nd garbanzo beans
- Vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn, potato with skin
- Fruits, such as raspberries, pears, apples, and figs
- Nuts and seeds
Most processed and refined foods, enriched or not, are low in fiber.
Eating too many carbohydrates in the form of processed, starchy, or sugary foods can cause an increase in total calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Severely restricting carbohydrates can cause ketosis. This is when the body uses fat for energy because there are not enough carbohydrates from food for the body to use for energy.
It is best to get most of your carbohydrates from whole foods. In addition to calories, whole foods provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
By making smart food choices, you can get the full range of healthy carbohydrates and plenty of nutrients:
- Choose a variety of unprocessed foods. These include whole grains, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, canned or fresh beans and legumes, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products.
- Read labels on canned, packaged, and frozen foods to avoid added sugar, salt, and fat.
- Make half of your grain servings per day from whole grains.
- If you eat refined grains, make sure they are enriched.
- Choose whole fruits and 100% fruit juices with little to no added sugar. Make at least half of your daily fruit servings from whole fruits.
- Limit sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol. Limit added sugars to less than 10 percent of calories per day.
Here are recommended serving sizes for foods that are high in carbohydrates:
- Starchy vegetables: 1 cup (230 grams) mashed potato or sweet potato, 1 small ear of corn
- Fruits: 1 medium-size fruit (such as 1 medium apple or 1 medium orange), 1/2 cup (120 grams) of frozen or chopped fruit, or 3/4 cup (185 milliliters) of fruit juice
- Breads and cereals: 1 slice of whole-grain bread; 1 ounce (30 grams) or 2/3 cup (60 grams) of whole-grain cereal; 1/2 cup (100 grams) of cooked brown rice, pasta, or cereal; 1/2 cup (85 grams) of cooked dried beans, lentils, or dried peas
- Dairy: 1 cup (240 milliliters) of skim or low-fat milk or 8 ounces (225 grams) plain yogurt
The food guide plate recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, and one-third of your plate with grains, at least half of which are whole grains.
Here is a sample 2,000-calorie menu with healthy carbohydrate choices:
- 1 cup (60 grams) shredded wheat cereal, topped with 1 tbsp (10 g) raisins and one cup (240 milliliters) fat-free milk
- 1 small banana
- 1 hard-boiled egg
Smoked turkey sandwich, made with 2 ounces (55 grams) whole-wheat pita bread, 1/4 cup (12 grams) romaine lettuce, 2 slices tomato, 3 ounces (85 grams) sliced smoked turkey breast
- 1 teaspoon (tsp) or 5 milliliters (mL) mayonnaise-type salad dressing
- 1 tsp (2 g) yellow mustard
- 1 medium pear
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) tomato juice
- 5 ounces (140 grams) grilled top loin steak
- 3/4 cup (190 grams) mashed sweet potato
- 2 tsp (10 g) soft margarine
- 1 cup (30 grams) spinach salad
- 2 ounce (55 grams) whole-wheat dinner roll
- 1 tsp (5 g) soft margarine
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) fat-free milk
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup (225 grams) low-fat plain yogurt with strawberries on top
Starches; Simple sugars; Sugars; Complex carbohydrates; Diet - carbohydrates; Simple carbohydrates
Abumrad NA, Nassi F, Marcus A. Digestion and absorption of dietary fat, carbohydrate, and protein. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 102.
Baynes JW. Carbohydrates and lipids. In: Baynes JW, Dominiczak MH, eds. Medical Biochemistry. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 3.
Sacks DB. Carbohydrates. In: Burtis CA, Ashwood ER, Bruns DE, eds. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 26.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. Decem