The Great Carbohydrate Debate

Scientists do not know exactly how many carbohydrates we need each day because we all have different energy needs.  This leaves room for speculation and argument because people who are sensitive to sugar experience a metabolic slowdown even when they eat complex carbohydrates.

The glucose from rice has an effect on sugar-sensitive people that is similar to that of table sugar, which raises their blood sugar level.  Since there is no exact recommended dietary allowance for carbohydrates, it is a guessing game.

How many carbohydrates should we eat?  When we look at the contents of a can of corn, we see that a one-half cup serving contains 10 grams of carbohydrates, which is 4% of our daily carbohydrate allowance.  This leads us to believe that we should eat 250 grams of carbohydrates each day based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

It is possible that the estimation of 250 grams of carbohydrates a day is wrong.  Scientists seem to know that we normally need between 50 and 100 grams of carbohydrates each day.  This gives us a starting point and a range with which to work.  If a healthy, active 25-year-old man can manage with 100 grams of carbohydrates each day, a 25-year-old man who is inactive (sedentary) needs less.  The person who is sedentary can manage with less because of his inactivity.

If 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrates per day is enough, then 250 grams might be way too much.  Someone who is overweight, inactive, and whose body has a negative reaction to sugar needs much less.  This lets us see carbohydrates from a different point of view.  Instead of having carbohydrates supply 60% of our energy, maybe it should supply about 50%.  This would mean the rest of the daily calories would consist of 30% fat and 20% protein.  If this is proven to be true, researchers may eventually lower the carbohydrate allowance in the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).