Which High-Carb Foods Should You Eat?

The body uses carbohydrates (carbs) for energy. They are an essential part of a healthy diet. Simple carbs (simple sugars), like highly refined grains, are easily broken down and cause a quick rise in blood sugar. Complex carbs (starches), like whole grains, break down more slowly, resulting in a more gradual rise in blood sugar.

This article will discuss why carbs matter, high-carb foods that are more beneficial, and high-carb foods to eat sparingly. It will also explore whether you can gain weight by eating carbs and how and why to track carb intake.

Why Do Carbs in Food Matter?

All carbs provide energy, but the types of carbs you choose can make a difference to your health.

Carbs can be categorized into two main types:

• Simple carbs (sugars): Digested quickly and send an immediate surge of glucose into the bloodstream
• Complex carbs (starches): Digested more slowly and release glucose into the bloodstream more gradually

Simple carbs may be added sugars or naturally occurring sugars. Many types of added sugars are empty calories, meaning they provide energy but don't provide vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Naturally occurring sugars still raise blood sugar quickly but also provide healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Complex carbs also have healthier and less healthy options. Unrefined whole grains are rich in fiber and contain many beneficial nutrients. Refined grains are processed, which removes many of these nutrients and fiber.

Fiber has many health benefits, including helping you feel fuller for longer, helping with digestive health, and potentially helping with controlling cholesterol.

High-Carb Foods That Are Better for You

Look for carbs that are unprocessed or minimally processed, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins, minerals, and other important phytonutrients (bioactive compounds from plants that provide health benefits).

High-carb foods to choose more often include:

• Fruits (especially those with edible skin like apples or edible seeds like berries)
• Vegetables (such as carrots and sweet potatoes)
• Beans and legumes (like kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, white beans, and lentils)
  
• Whole-grain/bran cereals
• Whole-grain bread
• Whole-grain pasta
• Whole-grain/brown rice
• Skim milk
• Unsweetened yogurt
• Oats
• Popcorn
  
• Rye
• Barley
• Quinoa

High-Carb Foods to Eat Sparingly

Carbs that cause blood sugar to rise quickly, are low in nutrients like vitamins, or are highly processed should be eaten less often.

High-carb foods to eat sparingly include:

• Soda and sugar-sweetened beverages
• Honey
• Syrups
• Molasses
• Sugar (white and brown)
• Candy
• White pasta
• White rice
  
• Refined breakfast cereal
• Couscous
• French fries
• Sweetened yogurt
• Sweetened nut butters
• Pastries

Can You Put on Weight by Eating High-Carb Foods?

Carbs are often thought of as contributing to weight gain, but all carbs contain fewer than half the calories found in an equivalent amount of fat.

Less nutrient-dense sources of carbs, such as highly processed foods, sodas, etc., which contain easily digested carbs, can contribute to weight gain, interfere with intentional weight loss, and are linked to health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

The weight gain that can come with carbs may be related to the tendency for calories from high-sugar foods to add up quickly.

Athletes who perform frequent strenuous activity may require a higher carb intake to provide energy and replenish muscle glycogen stores. Glycogen is a form of stored sugar that can be released quickly to power muscles.

Some studies have found higher carb intake does not improve performance in strength training, such as bodybuilding. More research is needed to explore the role carbs play in athletic training.

Tracking Carb Intake

The Nutrition Facts on food labels can help you to determine the amount of carbs in your food. Look for:

• Total carbohydrate: Listed in grams, this number is a combination of dietary fibers, sugars, and other carbs.
• Dietary fiber: Fiber has no calories in itself, and has many health benefits.
• Sugars: The label may make the distinction between natural sugars (found in foods like fruit and dairy products) and added sugars (common in snack foods, soda, and candy). Added sugars may be listed on the ingredients label as sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, molasses, honey, or other sweeteners.
  

Which carbs you eat matter as much, or more, than the total amount of carbs.

The glycemic index and glycemic load are tools you can use to help you choose which carbs to eat and which to avoid.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index ranges from 0 to 100 based on how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar levels when you eat them. Low glycemic index foods raise blood sugar more gradually, while high glycemic index foods cause substantial blood sugar fluctuations, as follows:

• 55 or less: Low glycemic index rating
• 56 to 69: Medium glycemic index rating
• 70 to 100: High glycemic index rating
  

Factors that can affect a food's glycemic index rating include:

• Physical form: Finely ground grain is digested more quickly than coarsely ground grain.
• Processing: Milled and refined grains have a higher glycemic index than whole grains that are minimally processed.
• Fiber content: Foods that are high in fiber are digested more slowly and cause a lower and more gradual rise in blood sugar.
• Fat content and acid content: Foods or meals with fat or acid are converted into sugar more slowly.
• Ripeness: Ripe fruits and vegetables typically have a higher glycemic index than ones that are unripened.
  

Glycemic Load

The glycemic load takes into account the amount of carbohydrates in the food in relation to how it impacts blood sugar levels. It is calculated by multiplying the food's glycemic index by the amount of carbohydrates it contains, as follows:

• 10 or under: Low glycemic load
• 11 to 19: Medium glycemic load
• 20 or higher: High glycemic load
  

Carbohydrate Amounts in Certain Foods

The University of Michigan has compiled a list of serving sizes and corresponding amount of carbs in several dozen foods.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists dozens of foods and their serving sizes that are 15 grams of carbs.

Summary

Carbohydrates might be simple carbs (easily digested and cause blood sugar to rise quickly) or complex carbs (slower to digest and cause blood sugar to rise more gradually).

Look for carbs that are minimally processed, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, because they also contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances important for your health.

Carbs that are highly processed or cause blood sugar to rise quickly, such as soda, white breads and pasta, and pastries, should be eaten less often. Carbs that are digested quickly may contribute to weight gain.

Carbs can be tracked by looking at nutrition labels for the amount of carbs in the food. They can also be monitored by how they affect blood sugar using the glycemic index and the glycemic load.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Carbohydrates.
5. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Carbohydrates and blood sugar.
6. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. What are “healthy carbs?” Choosing healthier foods.
7. National Health Service. Starchy foods and carbohydrates.
8. Kanter M. High-quality carbohydrates and physical performance: expert panel report. Nutr Today. 2018;53(1):35-39. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000238
9. Henselmans M, Bjørnsen T, Hedderman R, Vårvik FT. The effect of carbohydrate intake on strength and resistance training performance: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2022;14(4):856. doi:10.3390/nu14040856

By Heather Jones
Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism.

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