Daily Amounts of Carbs, Fat, Fiber, Sodium & Protein
Your body needs certain nutrients to sustain everyday biological processes. Meeting your daily recommendation of these nutrients and getting just the right amount is necessary for optimal health. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are macronutrients that provide calories and also have other metabolic functions. Other components of food, including fiber and specific minerals such as sodium, play similarly important parts in optimal health.
Carbohydrates, both sugars and starches, eventually break down into glucose. You need glucose to power cells throughout your body. Since glucose from carbohydrates is the primary energy source throughout your system, most of your calories, or 45 to 65 percent, need to come from this macronutrient. Carbs have 4 calories per gram. If you usually stick to a strict 1,800-calorie diet each day, you need 202 to 292 grams of carbs. Nearly all foods, except for eggs, meat, poultry and some seafood, have carbohydrates. However, healthy carbohydrate sources, such as fresh produce, legumes, nonfat dairy and beans, pack lots of vitamins and minerals, which may be lacking in processed junk foods.
Fat is a structural component of cells and blood vessels. You also need fat to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as to provide energy when your system runs out of glucose. Between 20 to 35 percent of your total calories should come from fat, which offers 9 calories per gram. Based on an 1,800-calorie diet, you should get 40 to 70 grams of fat from your daily diet. Selecting lean meats, including skinless chicken breast, fish and lean cuts of beef, helps keep your fat intake to a minimum so you don't wind up getting too many calories. Replacing full-fat dairy foods with skim or low-fat varieties, also helps trim some of the excess fat from your diet.
Fiber is a carbohydrate; however, it does not provide calories or convert to glucose. You need fiber for bowel health and regularity. It helps push out waste and allows nutrients to absorb through intestinal walls. Recommendations for adequate fiber intake are 14 grams for every 1,000 calories. As an example, you need 26 grams for an 1,800-calorie diet. Fiber only comes from plant-based foods, meaning you need to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils to boost your fiber intake.
Sodium sometimes has a bad reputation, but it is essential for normal heart rhythm. Electrolyte minerals, like sodium, balance fluid in and around cells, allowing electricity to flow through. Not only does this process make your heart beat, it also allows muscles to contract and relax. Keep your daily sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams. If you go over your recommendation, fluid balance becomes altered, causing your system to hold on to extra water. Your heart has to pump harder to get blood through your body, making your heart weak over time and increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Protein is well-known for its role in adding to lean muscle mass, but protein also gives structure to all cells and provides energy when carbs and fat are not available. Your diet should consist of 10 to 35 percent protein, which provides 4 calories per gram. Based on an 1,800-calorie diet, this amounts to 45 to 157 grams of protein. Recommendations vary greatly based on activity level. For example, if you are relatively sedentary, you probably need less protein than someone who has a physically strenuous job and works out often.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute: Sodium (Chloride)
- National Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids
Melodie Anne Coffman specializes in overall wellness, with particular interests in women's health and personal defense. She holds a master's degree in food science and human nutrition and is a certified instructor through the NRA. Coffman is pursuing her personal trainer certification in 2015.