644400af_et__Nutrition___Healthy_Eating__Description
[Recommended Amount Per Day] The amount of carbohydrates most often recommended per day is typically in the area of 50% of your total calorie intake (most recommendations range from 40-60 percent). 1 gram of carbs contains 4 calories. So, let's say an example person is consuming 2000 calories per day. 50% of 2000 is 1000 calories. And, since 1 gram of carbs contains 4 calories, you'd divide 1000 by 4 and get 250 grams of carbs per day for this example person. [Sources] Fruits and vegetables, beans, oatmeal, brown rice, and other whole wheat/whole grain foods [Description] 
Carbohydrates Carbohydrates (AKA carbs) are a major source of energy for the body. The older, simpler explanation of carbs goes something like this. There are two different types; simple and complex. Of the two, simple carbs should be avoided due to the speed at which they are digested. Simple carbs digest quickly, and this has a negative effect on our blood insulin levels. Diets high in simple carbs have been shown to increase our risk of diabetes and heart disease, while complex carbs have been shown to do the opposite. For this reason, you should try to greatly limit typical junk foods like candy and dessert items, soda, and really any other sugary foods. Complex carbs on the other hand digest slower and should therefore comprise the majority of your carb intake. (See right column for examples of these foods.) But, the "complex" and "simple" label only tells part of the story, which brings us to the usefulness of the glycemic index. The glycemic index classifies carbs based on how quickly and how high they boost blood sugar when compared to pure glucose (sugar). This is useful for figuring out that a food like white bread, which actually fits the "complex carb" label, will in reality cause a rapid spike in our blood sugar levels. For this reason, in addition to the simple carbs mentioned above, you should also greatly limit other high glycemic foods such as white bread, white rice, crackers, many cereals and other highly processed foods.
The Beginner's Guide To Diet, Nutrition & Healthy Eating
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