CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE RECOMMENDATIONS

Given the importance of carbohydrates to health, all nutrition guidelines provide recommendations for carbohydrate intake. In addition to encouraging consumption of carbohydrate-rich plant foods, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people consume at least half of all grains as whole grains, and to increase whole grain intake by replacing refined grains with whole grains. The Institute of Medicine recommends that people consume carbohydrates within a certain range, the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) of 45% to 65% of total calories, which is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate amounts of essential nutrients. There is also a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for carbohydrates, which is based on the amount of carbohydrates that is needed for the brain to function properly. (INFOGRAPHIC 4.11)

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INFOGRAPHIC 4.11 Dietary Recommendations for Carbohydrate Intake
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Question 4.11

image Why do the RDA and AMDR for total dietary carbohydrates conflict with each other?

In addition to the AMDR, carbohydrate has an RDA. The values for these two standards are not generally the same. The RDA for carbohydrate represents the average daily amount that is considered adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy people. The RDA represents an amount of a nutrient that will prevent a deficiency disorder of that individual nutrient in practically all healthy people. The AMDR represents a balance of energy sources that appears to reduce the risk for chronic diseases.

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When Mozaffarian published her study, she got some push-back from industry. The Whole Grains Council, which controls the Whole Grain Stamp, said it was unfair to criticize the stamp for not doing something it was never designed to do. The stamp, they said, is only supposed to identify products that contain a meaningful amount of whole grains, not to rate the overall healthfulness of the product. “Their point was, ‘Well, if you’re going to have a Pop Tart, it may as well be a whole grain Pop Tart,’” says Mozaffarian. Furthermore, an approach that requires consumers to do math might also be less useful than the easy-to-see stamp, a point that Mozaffarian readily concedes.

But Mozaffarian stands by the study. Though she gives credit to the Whole Grains Council for helping to raise awareness of whole grain foods, and for getting more whole grains into the food supply, she also thinks that the stamp has limitations as well. “They’re focused on just one thing, in this case whole grains, and ignoring other things such as sodium and total sugars and all of these other issues. It could be a little bit short-sighted.”

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