What Is the Recommended Daily Amount of Carbohydrates?

It seems like nearly everyone is on some sort of diet, or is counting some number on food packaging to stay healthy and lose weight. Carbohydrates are often mentioned as an important part of any dieting process. But how many carbohydrates do you need, and how many should you aim for to lose weight or to gain weight?

Carbohydrates

According to Life Clinic, carbohydrates are broken down by the body to create energy. This is why carbohydrates are an important part of any diet; while eating too many carbohydrates may not be good, eating too little will leave you weak.

Losing Weight

Those who are attempting to lose weight may be on a diet that restricts carbohydrate intake, attempting to reduce overall carbohydrate consumption. These numbers will change depending on the actual diet, however.

Gaining Weight

According to Anne Collins, carbohydrates must be eaten "in excess" to actually cause weight gain. Eating carbohydrates is an important aspect of weight lifting workouts that have the purpose of gaining weight.

The Average

According to Life Clinic, the average number of carbohydrates that anyone should eat is 60 percent of daily calories. The average calorie intake numbers for adults change based on age, sex and weight. Using a calorie counter can help you to find your recommended daily amount of carbohydrates.

Exercise

Athletes rely on carbohydrates as a major source of energy for sporting activities. To have the energy needed to stay active, meeting or exceeding the daily-recommended amount of carbohydrates is necessary.