Diets low in carbohydrates normalize blood sugar, allow your body to burn fat, and allow room for plenty of muscle building protein and healthy fat. But how many grams of carbs do you need in a day? What is a good range to shoot for with your goal and activity level in mind?

Mark Sisson put it all down in this short article.  Here's the rundown:

300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone!  

Easy to reach with the “normal” American diet (cereals, pasta, rice, bread, waffles, pancakes, muffins, soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweets, desserts). High risk of excess fat storage, inflammation, increased disease markers including Metabolic Syndrome or diabetes. Sharp reduction of grains and other processed carbs is critical unless you are on the “chronic cardio” treadmill (which has its own major drawbacks).

150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain

Continued higher insulin-stimulating effect prevents efficient fat burning and contributes to widespread chronic disease conditions. This range – irresponsibly recommended by the USDA and other diet authorities – can lead to the statistical US average gain of 1.5 pounds of fat per year for forty years.

100-150 grams/day – Primal Blueprint Maintenance Range

This range based on body weight and activity level. When combined with Primal exercises, allows for genetically optimal fat burning and muscle development. Range derived from Grok’s (ancestors’) example of enjoying abundant vegetables and fruits and avoiding grains and sugars.

50-100 grams/day – Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss

Minimizes insulin production and ramps up fat metabolism. By meeting average daily protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula), eating nutritious vegetables and fruits (easy to stay in 50-100 gram range, even with generous servings), and staying satisfied with delicious high fat foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds), you can lose one to two pounds of body fat per week and then keep it off forever by eating in the maintenance range.

0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning

Acceptable for a day or two of Intermittent Fasting towards aggressive weight loss efforts, provided adequate protein, fat and supplements are consumed otherwise. May be ideal for many diabetics. Not necessarily recommended as a long-term practice for otherwise healthy people due to resultant deprivation of high nutrient value vegetables and fruits.

I recommend experimenting with the different levels to see how your body reacts. You'll need to adjust until your body adapts to the new (maybe lower) intake of sugar carbs. It's also very important to rotate carb levels (high days and low days) throughout the week or month. I do well with 2 or 3 days of low and 1 day high to restore glycogen (stored energy within muscles). 

It's easy to replace unwanted carbs with protein and healthy fat. Simply think meats, eggs, experiment with cottage cheese, and incorporate whey protein if necessary. When preparing to eat, ask yourself, "where's the beef protein?"