How many carbs should I eat a day?

For most adults, 45-65% of calories is the standard range. Active people often do better toward the top of it, and lower-carbohydrate patterns can also work.

Are low-carb diets better for weight loss?

When calories and protein are matched, low-carbohydrate and higher-carbohydrate diets produce similar weight loss. Adherence is what separates them.

Total carbohydrate minus fibre, and sometimes minus sugar alcohols. It is mainly used on ketogenic diets; general tracking uses total carbohydrate.

How many carbs do endurance athletes need?

Common sports nutrition guidance is 5-7 g per kg for moderate training and 6-10 g per kg for high-volume endurance training.

Carbohydrate Calculator

Calculate daily carbohydrate grams from your calorie needs and preferred share.

Enter your details and your result will appear here.

What Is Carbohydrate?

This calculator estimates how many grams of carbohydrate a day your intake works out to, based on your calorie needs and the share of calories you want from carbohydrate. It also shows the result as grams per kilogram of body weight, which is how athlete guidance is written.

Understanding Your Carbohydrate Result

Carbohydrate is the body's preferred fuel for higher-intensity work, stored as glycogen in muscle and liver. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for adults is 45-65% of calories, but that is a population range rather than a requirement, and lower-carbohydrate patterns work well for many people. What changes the answer most is training: endurance athletes running down glycogen daily need substantially more than someone doing three gym sessions a week.

How Is Carbohydrate Calculated?

Carbohydrate (g) = calories x carbohydrate share / 4

Methodology

Maintenance calories are estimated with Mifflin-St Jeor and an activity factor. Your chosen share of those calories is divided by 4 calories per gram. Grams per kilogram is reported alongside general and endurance-training reference ranges.

Worked Example

A lightly active 28-year-old woman, 5 ft 5 in and 140 lb, has maintenance calories of about 1,900. At a moderate 45% share, that is 1,900 x 0.45 / 4, or about 214 g of carbohydrate a day, which is roughly 3.4 g per kg.

Important Limitations

The percentage approach means your carbohydrate target moves with your calorie target, which is not always what an athlete wants; grams per kilogram is often the better anchor for training. The calculator does not distinguish fibre, sugars or starch, and it does not account for medical conditions such as diabetes where carbohydrate intake needs individual clinical guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many carbs should I eat a day?: For most adults, 45-65% of calories is the standard range. Active people often do better toward the top of it, and lower-carbohydrate patterns can also work.
Are low-carb diets better for weight loss?: When calories and protein are matched, low-carbohydrate and higher-carbohydrate diets produce similar weight loss. Adherence is what separates them.
What are net carbs?: Total carbohydrate minus fibre, and sometimes minus sugar alcohols. It is mainly used on ketogenic diets; general tracking uses total carbohydrate.
How many carbs do endurance athletes need?: Common sports nutrition guidance is 5-7 g per kg for moderate training and 6-10 g per kg for high-volume endurance training.