Work out the daily grams of carbohydrate that fit 40% to 75% of your calorie needs, for maintaining, losing or gaining weight.
The calculator first estimates the calories you burn each day. It uses your basal metabolic rate, found with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula or the Katch-McArdle formula if you know your body fat, and multiplies it by an activity factor. To lose or gain weight it takes off or adds about 500 calories a day for each 1 pound, or half a kilogram, per week. The carbohydrate share of those calories is then turned into grams, counting 3.75 calories in each gram of carbohydrate.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults in the United States and Canada get 40% to 65% of their energy from carbohydrates. The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization recommend 55% to 75%, with no more than 10% coming directly from sugars. The table shows 40%, 55%, 65% and 75% so you can pick a level inside the range that suits your diet. Choosing whole grains, fruit, vegetables and legumes helps keep the quality of those carbohydrates high.
The brain uses glucose as its main fuel, and 130 grams of carbohydrate a day is the amount the U.S. recommended dietary allowance sets for adults. When your daily calorie needs are low, the percentages would give less than this. In that case the calculator shows the 130 gram minimum rather than a lower figure. Very low calorie intakes are not safe for most people without medical supervision.
Most guidelines suggest 40% to 75% of your daily calories. At 2,000 calories a day that is about 215 to 400 grams. The calculator shows the amount for your own calorie needs.
This calculator uses 3.75 calories per gram, the figure for carbohydrate counted as simple sugars. You will often see 4 calories per gram on food labels.
The U.S. recommended dietary allowance for carbohydrate is 130 grams a day for adults. If your calorie needs are very low, the calculator holds the amount to that minimum.
No. The ranges here are for general healthy eating. Low carb and ketogenic diets use far smaller amounts and should be planned with a health professional.
Eating about 500 calories a day below your maintenance level leads to a loss of about 1 pound, or half a kilogram, a week. The table shows these calorie levels for each goal.
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