings per day from healthy whole foods sources like grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, dairy and nuts.
Moderately reducing carbs to 100-150g per day may support weight loss. But severe long-term restriction is not necessary for most people. Focus on getting quality complex carbs from minimally processed, fiber-rich food sources for optimal health.