Read the Carbohydrate Concentration

Different bottles list carbohydrate in different serving volumes. The grams alone do not show concentration. The volume alone does not show the amount consumed.

Use the published calculation

USADA’s 2026 guide gives this formula: grams of carbohydrate divided by milliliters of serving, multiplied by 100. Its worked example is 25 g in 340 ml, which equals 7.4%.

Compare the prepared drink

For a powder or concentrate, use the manufacturer’s prepared serving volume. Changing the water amount changes the concentration, so an unprepared scoop is not a comparable finished drink.

Keep the conclusion narrow

The result describes carbohydrate concentration. It does not establish that a product will improve an individual’s performance, comfort, or health.

The detail that changes the plan

The formula is useful because two products can place the same number of grams in very different volumes. A reader who sees only the grams may mistake a smaller serving for a lower concentration, or a large bottle for a stronger drink. Writing both values into the same calculation keeps the comparison honest.

For powders and concentrates, the final drink is the relevant object. Use the manufacturer’s stated amount of water before calculating. A scoop in a tub is not a beverage, and a custom mix with less or more water is a different concentration from the one on the label.

Put it to work

Use the prepared drink’s carbohydrate grams and prepared serving volume in the same calculation. This puts unlike package sizes on a comparable basis without making a claim about what any individual should drink.

Before you decide

• Carbohydrate grams for the stated serving
• Prepared volume in milliliters
• Manufacturer’s mixing direction for powder or concentrate
• A calculation kept separate from a personal performance claim