What Does A Healthy Serving Of Carbs Look Like

 tomato and smoked mozzarella sandwiches

Oh, carbs. People love to love carbs and love to hate carbs. But carbohydrates aren’t a demon food. In fact, they provide energy to our bodies and brains, and the right ones are packed with other nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals. Foods that give you carbs include grains, fruits, legumes, dairy foods and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, winter squash and corn. Sugar is a carb and foods like honey, maple syrup and sugar-sweetened beverages are loaded with simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs spike your blood sugar faster than complex carbohydrates, which are found in whole grains and have the addition of fiber which helps slow down the digestion. Don’t Miss: 6 Reasons You Should Be Eating Carbs Being aware of how many carbs you eat is important, whether you are trying to lose weight, eat a more balanced diet or manage diabetes. One serving is about 15 grams of carbohydrates. And how many carbohydrates you need in a day depends on your individual needs. According to the Dietary Guidelines, carbohydrates should make up 45-65 percent of your daily calories. For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, about 900-1,300 calories should come from eating carbohydrates. This translates to about 225-325 grams of carbohydrates or roughly 15-21 carbohydrate servings per day. Keeping your diet varied and getting your carbs from different sources is important, as it ensures you get all other nutrients too. Here are some examples what one serving of carbs looks like and how many calories it provides. Quinoa Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl Recipe to Try: Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl 1/2 cup cooked quinoa = 20 grams carbs = 111 calories Whole-Grain Pasta Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet Recipe to try: Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet 1/2 cup cooked whole-wheat pasta = 23 grams carbs = 112 calories Brown Rice 4548027.jpg Recipe to try: Easy Brown Rice 1/2 cup cooked brown rice = 22 grams carbs = 103 calories Oatmeal 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal = 14 grams carbs = 83 calories Popcorn Lime & Parmesan Popcorn Recipe to try: Lime & Parmesan Popcorn 3 cups popped popcorn = 19 grams carbs = 93 calories Cereal 4473423.jpg Recipe to try: Raspberry Yogurt Cereal Bowl 1/2 cup mini shredded wheat cereal = 20 grams carbs = 86 calories Mashed Potatoes Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes Recipe to try: Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes 1 cup mashed potatoes = 30 grams carbs = 243 calories Whole-Wheat Bread tomato and smoked mozzarella sandwiches Recipe to try: Tomato & Smoked Mozzarella Sandwiches 1 slice whole-wheat bread = 12 grams carbs = 71 calories English Muffin Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin Recipe to try: Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin 1/2 whole-wheat English muffin = 13 grams carbs = 67 calories Tortilla Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap Recipe to try: Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap 1 6-inch whole-wheat tortilla = 15 grams carbs = 92 calories Best Carbs to Eat CleanWhat Does a Serving of Protein Look Like?

tomato and smoked mozzarella sandwiches

tomato and smoked mozzarella sandwiches

Foods that give you carbs include grains, fruits, legumes, dairy foods and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, winter squash and corn. Sugar is a carb and foods like honey, maple syrup and sugar-sweetened beverages are loaded with simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs spike your blood sugar faster than complex carbohydrates, which are found in whole grains and have the addition of fiber which helps slow down the digestion.

Don’t Miss: 6 Reasons You Should Be Eating Carbs

Being aware of how many carbs you eat is important, whether you are trying to lose weight, eat a more balanced diet or manage diabetes. One serving is about 15 grams of carbohydrates. And how many carbohydrates you need in a day depends on your individual needs. According to the Dietary Guidelines, carbohydrates should make up 45-65 percent of your daily calories. For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, about 900-1,300 calories should come from eating carbohydrates. This translates to about 225-325 grams of carbohydrates or roughly 15-21 carbohydrate servings per day. Keeping your diet varied and getting your carbs from different sources is important, as it ensures you get all other nutrients too.

Here are some examples what one serving of carbs looks like and how many calories it provides.

Quinoa

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Recipe to Try: Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

1/2 cup cooked quinoa = 20 grams carbs = 111 calories

Whole-Grain Pasta

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

Recipe to try: Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

1/2 cup cooked whole-wheat pasta = 23 grams carbs = 112 calories

Brown Rice

4548027.jpg

Recipe to try: Easy Brown Rice

1/2 cup cooked brown rice = 22 grams carbs = 103 calories

Oatmeal

1/2 cup cooked oatmeal = 14 grams carbs = 83 calories

Popcorn

Lime & Parmesan Popcorn

Recipe to try: Lime & Parmesan Popcorn

3 cups popped popcorn = 19 grams carbs = 93 calories

Cereal

4473423.jpg

Recipe to try: Raspberry Yogurt Cereal Bowl

1/2 cup mini shredded wheat cereal = 20 grams carbs = 86 calories

Mashed Potatoes

Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes

Recipe to try: Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes

1 cup mashed potatoes = 30 grams carbs = 243 calories

Whole-Wheat Bread

Recipe to try: Tomato & Smoked Mozzarella Sandwiches

1 slice whole-wheat bread = 12 grams carbs = 71 calories

English Muffin

Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin

Recipe to try: Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin

1/2 whole-wheat English muffin = 13 grams carbs = 67 calories

Tortilla

Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

Recipe to try: Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

1 6-inch whole-wheat tortilla = 15 grams carbs = 92 calories

Best Carbs to Eat CleanWhat Does a Serving of Protein Look Like?

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

4548027.jpg

Lime & Parmesan Popcorn

4473423.jpg

Sautéed Leek Mashed Potatoes

Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin

Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

Quinoa#

Whole-Grain Pasta#

Brown Rice#

Oatmeal#

Popcorn#

Cereal#

Mashed Potatoes#

Whole-Wheat Bread#

English Muffin#

Tortilla#