Carbohydrate Nutrition Facts - Carbs are not the enemy. Find out why.

Learn the importance of this macronutrient with our Carbohydrate Nutrition Facts. Carbohydrates falsely have a bad reputation. Let's learn why they are not the enemy.

Carbohydrates come from plant foods and provide one molecule of water for each carbon. They are a good source of glucose and fatty acids. Starches, simple sugars, and dietary fiber are the carbs of nutritional importance.

When looking at carbohydrates it is important to note whether or not they are processed. These types of carbohydrates are referred to as refined carbohydrates. Processed carbohydrates tend to have a greater solubility and a lower dietary fiber content. Processed carbohydrates also tend to have added sugars making them less valuable nutritionally than their unprocessed counterparts.

Carbohydrates that yield glucose are important for us nutritionally as glucose is the preferred fuel source of our bodies. Glucose can be used during both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Glucose is also the primary source of energy for our brain and nervous tissue. This is the main reason carbohydrates should never be cut out of our diets.

How Many Carbohydrates Do You Need?

First, you need to figure out how many calories you eat on an average day. For our purposes I will use a 2000 calorie diet. You will need to consume 40-50% of your calories in the form of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates offer 4 calories per gram so you should eat 200-250g of carbohydrates a day. Here's the math:

2000*0.40/4 = 200g
2000*0.50/4 = 250g

It should be noted that dietary fiber does not offer the same energy benefits as starches and simple sugars. Fiber is not easily digested by our bodies. As a rule for calculating total carbs eaten, you should find out how many grams of carbohydrates you have eaten and then subtract how many grams of fiber you have eaten.

250 g carbs eaten - 25 g of fiber = 225 total carbs eaten

The Goal of Carbohydrates

The primary goal of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body. The body prefers not to store carbohydrates, although some is stored as glycogen in the liver and in skeletal muscle. Unfortunately for us, when we eat an excess of carbohydrates we do not need, the body begins storing it.

Carbohydrates get a bad reputation because of this, but contrary to popular belief; excess carbohydrates are not converted to fat in significant amounts. Due to high-energy input to the body, glucose is chosen as an energy source before fat stores. This causes our body fat stores to grow, not deplete.

What to Consider When Choosing Carbohydrates

Whole grains are the most nutrient dense source of carbohydrates. Not only are they high in fiber, but also they are rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

High intake of simple sugars from over processed sources such as baked goods, may contribute to increase risk of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension through the process of insulin resistance. It is best to get your simple sugars from healthy options like fruits.

Carbohydrate Nutrition Facts in Food

Total Carbohydrate & Fiber Content of Common Foods

Food Item Total CHO (g)
Fiber (g)

Skim milk, 1 cup
12

0

Chocolate milk, low-fat, 1 cup
26

0

Pudding, low-fat, 1/2 cup
34

0

Yogurt, low-fat, 1 cup
46

0

Frozen low-fat yogurt, 1 cup
37

0

Garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup
22

6.2

Black beans, 1/2 cup
22

5.5

Pinto beans, 1/2 cup
22

7.4

Apple, medium
32

5.7

Applesauce, 1/2 cup
14

1.5

Apple juice, 1 cup
29

0

Banana, medium
28

2.8

Cantaloupe, wedge
6

0.6

Raisins, 2 Tbl
15

0.8

Grapes, 1 cup
28

1.6

Grape juice, 1 cup
24.5

0.5

Orange, medium
16

3.1

Orange juice, 1 cup 24.5 0
24

5.0

Pear, fresh
25

4.0

Pineapple, 1/2 cup
9.0

6 1

Strawberries, 1/2 cup
5.0

8 2

Watermelon, 1 slice
20.5

1.4

Carrots, 1/2 cup raw
8.0

2.3

Green beans, 1/2 cup ckd
4.0

1.9

Green peas, 1/2 cup ckd
11.4

4.4

Corn, 1/2 cup, ckd
16.0

2.0

Potatoes, white, 1/2 cup ckd
26.5

2.4

Potatoes, sweet, 1/2 cup ckd
34.0

4.0

Bagel, white, large
47.5

2.0

Bagel, whole wheat, large
56.4

4.0

Bread, white, 1 sl
12.4

0.6

Bread, whole wheat, 1 sl
13.0

2.0

Cereal, cornflakes, 1 cup
24.2

0.8

Cereal, raisin bran, 1 cup
46.0

8.0

Cereal, oatmeal, 1 cup
25.3

4.0

Crackers, saltines, 8
17.1

1.0

Crackers, whole wheat, 8
25.6

1.3

Pretzels, 1 oz
22.5

1.0

Popcorn, 1 cup
19.0

3.7

White pasta, 1 cup ckd
39.7

2.0

Whole wheat pasta, 1 cup ckd
37.2

3.9

White rice, 1 cup ckd
44.5

0.6

Brown rice, 1 cup ckd
44.8

3.5