Navigating a Lower Carbohydrate Diet

What is a reduced carbohydrate diet?

Low/moderate carbohydrate diets have become popular in recent decades with regard to weight loss and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The term “low carbohydrate” is often synonymous with Keto for many people, but is actually defined as anything less than 45% of total calories from carbohydrates, as Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges recommend 45-65% of total calories come from fiber rich carbohydrate sources. Definition of low carbohydrate diets in research literature are as follows: (Stat Pearls)

1. Very low-carbohydrate (<10% carbohydrates) or 20 to 50 g/d
2. Low-carbohydrate (<26% carbohydrates) or less than 130 g/d
3. Moderate-carbohydrate (26%-44%)
4. High-carbohydrate (45% or greater)

Summary of Benefits

Overall, both low and moderate carbohydrate diets offer significant health benefits over the standard American diet, particularly in terms of weight management, blood sugar control, and overall metabolic health.

Carbohydrate Intake Chart

Here is a quick reference guide that may help provide more context when determining appropriate carbohydrate levels, as numerical values can be utilized with food label reading and planning meals.