By Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau Director of Strategic Communications
I’ve always worried and wondered about my carb intake. Too many, too few, how do you align your intake with your exercise, and more. 
Carbohydrates—otherwise called carbs—are the sugars, starches, and fibers hanging out in foods like fruit, beans, starchy veggies, grains, and dairy. Think of them as fuel pellets for your body’s energy furnace. When you eat them, your body breaks them down into glucose— basically, the premium gas that keeps your engine humming, powering everything from your morning jog to your late-night snack raids. Carbs are part of the three main macronutrients that we need: proteins, fats, and carbs.
More studies have come out on the when and how of carbs including the best time to eat simple and complex carbs.
Here’s a set of tips on the best times to eat different types of carbohydrates—simple carbs (sugars), complex carbs (starches), and fiber-rich carbs—tailored to general health, energy needs, and insights from one study, a registered protocol for a systematic review titled “Day-Time Patterns of Carbohydrate Intake in Adults by Non-Parametric Multi-Level Latent Class Analysis—Results from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey” focus on timing and quantity of carb intake aligns with emerging research on diurnal eating patterns and their health impacts. (Full study is not yet available as of the writing of this article.)
Tips on Timing Carbohydrate Intake
- Simple Carbs (Sugars: Fruits, Milk, Refined Sugars)
- Best Time: Morning or Pre/Post-Workout
- Why: Simple carbs, like those in fruit or sugary snacks, break down quickly into glucose, giving you a fast energy boost. Eating them in the morning (e.g., fruit with breakfast) kickstarts your day with readily available fuel. Pre- or post-workout, they’re ideal for quick energy or replenishing glycogen stores—think a banana before a run or a small sugary treat after.
- Study Insight: The UK study explores how carb intake timing affects health outcomes like type 2 diabetes. Early-day simple carb intake (e.g., 6–9 a.m.) might align with higher energy needs and better glucose regulation, as metabolism tends to be more active earlier, potentially reducing blood sugar spikes later in the day.
- Complex Carbs (Starches: Whole Grains, Potatoes, Beans)
- Best Time: Midday or Early Afternoon (Lunch)
- Why: Complex carbs, found in whole grains, starchy veggies, and legumes, take longer to digest, providing a steady release of energy. Eating them at lunch (e.g., brown rice or sweet potatoes) sustains you through the afternoon without the crash you’d get from simple sugars. This timing supports consistent energy for work, school, or physical activity.
- Study Insight: The study’s focus on diurnal patterns suggests that moderate-to-high carb intake around midday (e.g., 12–2 p.m.) could fit a “regular meal” pattern, balancing energy use and avoiding late-day overload, which might strain glucose metabolism when insulin sensitivity dips.
- Fiber-Rich Carbs (Whole Grains, Vegetables, Legumes)
- Best Time: Evening (Dinner)
- Why: Fiber-rich carbs, like broccoli, quinoa, or lentils, digest slowly and promote satiety, making them perfect for dinner. They help stabilize blood sugar overnight and support gut health thanks to their fiber content—your digestive system gets a gentle workout while you sleep. Pairing them with protein and fats can further slow digestion, keeping you full.
- Study Insight: The UK analysis hints that lower carb percentages late in the day (e.g., 8–10 p.m.) might benefit some eaters, but fiber-rich carbs could still fit here. Their slow energy release might align with patterns linked to better metabolic health, avoiding the high-sugar spikes seen in late-night snacking.
General Tips
- Morning Boost: Start with a mix—simple carbs (fruit) and complex carbs (oats)—to cover immediate and sustained energy needs.
- Activity Timing: Match carb type to activity. Simple carbs for quick bursts (workouts), complex for longer efforts (busy afternoons).
- Nighttime Wind-Down: Lean toward fiber-rich carbs to avoid energy spikes that disrupt sleep, a factor the study might explore in late time slots (10 p.m.–6 a.m.).
- Personalize It: The study’s latent class approach suggests carb timing isn’t one-size-fits-all—experiment to see what keeps your energy steady and your body happy.
The UK study’s framework emphasizes how carb timing and quantity interact with daily rhythms, hinting that spreading intake thoughtfully—simple early, complex midday, fiber-rich later—might optimize energy and health. Since it’s still a protocol, these tips blend its intent with broader nutritional wisdom.
Of course, some of the best wisdom in all of this means consulting with your doctor or a nutritionist. Everyone’s body composition is unique and your requirements might not be what someone else’s are in the big scheme of things.