Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

CARBOHYDRATE FOOD SOURCES AND GUIDELINES FOR INTAKE 185
Dairy- This is the one animal food that contains carbohydrate. Milk, cheese, and yogurt
contain naturally-occurring lactose. If dairy (like yogurt) is sweetened, then it will also contain
added sugar like sucrose (white cane sugar) or fructose and glucose (honey and/or HFCS).
Protein– Meats do not contain carbohydrate, but many plant foods that fall into the
protein group, like beans and nuts, contain starch and fiber.
Fats– Concentrated fats like butter and oil do not contain carbohydrate.
This information is summarized in the table below:
Food
Group
Fruits
Vegetables
Example of Food
Apple, orange, banana
Orange juice
Non-starchy veggies
Starchy veggies (corn, potatoes, sweet
potatoes, peas)
Type of Carbohydrate Present
Sucrose, glucose, fructose, and fiber
Sucrose, glucose, fructose
Sucrose, glucose, fructose, and fiber
Starch and fiber, with varying amount of sucrose,
glucose, and fructose
Dairy Milk, plain yogurt, cheese Lactose
Grains
Protein
Wheat, rice, oatmeal, barley
Sprouted grains
Meat
Beans and nuts
Starch and fiber
Starch, fiber, and maltose
None
Starch and fiber
Fats Oils, Butter None
Table 4.1. USDA food groups with examples of foods and type of carbohydrate present within each
food group.
Looking at all the foods that contain carbohydrates, you might be able to guess why
eliminating carbohydrates from the diet can lead to weight loss. It drastically reduces the
variety of choices one has, leaving you primarily with low carbohydrate veggies and meats.
Not surprisingly, people usually consume less calories with this way of eating. However, for
most people, this is not a sustainable or enjoyable way of eating, and it can also be hard to
consume a nutritionally balanced diet with so many foods off-limits.
CARBOHYDRATE GUIDELINES FOR INTAKE
Total Carbohydrate Intake
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for total carbohydrate intake is 130 grams.
This is the minimum amount of glucose utilized by the brain, so if you consume less than
this, you will probably go into ketosis. In order to meet the body’s high energy demand for
glucose, the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) for an adult is 45%-65% of
total calories. This is about 225 grams to 325 grams of carbohydrate per day if eating a 2,000
Calorie diet. (REMEMBER: 1 gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories.)
Fiber Intake
The Adequate Intake (AI) for fiber is 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.
This is about 28 grams for an adult female (19-30 years old) and 38 grams for an adult male
(19-30 years old). Most people in the United States only get half the amount of fiber they
need in a day—about 12 to 18 grams.
Added Sugar Intake