Research
Macro partitioning
A carbohydrate intake of 45-60% of total energy (E%) is sufficient to meet metabolic needs and prevent ketosis in adults and children over one year, provided fat and protein intakes are balanced.
Aim for 45-60% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. This range supports metabolic health and prevents ketosis. Ensure you are also reducing saturated fats to maximize benefits.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The Panel proposes 45 to 60 E% as the reference Intake range for carbohydrates applicable to both adults and children older than one year of age.
Why this rating
Based on a comprehensive scientific opinion by the EFSA Panel, synthesizing extensive data, though the lower limit is not precisely defined.
Source
Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products et al. · EFSA Journal · 2010
DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1462
clinical_guidelineCited 883×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- A dietary fiber intake of 25 g/day is adequate for normal laxation in adults, with potential health benefits at higher intakes.Good
- There is insufficient evidence to set an upper limit for added sugar intake based on health risks such as dental caries, weight gain, or metabolic effects.Moderate
- Reducing dietary glycemic index and load may have favorable effects on serum lipids, but evidence for weight maintenance and disease prevention is inconclusive.Moderate
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →