Nutrition guide · carbohydrates · sugar
Carbohydrates and sugar: energy without extremes.
Carbohydrate does not mean sugar alone, and a lower number is not automatically better. Amount, source, fibre and how the whole day fits your energy needs all matter.
More than one number
Your body needs both energy and quality.
Digestible carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, mainly glucose. Glucose supplies energy and insulin helps it enter cells. Fibre supplies little rapidly available glucose, but supports fullness, bowel function and overall diet quality.
Available energy
The brain, muscles and other tissues use glucose. More active days and training can increase carbohydrate needs.
Fullness and nutrients
Whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruit provide fibre together with vitamins, minerals and a more substantial meal.
Different effects
Fifty grams of carbohydrate from a sugary drink is not nutritionally equivalent to 50 g from beans, vegetables and whole grains.
The app's actual logic
How does DailyBalance calculate your zone?
The default formula uses your latest recorded weight and chosen goal. It is not a one-size-fits-all prescription.
Calculation in four steps
The calorie reference is weight multiplied by the goal coefficient: a midpoint of 30 kcal/kg for maintenance, 18–22 kcal/kg for weight loss, or 35–37.5 kcal/kg for weight gain.
Remaining kcal = daily kcal − (minimum protein × 4) − (minimum fat × 9)Carbohydrate reference = remaining kcal ÷ 4
DailyBalance zone = reference × 0.8 … reference × 1.2
The usual minimum protein is weight × 1.6 g and minimum fat is weight × 0.6 g. If the remaining calories would be negative, the app uses a 50 g carbohydrate reference.
A manual calorie target or macro split overrides the default calculation. A weekend offset can also change the figures shown for a particular day.
Minimum and maximum
A zone is a guide, not a verdict.
EFSA gives adults a carbohydrate reference range of 45–60% of energy, but has not established a physiological lower threshold or a tolerable upper intake level for total carbohydrate. DailyBalance's minimum and maximum are therefore planning boundaries, not toxicity thresholds.
Persistently below the zone
A well-planned lower-carbohydrate diet can suit some people. Problems are more likely when it also means too little total energy, fibre, fruit, vegetables or whole grains: fatigue, reduced exercise capacity, constipation and nutrient gaps can follow. People using insulin or glucose-lowering medication should make major changes with clinical guidance.
Persistently above the zone
The effect depends on energy balance and sources. A sustained calorie surplus can raise body weight. A diet dominated by refined foods and sugary drinks can produce larger glucose swings, increase triglycerides and displace fibre-rich foods. A high number from vegetables and pulses is not equivalent to the same number from sweets.
The role of sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate, but not all carbohydrate is sugar.
Glucose is a normal component of blood and an important fuel. The issue is not its existence, but a persistently high share of free sugars, excess total energy and impaired glucose regulation.
Free sugars
These include added sugars and sugars in honey, syrups and juice. WHO recommends less than 10% of daily energy; below 5% may provide additional dental benefit.
“Sugars” on labels
European nutrition labels include both naturally occurring and free sugars. DailyBalance applies its 10% energy limit to all recorded sugars, so it is a deliberately conservative guide rather than a precise measure of free sugars.
No required minimum
There is no physiological minimum for free sugars. They do not need to be “hit”; carbohydrate can come from starch- and fibre-rich foods, and the body can also make glucose from other compounds.
Everyday practice
Track to find patterns, not reasons to fear food.
- ✓Choose quality first.
Get most carbohydrates from whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruit. - ✓Look at the week.
One higher day is not failure; repeated patterns and overall energy matter more. - ✓Build balanced meals.
Protein, unsaturated fat, fibre and non-starchy vegetables can make a meal more filling and nutrient-dense. - ✓Personalise responsibly.
Diabetes, pregnancy, intensive sport or digestive disease can change the appropriate intake.
Sources and note
Check the context, not just the number.
This article provides general education. DailyBalance is not a medical device, and its calculated zones do not replace an individual plan from a doctor or registered dietitian.
- EFSA — Dietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary report
- WHO — Healthy diet
- WHO — Reducing free sugars intake in adults
- NIDDK — Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes
Reviewed 23 August 2026. Formulae checked against the default calculation logic in this version of `app.html`.