The USDA recommends eating a balanced diet that has a variety of foods from all of the food groups including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean protein in order to support your body's nutritional needs.
USDA Recommendations
As part of a balanced diet, the USDA recommends eating 3 to 6 oz. of carbohydrates from whole grains and legumes per day, as well as four to six servings of vegetables and three to four servings of fruit. Grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes all contain carbohydrates.
Calories in Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have four calories per gram; however, most foods contain a combination of fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. Reading nutrition labels can help you determine how many carbohydrates are in the foods you eat.
Daily Carbohydrate Calories
The number of carbohydrate calories you require depends on your body's food requirements to sustain basic bodily function, activities of daily living, and how active you are. According to MayoClinic.com, daily carbohydrate diet requirements are between 225 and 325 grams. Since carbohydrates have four calories per gram, this means that you need between 900 and 1,300 daily carbohydrate calories on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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