Reap all the benefits of these energizing, nutritious foods.
With the widespread popularity of diets like theketoand Atkins diets, carbs have gotten an unwarranted bad reputation.
As a registered dietitian, I personally love carbs and willnever be giving up my beloved pastaor bread.
Carbs are thefuel our brains prefer, and they help give us energy throughout the day.
All this is to say, there are several super-healthy carb-rich foods that deserve a spot on your plate.
Here are the six healthiest carbs you should be eating.
Pictured Recipe:Purple Fruit Salad
1.
Whole Grains
While the idea of whole grains might seem complicated, they are actually quite simple.
Whole grains are definitely worth a spot on your plate for several reasons.
Plus, the protein, fiber and healthy fats help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Fruit
Fruits can sometimes give people pause because of their sugar content.
Plus, choosing naturally occurring sugars like those found in fruit will likely help you eat less sugar overall.
Nonstarchy Vegetables
When it comes to vegetables, we like to think the more the merrier.
Beyond being delicious and versatile,vegetables have an impressive array of health benefits.
Their fiber content can help improve blood sugar control, stabilize weight and lower diabetes risk.
Starchy Vegetables
Let’s start by clearing something up: potatoes are vegetables.
Corn is a vegetable.
Legumes
Here atEatingWell, we love legumes.
Beans, chickpeas and lentils are all part of the versatile legume family.
They are budget-friendly, shelf-stable, eco-friendly, easy to cook and packed with impressive nutrition.
Legumes contain carbs that help give us energy, but they are so much more than just that.
They are a vegan- and vegetarian-friendly protein source for those trying to follow aplant-based diet.
Dairy
With so many dairy alternatives on the shelves, it can be hard to know what is healthy.
But, unless you are lactose-sensitive or -intolerant, you don’t need to worry about consuming dairy.
In fact,dairy is packed with some impressive nutrition compared to other types of milk alternatives.
It’s a great source of calcium, vitamin B12, potassium and protein.
Lactose is responsible for the naturally occurring carbs and sugar in milk and milk products.
Plus,dairyis important for building and maintaining strong bones, muscles and more.
But there are plenty of foods that have energizing carbs and boast impressive health benefits, too.
From whole grains to legumes, produce and dairy, these carb-rich foods deserve a spot on your plate.
For more, check out these healthycarbs that can help you lose weightorcontrol your diabetes.
