What Does 700g of Carbs Look Like? A Visual Guide for Athletes

October 16, 2025 •

4 min read

A daily intake of over 700g of carbohydrates is a common strategy, called carb-loading, for elite athletes. But what does 700g of carbs look like in terms of actual food? This quantity, which can equate to roughly 45 slices of bread, is part of a high-performance dietary plan used to maximize glycogen stores before a major event.

Quick Summary

This article provides a visual breakdown of 700g of carbs and practical examples for athletes. It examines simple versus complex carb sources and discusses the importance of this high intake for glycogen replenishment and enhanced athletic endurance.

Key Points

Visual Representation: 700g of carbs is a significant volume of food, equivalent to roughly 45 slices of bread, and is not a normal dietary intake.
Caloric Content: This high-carb intake provides 2,800 kcal from carbohydrates alone and requires deliberate food choices.
For Athletes Only: This level of carb consumption is primarily used by endurance athletes for carb-loading before a major event.
Mixed Sources: Achieving 700g is made easier by combining whole foods (pasta, rice) with concentrated carb sources (sports drinks, gels).
Strategic Timing: The timing and type of carbs (low-fiber) are critical for maximizing glycogen stores while minimizing digestive issues.
Performance Boost: The purpose is to maximize muscle glycogen, which serves as the primary fuel source for prolonged, high-intensity exercise.
Not for Sedentary Individuals: A 700g carb diet is inappropriate and could lead to weight gain for the average, less active person.

Visualizing 700g of Carbohydrates

Visualizing a 700-gram intake of carbohydrates can be difficult, as it is a significant amount of food. This quantity is not typical for the average person and is generally reserved for highly active individuals like endurance athletes who need to maximize their energy stores before a major competition. The total caloric intake from this amount of carbs alone is 2,800 kcal (since each gram of carbohydrate contains approximately 4 calories), so achieving this requires strategic and intentional eating throughout the day.

The Volume of Food

To put 700g of carbs into perspective, consider the following food equivalencies based on common carb sources:

White Bread: Approximately 45 slices of standard white bread.
Pasta: Around 1.5 kilograms (over 3 pounds) of cooked white pasta.
White Rice: Roughly 10 cups of cooked white rice.
Bananas: Over 20 medium-sized bananas.

Achieving this intake through whole foods alone can be challenging due to the sheer bulk. This is why athletes often rely on a combination of high-carb foods and concentrated carb sources like sports drinks, gels, and bars to meet their daily targets. The goal is to consume low-fiber options where possible to reduce bulk and potential gastric issues during competition.

Comparing Carb Sources

Not all carbohydrates are created equal, especially when aiming for a high intake like 700g. Endurance athletes often need to balance fast-acting and slow-releasing carbs. The following comparison table highlights the differences between common simple and complex carbohydrate sources for carb-loading.


Feature	Simple Carbohydrates (e.g., White Bread, Sports Drinks)	Complex Carbohydrates (e.g., Brown Rice, Oats)
Digestion Speed	Rapid; provides quick energy	Slower; provides sustained energy
Fiber Content	Low	High (though athletes may reduce this during final loading)
Nutrient Density	Lower in vitamins and minerals	Higher in vitamins, minerals, and fiber
Glycemic Index	Typically higher	Typically lower
Satiety	Less filling, easier to consume in large quantities	More filling, can lead to feeling bloated

A Day of 700g Carbs: Sample Meal Plan

Here is an example of what a day of eating could look like for an athlete aiming for 700g of carbohydrates, distributed across multiple meals and snacks to make it manageable. This plan prioritizes lower-fiber options closer to the event to minimize gastrointestinal distress.

Breakfast

50g Cornflakes with 200ml 1% milk.
2 medium bananas (carbohydrate: ~50-60g).
Large glass of orange juice (carbohydrate: ~40g).

Mid-Morning Snack

2 large raisin bagels with jam (carbohydrate: ~100-120g).
Energy sports drink (carbohydrate: ~60g).

Lunch

Large portion of chicken and white rice (approx. 2 cups cooked) with a low-fat sauce (carbohydrate: ~120g).
2 slices of white bread with honey (carbohydrate: ~40g).

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Dried fruit mix (100g) and a large banana (carbohydrate: ~90-100g).
Energy sports drink or concentrated carb gel (carbohydrate: ~60g).

Dinner

Large plate of pesto pasta (approx. 2 cups cooked) with sweet potato (carbohydrate: ~150g).
Garlic bread (carbohydrate: ~30g).
Rice pudding (200g) with jam (carbohydrate: ~50g).

The Strategic Rationale Behind High Carb Intake

For athletes, the logic behind a high carbohydrate intake, particularly a carb-loading strategy, is to supersaturate muscle glycogen stores. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, and it is the primary fuel source for high-intensity, prolonged exercise. When these stores are topped off, an athlete can sustain peak performance for longer without hitting the dreaded 'wall' that occurs when glycogen is depleted. This is why carb-loading is a crucial strategy for marathon runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes.

Furthermore, carbohydrate intake is vital for muscle recovery post-exercise. During intense training, muscle glycogen is used up. Replenishing these stores after a workout is critical for recovery and preparing for the next session. High-carb meals, like the ones outlined above, help to efficiently restock these energy reserves, ensuring the athlete is ready to perform again.

It is important to understand that a diet of 700g of carbohydrates is not suitable for everyone. It is a highly specialized approach used for a short period leading up to a specific, intense physical event. For the general population, a balanced diet is recommended, and such high levels of carbohydrate intake would likely lead to weight gain if not balanced with an extreme exercise regimen.

Conclusion

What does 700g of carbs look like? It looks like a substantial, full day of eating focused primarily on carbohydrate-rich foods, strategically designed for maximum glycogen storage. It's a volume of food that can be challenging to consume and is only appropriate for elite endurance athletes in a carb-loading phase. By combining whole food sources like rice and pasta with concentrated sports nutrition products, athletes can achieve this high intake to fuel their performance and prolong endurance. The key takeaway is that this is not a one-size-fits-all approach but a targeted, practiced strategy for specific athletic goals.

Visit the National Strength and Conditioning Association for more on carb-loading strategies.

The Role of Glycogen and Athletic Performance

Glycogen serves as the body's main reservoir of fuel for high-intensity, long-duration activities. Think of your muscles as fuel tanks; carb-loading is the process of filling those tanks to the brim. During exercise, your body breaks down glycogen into glucose, which is then used by your muscles for energy. By consuming 700g of carbohydrates, athletes ensure that they have a maximal supply of this fuel, delaying fatigue and maintaining a higher intensity for longer. Without adequate carbohydrate intake, an athlete's glycogen stores can become depleted, leading to a significant drop in performance. The strategic timing and type of carbohydrates consumed during the loading period are crucial to avoid gastrointestinal issues and ensure the energy is readily available when needed most.

Frequently Asked Questions

A 700g daily carbohydrate intake is a specialized strategy used almost exclusively by elite endurance athletes and bodybuilders in a carb-loading phase leading up to a competition. It is not a recommendation for the average person.

For a trained athlete preparing for an extreme endurance event, a short-term 700g carb intake can be a healthy and necessary strategy. However, for a sedentary individual, this amount would be excessive and unhealthy, leading to weight gain and potentially other health issues.

The primary purpose is to maximize the body's glycogen stores, which serve as the main fuel source for high-intensity, prolonged exercise. This allows athletes to sustain performance for longer and delay fatigue.

While theoretically possible, it would be extremely difficult due to the sheer bulk of the food. Most athletes combine nutrient-dense carbs like pasta and rice with easily digestible, concentrated carb sources like sports drinks and gels to meet the quota.

During a carb-loading phase, athletes typically gain 1-2kg of water weight because glycogen is stored alongside water in the muscles. This is expected and beneficial for performance, but if not paired with extreme exercise, it can lead to fat gain.

Yes, many athletes switch to lower-fiber, refined carbs like white rice and pasta closer to their event. This helps reduce the bulk of food and minimizes the risk of gastrointestinal issues that can be caused by excessive fiber intake.

Recommendations often suggest consuming 7-12g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day in the 1-3 days leading up to an event. For a 70kg athlete, 700g per day is a common target (10g/kg).