What is a Healthy Amount of Carbs Consumed to Lose Weight?

Thanks to diets like Atkins, Sugar Busters and South Beach, carbs has become a dirty word, but it should not be. No matter what the current diet fads say, carbohydrates, along with fats and proteins, are a necessary part of any healthy diet.

Weight Loss Fundamentals

Weight loss occurs because of one thing only--your body burns more calories than it takes in. What type of calories these are does not really matter. You could eat 1,000 calories in bread alone every day for a week and you will lose weight. You could eat 3,000 calories in just fruit and vegetables and you will gain weight. To lose a pound a week, you need to eat 500 calories less than your body burns a day.

Daily Carb Consumption

In order to get all the nutrition you need, especially within a limited number of calories, you have to keep your consumption of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in proportion. Carbohydrates contain four calories, as do protein, while fats contain nine calories. The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that 45 to 65 percent of your daily caloric intake come from carbs. In a sensible 1,300-calorie weight loss diet, that translates to 146 to 211 grams of carbs per day.

What are Carbs?

When most people think of carbohydrates, they think about bread and cereal, but there's more to carbs than that. Carbohydrates are made up of three types: starches, sugars and fiber. Those who count carbohydrates usually subtract the fiber grams from the total carbohydrate grams, as the body does not digest fiber. This remaining balance is often referred to as "net carbs." The USDA does not make a distinction in its guidelines between total carbs and net carbs, so use total for your count.

Starches

Starch is found in grain products, and a fair number of vegetables are high in starch, including potatoes, corn, peas and carrots. Whole-grain products, made of unprocessed or minimally processed flour that still includes the bran, are the recommended source for cereals and breads. They are higher in fiber and nutrients than products made of refined white flour and the natural sugars in them break down more slowly, which helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable and your energy balanced throughout the day.

Sugars

Sugars can be found in most processed food and in natural foods such as fruit and dairy products. It is the most abused of the carbohydrates because it sneaks its way into many of the pre-packaged foods we eat, even the ones that are not sweet like jarred pasta sauce. Simple sugars, like table sugar and sodas, should be avoided because they are sources of empty calories. Eat natural sugars like those found in whole fruit and low-fat dairy instead; their nutritional value is worth the carbs.

Fiber

Fiber is important because it helps your digestive system to regulate itself and it keeps you feeling full longer. The USDA recommends at least 14 grams per 1,000 calories per day; that's 18 grams for a 1,300-calorie diet.