Not All Carbs Are Equal: Understanding Nutrition Labels

How much sugar is too much? How much fibre do you need? Understanding carb ingredients, and more!

Hello readers! Welcome to Week 4 of my label-reading series, where we’re breaking down each line of the Nutrition Facts table to help you make more informed, confident choices at the grocery store. I’m sharing practical, evidence-based strategies using my real-world approach as a dietitian, so you can read labels with more clarity.

If you missed the previous posts in this series, you can catch up here:

• Week 1: Calories - Why they’re not the most important number

• Week 2: Making Sense of Fats on Food Labels

• Week 3: What to Know About Cholesterol and Sodium

And here are some other related posts that might be helpful:

• Decoding Serving Sizes: What you need to know

• Percent Daily Value: the average 2,000-calorie diet, reference values, and how to use it

This week, we’re tackling Carbohydrates. This is one of the most talked-about, and often misunderstood sections of the Nutrition Facts table. We’ll cover total carbs, fibre, and sugar to help you understand things like how much fibre to look for, how much sugar is too much, and what ingredients to look for to help you make sense of the carbs in your grocery cart.

Here’s what you can expect in this post:

• The role of carbs in our diet, healthy carbohydrate sources, and how much you need

• How to read the carbohydrate section of the Nutrition Facts table

• Fibre: What the research says and how much you need (🔒 PAID only)

• Sugar: How much is too much? (🔒 PAID only)

• Common carb-containing ingredients in processed foods (🔒 PAID only)

• 4 practical tips for assessing carbohydrates on food labels (🔒 PAID only)

• Real product examples to tie it all together (🔒 PAID only)

Let’s get started.

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The role of carbohydrates in a healthy diet

Carbohydrates play a vital role in a healthy diet. They’re the body’s preferred source of energy and are found in a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods. But despite this, carbs have been repeatedly demonized by diet culture and wellness trends. From keto to carnivore, low-carb message just won’t die. But I’m here to tell you: carbs are not the devil.

Here’s the point that most extreme low-carb diet trends miss: The issue isn’t that we eat carbs, or even that we eat too much. It’s that we eat too much of the wrong kind of carbs. The typical Western diet is heavy on refined, low-fibre carbohydrates, especially from processed foods. These types of carbs can dominate the plate and crowd out more beneficial options, making our diets generally higher in simple, quick-digesting (high glycemic) carbohydrates and lower in minimally processed, fibre-rich options.

Carbohydrates from whole foods, like fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, are consistently linked to health benefits. Research shows that these sources can help reduce inflammation, support digestion, and lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

But in addition to single-ingredient sources, some carb-rich processed foods can also contribute positively to your health. In today’s post, we’ll explore how to assess carbohydrate quality using the Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list.

How much carbohydrate do you need?

In Canada and the U.S., the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) for carbohydrates is 45-65% of your total daily calories. For reference, this is around 225-325 grams of carb daily for someone eating 2,000 calories per day. This range is based on supporting optimal health and providing sufficient energy, particularly for the brain and muscles, which rely heavily on carbs.

This range is also supported by long-term observational studies examining dietary patterns and chronic disease risk. For example, a large observational study found that individuals consuming both very high (>70%) or very low (<40%) proportions of energy from carbohydrates had a higher risk of all-cause mortality, compared to those with moderate intakes. The lowest risk was observed among those consuming approximately 50–55% of total energy from carbohydrates.

Interestingly, the average carbohydrate intake in the US and Canada isn’t excessive. It’s around 47% of total energy intake. However, low-quality, refined carbohydrates make up the majority of this, with only a small percentage coming from high quality carbs like whole grains, fruit, and legumes.

But realistically, there’s no need to aim for a specific gram target each day. Just like with calories, carb needs vary from person to person. The “right” amount depends on many factors - your age, activity level, health goals, what feels satisfying, and how a particular food fits into your overall diet.

Since carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy, particularly during higher-intensity activity, individuals who engage in more intense or prolonged physical activity will generally require more carbohydrates than those with lower activity levels. Similarly, your own carbohydrate needs may vary day to day: on more active days, your body will demand more fuel, while on sedentary days, your carbohydrate requirements may be lower.

Plus, most of us don’t eat the same foods in the same amounts every day, and we don’t need to. When it comes to carbs, it’s not about hitting an exact number each day, but about following eating patterns that support overall health. This includes:

• Prioritizing complex carbohydrates throughout the day

• Choosing mostly minimally processed carb sources like whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, and legumes

• Ensuring adequate fibre intake (which naturally comes from many carbohydrate-rich foods)

• Being mindful of added sugar

How to read the Carbohydrate section on the Nutrition Facts table

Before we get into the different types of carbs and carb-containing ingredients, let’s take a quick look at how the carb section of the Nutrition Facts table is structured.

Note: Since we have both American and Canadian friends here, I’ve included examples from both food labels.

Carbohydrate is the fourth nutrient listed under calories on American food labels, and second on Canadian food labels. In both cases, food labels are required to list the following in the carbohydrate section:

• Total carbohydrate (worded as “Total Carbohydrate” in the U.S. and simply “Carbohydrate” in Canada)

• Fibre

• Sugar

• Added sugar (U.S only)

Here’s one thing you don’t see on a Nutrition Facts table: In addition to fibre and sugar, there is a third type of carbohydrate - starch. This type of carb is not required to appear as a separate line item on the Nutrition Facts table, but is typically present in any carb-containing food. For example, the American label above shows 20 g of total carbs, 3 g of fibre, 0 g of sugar. The remaining total carbohydrate, 17 g, comes from starch.

Fibre

Fibre is a complex carbohydrate that isn’t fully digested by the gut. It travels through the GI tract relatively unchanged, but provides many benefits along the way. Fibre supports healthy digestion, helps regulate blood sugar, improves satiety, and is strongly associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

It’s found naturally in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Fibre is also added to packaged foods like cereals, granola bars, and protein bars, or can be used as a supplement.

There are two main types of fibre, soluble and insoluble, and both are beneficial. Soluble fibre, found in foods like oats, chia seeds, and apples, helps lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. Insoluble fibre, found in whole grains and many vegetables, supports regular bowel movements and digestive health.

Soluble vs. insoluble fibre is typically not distinguished on a food label. The minimum requirement is to list total fibre, though some brands choose to break it down further and specify grams soluble and insoluble fibre.

What the research says