Want to feel youthful? These are the healthiest carbs you should be eating!
You’ve probably heard it a million times: to stay happy, youthful, and thriving, you need to nourish your body with the right foods. After all, food is your body’s powerhouse, fueling you with energy and vitality. And when you feel good, you look good.
Even though your body needs healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein to function at its best, carbs often get a bad rap for contributing to heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain. But here’s the thing: there are simple carbs—like candy, white flour, pastries, syrups, table sugar, and anything else loaded with sugar—and then there are healthy, complex carbs, which are what we’ll be focusing on today.
Simple carbs may taste good and satisfy your sweet or salty cravings, but they lack fiber and essential nutrients, often leading to spikes in insulin and blood sugar levels. On the other hand, healthy carbs provide your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bioactive compounds it needs to thrive.
If you want to look and feel your best, keep reading to discover the healthiest carbs you should be eating. Not only are these carbs delicious, but they also support brain function and fuel your muscles—from blinking an eye to flexing your biceps. Hungry for more? Then keep reading:
1. Sweet potatoes
Nutritional values for 1 medium sweet potato:
Calories: 165
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 2 g
Carbs: 25 g
Sugar: 8 g
If you’re a sweet potato fan, you’ll be happy to hear that it’s one of the healthiest carbs you could eat. Loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, fiber, antioxidants, and potassium, this veggie is fantastic to eat all year round.
Whether you want to consume it at breakfast, with baby spinach, cheese, and eggs, or bowls for lunch, along with some lean protein, in a hearty soup, or even in desserts, your body will thrive thanks to this.
According to nutritionists, the slow-digesting carbs and fiber in sweet potatoes will keep your hunger levels in check for hours, so you can say goodbye to mindless snacking in between meals. Moreover, this can support weight management, so if you want to shed some pounds, don’t neglect this superfood!
Other than that, sweet potato provides your body with more than 100% of your daily vitamin A requirement in the form of beta-carotene, which has anti-cancer properties.
…If you don’t like eating sweet potatoes on their own, combine them with broccoli, flour, and egg, spices, and parmesan cheese, and make some delicious veggie balls. They’re packed with the healthiest carbs you could eat and are a fantastic way to add more veggies in! Try this recipe and let me know in the comments whether you liked it or not!
2. 100% whole grain bread
Nutritional values for one slice:
Calories: 110
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 3 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 6 g
Even though bread doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to nutrients, 100% whole grain bread is one of the healthiest carbs you could add to your diet. This variety is packed with nutrient-rich bran and endosperm, giving your body lots of minerals, dietary fiber, and vitamins.
It’s way better for you than refined white bread and its high fiber content supports your digestive health, which is always a plus, if you ask me. But the amazing benefits of this food don’t stop here. Whole grain consumption is also linked to a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, thanks to its role in improving cholesterol and stabilizing blood sugar levels. It’s not called one of the healthiest carbs for nothing.
A meta-analysis published in the BMJ found that consuming whole grains is linked to a lower risk of several health issues, including coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and mortality from all causes. This means fewer lives lost to respiratory issues, infections, diabetes, and other health challenges beyond heart disease and cancer.
…Eat your toast with Irish butter and smoked salmon, and you’ll have a delicious snack filled with lots of protein, good fats, and the healthiest carbs you need!
3. Whole wheat pearl couscous
Nutritional values for 1 cup of cooked couscous
Calories: 176
Fiber: 2 g
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 6 g
Sugar: 0 g
Have you ever eaten couscous? If the answer is no, this is your sign to start, because it’s one of the healthiest carbs you could ever consume. Not to mention, it tastes amazing with tuna, grilled chicken and veggies, fried eggs, and some cheese.
Traditionally made from durum wheat, couscous is an incredible source of selenium and plant-based protein. According to nutritionists, a half-cup cooked couscous contains roughly 90 calories and 1 gram of fiber and is packed with B vitamins and minerals.
To get the most nutrition and health benefits, experts recommend you choose whole wheat pearl couscous. The best part? Is amazing for your body and wallet at the same time!
4. Mangos
Nutritional values for 3/4 cup:
Calories: 70
Fiber: 2 g
Carbs: 19 g
Mango isn’t one of my favorite fruits, as I’m more of a berry kind of woman, but I love eating it with Greek yogurt and cinnamon. If mangoes aren’t part of your diet, you’d better reconsider your eating habits, because it’s one of the healthiest carbs you could be consuming.
Juicy, sweet, and overall delicious, mangoes are packed with over 20 minerals and vitamins. Just one cup of this orange fruit provides 100% of your daily vitamin C needs, helping your gums and teeth be healthy, strengthening your immune system, and helping your body produce collagen to maintain skin health.
But that’s not all. This incredible fruit can also help you with weight management, and according to research, people who include mango in their diets are overall healthier than those who don’t consume it regularly.
…What is your favorite fruit? Let me know in the comments below.
5. Oats
Nutritional values for 1 cup, cooked:
Calories: 150
Protein: 5 g
Carbs: 26 g
Sugar: 0 g
Fiber: 4 g
You probably expected this food to make it on the list, and you were right! Oats are indeed one of the healthiest carbs you could be eating! As nutritionists say, whole grain oats can be enjoyed at any time of day, in either a savory or sweet way.
Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps with weight management and satiety, is one of the oats’ super ingredients. According to a recent study, overweight people on a calorie-restricted diet who took an oat supplement lost more body fat overall and belly fat than those who didn’t. So, if you want to shed a few pounds, oats could be your ally!
If you’re still not convinced this is one of the healthiest carbs you could be consuming, here’s something that may change your mind. Besides decreasing your appetite, oats can also help your body get rid of oxidative stress, which can lead to a number of chronic illnesses.
…Do you like eating oatmeal with fruits and nut butter? If this sweet breakfast isn’t for you, combine your oats with pouched eggs, avocado, baby spinach, and Sriracha! It tastes amazing and is the perfect combination of complex carbs, protein, fiber, and healthy fats!
6. Berries
Nutritional values for 1 cup of berries:
Calories: 50-90
Fiber: 4-11 g
Protein: 1-2 g
Carbs: 11-21 g
If you’re a fan of berries, just like me, you’ll be happy to hear that these delicious tiny fruits are some of the healthiest carbs you could be consuming!
Berries are a tasty and nutrient-dense example of a healthy carbohydrate and are fabulous for giving your body all the antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins it needs. Moreover, they can easily satisfy your sweet tooth while helping your skin and hair look amazing.
Whether you consume berries plain, in yogurt, oatmeal, fruit salads, or smoothies, you’ll receive the perfect amount of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that help control your blood sugar levels. Unlike processed carbohydrates, berries’ fiber slows down digestion, preventing blood sugar rises and keeping you full for longer.
Besides being packed with vitamin C, which we already know is amazing for strengthening your immune system, berries also contain potent substances called anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory and heart-protective qualities.
Whether you like blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries, make sure you include them in your diet, because they’re some of the best superfoods you could be eating!
Until next time…
Do you know any other amazing foods that are great carbohydrate sources? Let us know in the comments below! We’re excited to hear your thoughts. There are so many other superfoods to explore, so if there’s a topic you’re curious about, leave a comment, and we’ll make sure to cover it sooner than you think!
If this article resonated with you and you’d love more health tips from Indulging Health, here’s a fantastic post you don’t want to miss: 6 Signs of Colon Cancer in Women
