Carbs, fibre and fats
Which carbs to choose, how much fibre to aim for, and the fats to keep and to limit.
4 min read
Carbs fuel training and fats keep hormones and cells healthy. Quality matters more than cutting either one out.
25g or more
naturally occurring fibre a day[1]
400g or more
vegetables and fruit a day[1]
40 to 70% of energy
from carbs fits a healthy diet when quality is good[1]
Choose most days
- Whole wheat atta, brown rice, millets like ragi, jowar and bajra
- Dals, chana, rajma and sprouts
- Whole fruit and plenty of vegetables
- Nuts, seeds, mustard and groundnut oil
Limit
- Maida, sugar, sweets and sugary drinks
- Vanaspati (trans fats) and oil reused for frying
- Lots of ghee, butter and coconut oil (saturated fat)
- Fried snacks most days
Upper limits for fat, share of daily energy
- All fat30% or less
- Saturated fat10% or less
- Trans fat1% or less
| Fibre in everyday food, per 100 g raw | Fibre |
|---|---|
| Kala chana | 25.2 g |
| Whole moong | 17.0 g |
| Rajma | 16.6 g |
| Wheat atta | 11.4 g |
| Ragi | 11.2 g |
| Guava | 8.6 g |
A big jump in fibre can bring bloating: in one trial, bloating became more common on high-fibre diets. Levlofit tip: add fibre over a week or two and drink water with it.
Key points
- Choose whole grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables most days.
- Aim for 25 g or more of fibre a day, and add it slowly.
- Keep total fat at 30% of energy or less, saturated fat at 10% or less and trans fat at 1% or less.
Up next
- Vegetarian and vegan protein: Protein without meat takes planning; here is how.
Sources
- [1] World Health Organization. Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline. Geneva: WHO, 2023.
- [2] World Health Organization. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline. Geneva: WHO, 2023.
- [3] ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024.
- [4] Longvah T et al. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.
- [5] Zhang M et al. Effects of high-fiber diets and macronutrient substitution on bloating: findings from the OmniHeart trial. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2020;11(1):e00122.
General information from published guidelines, not medical advice, and not reviewed by a clinician. See a doctor for pain, illness, pregnancy or before hard training if you have a condition.