How Many Carbs Should I Eat a Day to Lose Weight?

Cutting carbohydrate intake is a common technique for losing weight. This diet strategy was first used in the 1800s to treat seizures and later for individuals with type 1 diabetes. 

Low-carbohydrate diets became popular in the 1970s as a weight loss strategy.¹ 

While low-carbohydrate diets may be effective in the short term (up to six months) in reducing weight and controlling type 2 diabetes, long-term use past six months results in less beneficial health outcomes.¹ 

Following a low-carbohydrate diet is challenging to maintain while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet, and may have safety concerns.¹

Carbohydrates are essential for optimal health, and your body requires a certain amount of carbs.² 

It is vital to seek advice from a registered dietitian or health care provider about the right amount of carbohydrates. 

Keep reading to learn about how many carbohydrates you need to lose weight, the safety of low-carbohydrate diets, the benefits of consuming carbohydrates, and the carbohydrates associated with less disease risk. 

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How Many Carbohydrates Should You Eat to Lose Weight?

Balanced Carbohydrate Recommendations

Carbohydrate needs vary from person to person and throughout different stages of your life. The amount of carbohydrates needed for weight loss will also depend on factors such as age, sex, physical activity levels, and medical conditions.² 

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, healthy adults should generally get 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates.^{2, 3}

That equates to about 200 to 300 g (or 800 to 1,200 calories) daily, depending on their calorie intake. These carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrates, which include beneficial fiber that stabilizes your blood sugar and keeps you full.² 

When 45 to 65 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates, the rest come from 10 to 35 percent protein and 20 to 35 percent fat.³ 

Low-Carbohydrate Comparison

Low-carbohydrate diets for short-term weight loss restrict daily carb intake to 5  to 20 percent of their calories, or 25 to 100 g (or 100 to 400 calories) daily, leading to increased fat and protein portions.¹ 

Research shows that these lower carbohydrate diets lead to short-term weight loss, but these benefits are outweighed by the inability to practice long-term and increased health risks from consuming high fat and protein.¹

You can see quite a discrepancy between low-carbohydrate diets and recommendations for sustainable, long-term healthy eating. 

Restricting carbohydrate intake while meeting nutrition requirements for other essential nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals, from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits can be challenging.^{1, 2, 3} 

Are Low-Carbohydrate Diets Safe?

Low-carbohydrate diets are usually safe for people in good health. But they can cause unpleasant symptoms at the least and may be unsafe for some individuals.¹ 

The recommended daily carbohydrate dietary allowance (RDA) is set at 130 grams of carbs for adults. This RDA ensures the brain has adequate energy (from glucose) to function.⁴

Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (or keto diets) shift the body from using carbohydrates as its primary energy source to a state of ketosis, during which the body uses fat stores for energy, resulting in total body fat and weight loss.⁵  

Side Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diets

During this fuel source transition, you may experience unpleasant side effects for a few days or weeks. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, weakness, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and constipation.^1,5 

Individuals Who Should Not Follow a Low-Carbohydrate Diet

Low-carb diets are not recommended for pregnant women, individuals with kidney disease, gout, cholesterol issues, pancreatitis, liver failure, fat metabolism disorders, and people with type 1 diabetes.^{1, 5} 

People with diabetes who take insulin or oral diabetes medications are at risk for severely low blood sugar levels if they do not work with their healthcare professional to adjust their medications before starting a low-carbohydrate diet.^{1, 5} 

Long-term use (more than six months) of a low-carbohydrate diet is associated with nutrient deficiencies, digestive issues from low-fiber intake, kidney stones, heart disease from higher saturated fat intake and low fiber intake, and muscle loss.⁵ 

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=why-do-we-need-carbohydrates>Why Do We Need Carbohydrates: Optimal Choices for Health</a></a>.</div>

How Do Carbohydrates Help Weight Loss?

The type and quality of carbohydrates you eat are more important for long-term sustainability, overall health, safe weight loss, and healthy weight maintenance.

Cutting carbohydrates may help with short-term weight loss, but choosing a balance of each type of macronutrient (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) leads to an overall balanced diet and health.^{1, 3, 6} 

A review article from 2022, including over 60 articles, found no difference in weight loss amounts for individuals following a low-carbohydrate or a balanced-carbohydrate diet (45 to 65 percent carbohydrates) for up to two years.⁶ 

First, if you consume more than the recommended 45 to 65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, try reducing your intake to this range. 

Then, choose fiber-rich (complex) carbohydrates paired with lean protein and healthy fats to balance your meals and blood sugar levels and reduce hunger. 

1. Reduce Your Appetite

Complex carbohydrates contain fiber and lead to more stable blood sugar levels. Fiber also helps you feel full after eating. 

Eating complex carbs with lean protein and healthy fat stabilizes your blood sugar levels and hunger.² 

2. Provide More Nutrients

Complex carbohydrates ensure you meet the recommended fiber of about 28 g daily. Fiber helps prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and aids in proper digestion.³

Complex carbohydrates also contain beneficial nutrients like protein, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, selenium, and B vitamins.⁷

3. Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

Replacing simple or refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates will help with stable blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. 

Research shows that diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with weight gain, risk of type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.⁸

Let’s jump into the different types of carbohydrates and examples of each. 

What Are Good Carbs to Eat?

Refined or simple carbohydrates are associated with increased disease risk, while complex carbohydrates are associated with health and decreased disease risk.^{2, 3, 7, 8}

Replacing refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates is a great way to ensure you are fueling with preferred energy. 

Refined (or Simple) Carbohydrates 

Simple carbohydrates are one (monosaccharides) or two sugar units (disaccharides). They provide quick energy and lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar.²

Simple carbohydrates include:

• Fructose (found in honey, fruits, and high-fructose corn syrup)
• Lactose (found in milk and milk products like yogurt)
• Sucrose (found naturally in fruits and vegetables, but most commonly table sugar eaten alone or added to sweet foods or baked goods).

Added sugars are added to foods or drinks (like sugar in coffee, soda, cereal, or baked goods), whereas naturally occurring sugars are found in milk and fruit. Milk also contains protein and fat. Fruit also contains fiber.² 

Refined carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates that should be limited or removed from the diet. 

Refined carbohydrates to limit or avoid include:

• Snack foods
• Sugary drinks
• Desserts
• Many processed foods
• White bread
• Baked goods
• White pasta
• Chips
• Sweetened breakfast cereal

Diets high in refined carbohydrates are associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.⁹ 

Regular intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain, risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.⁸

Increased sugar intake also leads to dental caries (cavities).² 

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are made of many glucose units in a more complex chemical structure. They take longer to digest and have a more gradual effect on blood sugars.²

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that the human body cannot digest, but it encourages healthy bacterial growth in the intestines and helps with regular bowel movements.² 

Complex carbohydrates include:

• All fruits
• Lentils, legumes, and beans
• Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole-wheat bread, and whole-wheat pasta)
• Bean-based pasta
• Bran
• Seeds and nuts
• All vegetables

Research shows that people consuming more complex carbohydrates have a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.⁹ 

People who consume higher amounts of whole grains also have a lower risk for heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. They were likelier to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and gain less weight over time.¹⁰ 

Assess Your Carbohydrate Intake and Source

If you find yourself struggling to lose weight, take some time to review your typical carbohydrate choices. 

Consider the following for making swaps to improve your health and blood sugar levels and facilitate safe, sustainable weight loss:

• Do I consume sugar-sweetened beverages regularly? How often and how much?
• Am I consuming complex carbohydrates with lean protein or healthy fats to stay full?
• How many times do I eat fruit daily?
• How many times do I eat vegetables daily?
• Am I eating at regular intervals (every 3 to 5 hours for meals)?
• Do I skip breakfast, grab a sugary coffee, and crave donuts or candy later in the morning?
• When packing lunch, do you eat protein, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates like brown rice, sweet potatoes, or fruit?
• Are you ravenous after work and snack uncontrollably on crackers, chips, or cookies? You may have eaten too little protein and complex carbohydrates throughout the day.
• Are you expecting simple carbohydrates to satisfy you and wonder why you are hungry and tired?
• What type of carbohydrates make up your grocery shopping cart and pantry?

Take inventory of your answers; you might find a good starting point for moving from refined to complex carbohydrates. 

Learn More About How to Improve Blood Sugar Health With Signos’ Expert Advice

Low-carbohydrate diets are often marketed as quick weight-loss strategies. Research shows they work in the short term but can be problematic and unhealthful beyond six months.

Consider a balanced, complex carbohydrate diet alongside lean protein and healthy fats for stable blood sugar levels, safe and sustainable weight loss, and long-term health. 

A Signos continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can help you monitor blood sugar levels while making healthy carbohydrate swaps, improve your health, and encourage sustainable and practical eating habits. 

Learn more about nutrition and healthy habits on Signos’ blog, which is written by nutrition and health experts. Take a quick quiz to determine if Signos fits your needs.

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=whole-carbs-vs-refined-carbs>Whole Carbs vs. Refined Carbs: Differences Explained</a>.</div>