If you have chosen to go on a low-carb diet or reduce your carbohydrate intake, chances are you will need to count carbs in all your meals. Reading labels and weighing carbohydrate-inclusive foods are a good start. However, you will also need to know how carbohydrates work, which ones are better for you than others and include the good carbs in your meal plan.
How Carbs Work
Before you begin counting carbohydrates, you should understand how they work. Carbohydrates provide fuel for the body. The liver breaks them down to form glucose, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream. The body then uses the glucose for energy. Carbohydrates can be found in natural and synthetic sugars, starches, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even meats. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range of carbohydrates in your body is 45 to 65 percent of your calories. For example, if you eat a 2,000 calorie per day diet, 900 to 1,300 calories should be made up of carbohydrates.
Good vs. Bad
Although carbohydrates are necessary, some carbohydrates are better for your health than others. Simple carbohydrates are mostly limited to sugars such as fructose, maltose and lactose. They provide energy for your body almost instantly because they don't take long for your liver to break down into glucose. But the energy levels from these carbs crash as fast as they spike. That's why it is suggested to eat complex carbohydrates from grains, fruits and starches. Complex carbohydrates provide sustained energy because they also often contain dietary fibers that slow the breakdown process. These complex carbs should make up the vast majority of your carbohydrate intake.
Developing the Plan
By understanding how carbs work and the good versus bad carbs, you can create a daily meal plan to spread out your carb intake. By reading the food labels, you can calculate how many calories come from carbohydrates. It is best to eat more carbs during the beginning of the day to provide energy when you need it the most. Take into account that the amounts of grams do not necessarily equal the amount of carbohydrates in an item. One gram of grains may be 50 percent complex carbohydrates, but one gram of refined sugar is 100 percent simple carbs.
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