2.18 Carbohydrates Summary and Conclusions
We have reviewed all the types of carbohydrates and discussed which are healthy and which are unhealthy. A heart healthy diet should be high in healthy carbohydrates and include:
- About 70-85% of your daily calories from carbohydrates from whole plant foods
- As little added sugar as possible, ideally none
- High fiber content of 22-28 g for women and 28-34 g for men, but the higher the better
- Eliminate refined carbohydrates
- Keep an appropriate calorie balance simply by not overeating
On a whole foods, plant based diet, there should be NO calories consumed from added sugars or refined carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates you eat from whole plant foods is not limited, however common sense would say not to overeat any food item.