4 High-Carb Foods That Are Actually Super Healthy

Although cutting carbs can be beneficial for some people, this certainly does not mean that all high-carb foods are “bad.” Here are 4 high-carb foods that are actually incredibly healthy.

1. Oats

Oats may be the healthiest whole grain food on the planet. Raw oats contain 66% carbs, and nearly 11% of that is fiber. They are particularly high in a powerful soluble fiber called beta-glucan which helps you feel full for longer.

They are also a great source of many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are even a relatively good source of protein, containing more than most other grains.

Many studies have shown that oats may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels, particularly LDL.

Eating oats may also lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, at least after meals.

2. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a nutritious tuber, and they are delicious.

Cooked sweet potatoes contain about 18–21% carbs. This carb content consists of starch, sugar and fiber. They are a rich source of potassium, vitamin A (from beta-carotene), vitamin C, and antioxidants.

I find it very interesting that until about 60 years ago in Okinawa, an island in Japan, 69% of an Okinawan’s caloric intake came from sweet potatoes alone. And they now have the greatest proportion of centenarians (people over 100 years old) in the world.

3. Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are a variety of the common bean and part of the legume family. Cooked kidney beans contain 22.8% carbs, in the form of starches and fiber. They are also high in protein which makes them quite filling.

They are rich in many vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, including beneficial antioxidants.

They are linked with numerous health benefits, but just make sure to never eat them raw, because raw or improperly cooked kidney beans can be toxic.

Unfortunately they are also high in short-chain carbohydrates known as FODMAPs. These can cause digestive stress if you eat too much at once, or in those who are intolerant.

4. Quinoa

This is a nutritious seed that has become incredibly popular in the natural health community. It's classified as a pseudocereal, so a seed that is prepared and eaten like a grain.

Although cooked quinoa is 21% carbs, it's still a good source of protein and fiber. This makes it quite filling and an excellent addition to an effective weight loss diet.

Quinoa is also rich in many minerals and plant compounds, and has been linked to several health benefits like improved blood sugar control. It doesn't contain any gluten either which makes it a popular alternative for those who don't tolerate gluten.

Now don't get me wrong, processed junk foods high in sugar and refined grains are definitely unhealthy and fattening. But as you can see, whole, fiber-rich foods that just so happen to be high in carbohydrates are some of the world's healthiest foods, period.

Follow Authority Nutrition:

Studies mentioned in video:

[junaidsharfi]

1.oats
2.sweet potatoes
3.kidney beans
4.quinoa

[Gapeachesable]

Finally! Was doing Keto and it really jacked up my health. Onslaught of allergies, outrageous flaking scalp, menstrual cycle disruption, elevated blood pressure, lightheaded ness - no thanks! I’m now weaning myself off Keto. The rapid weight loss is negated by all the other issues I’ve experienced that come along with it. Not even when fastening did I ever feel this way. I’ve done the Daniel Fast several times for 21 days eating no meat, cheese, milk, sweets and felt terrific and lost weight. My fasting diet consisted of several beans, potatoes (both sweet and white), oatmeal, raisins, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, whole grains - tons of things loaded with carbohydrates and I can say I’ve never had any adverse effects unlike Keto. I think every food has its place in our diet as humans, and can be consumed without harm to our health when done in moderation. Healthy carbs rock!

[westsidepufas]

Steamed/boiled starch (not fried) comes naturally in these forms:

1. Below ground storage organs: potato, yam, sweet potato, (sweet potatoes are not the same as yams) parsnip, celeriac, burdock, tapioca, sunchoke, jicama, rutabaga, water chestnut, taro, cassava and many others that are available around the world. Some tubers have more simple sugar than starch such as beets and turnips but those don’t provide sufficient calories.

2. Above ground storage organs, winter squashes: - butternut, acorn, Hubbard, banana, pumpkin, buttercup, turban. Summer squash are usually low in calories which makes sense, summer = fruit, winter = steamed/boiled starch to keep warm and be the carbohydrate source when fruit is not there, in the non-tropics.

3. Grains - rice, amaranth, barley, buckwheat, farro, emmer, kamut, millet, muesli, quinoa, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, triticale and many others, in their non-flour form. White rice is milled, but it's not milled into a flour.

Legumes like beans, lentils, peas, and some others have starch but they also have a high amount of protein so to call them a carbohydrate is a misnomer.

Flour products are not simply "starch." When people think of "starch" they think bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crusty pies, pastries, donuts, muffins, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, noodles, and crackers. There are three problems with calling those foods "starch." Firstly, all of those foods (besides pasta and noodles, which are just flour by themselves) are made with lots of fat, in the form of vegetable oils, margarine, or butter, so to call them just "starch" is a misnomer. People call pizza and ice cream "carbs" when in reality pizza and ice cream have more calories coming from fat than they do carbs. Not only does pizza have plenty of cheese on it, the dough is made with vegetable oil. A cannoli and ice cream have more calories coming from their cream/fat content than from their starch/sugar content. Same with chocolate, it has more fat than sugar. Secondly, besides being baked/cooked with oils, margarine, or butter, those foods are also almost always consumed with added fat as well because no one eats those flour products without any fat. People always add oils and cheese/butter to them. You are considered a weirdo if you eat such foods fat-free. So when one is eating those foods, they have to consider the calories/additives/effects from the fat portion of those foods.

Eating the three forms of starch with just a little seasoning or salt and no fat added to them is how traditional cultures and long lived people like the Okinawans consumed them. People in the western world blame these foods while ignoring all of the fat that people in the west eat them with. Everyone in the west is not fat because they are eating starch the traditional way. They are fat because they are eating starch with cheese, sour cream, butter and oil added to it.

[NoTrashInHeaven]

Also, the darker Quinoa is rich in Iron. Just be sure to include vitamin C source for absorption & not consume with caffeine (inhibits iron absorption ).

[sabbynim]

Authority Nutrition, could you make a video addressing high protein diets and the relation to exercising (body building and weight loss). How much protein should a regular person get, vs. someone who goes to the gym quite often (4-7 times per week), vs. professional athletes and body builders? What happens if you eat too much protein? What are some of the better protein sources to choose if one is trying to consume more protein?

[vellyjatt]

This is the best site i have encountred, I like your contents very much especially article on calorie in and calorie out, calorie is not calorie. Thanks .

[aliabdulkadir]

I enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing

[erzsebetnilsson]

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS VIDEO and SO TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS INFORMATION....
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO....!

[maritesmaceda]

Thanks for the information..now I eat oats and sweet potato in every meal

[CassieTranthesuperfitbabe]

Sweet potatoes are the best, especially Okinawan purple sweet potatoes and Japanese sweet potatoes!

[NotTooExtreme]

My best carbs and favorite gives me the most energy are pastas.

[vellyjatt]

Thanks alot, you have also covered every point like about kideney bean's fodmap and they will be heavy in digestion if someone has weak digestive power.

[jbirkh]

How much better are kidney beans compared to pinto beans? Thanks for another great video packed with info.

[Carolanne]

I eat quinoa oats sweet potato and beans all organic aswell as whole meal pasta and rice gluten free as I've been diagnosed with hireditry hemochromatosis iron overload so we can have carbs

[warrenviegas]

What is a good replacement for white rice? (beside brown rice?)

[wakbot]

Are sweet potatoes and yams mostly similar, or should they be considered nutritionally distinct?

[iWinRar]

I wish I liked sweet potatoes more but I usually use kidney beans in my chilli

[gladius]

If you have a virus oatmeal is a must to avoid due to it's high arginine to lysine ratio and and its carb content doesn't help in addition to which lots of people add fruit and/or honey which further increases the feed for virus.
But for those who don't have virus whatever or don't care have your way.
Almond milk, yeah I've tried to like it but it never tasted right, then I found out it's all made with 2% almonds. That's about 5 almonds per 8 oz serving. The rest is thickeners but if you don't mind that, have it. I'd rather cook my occassional steel cut oats with water with a few crushed almonds thrown in; it's more real than almond milk that way

[NotTooExtreme]

Can be healthy? It is the most healthiest diet for me.

[rajashahja]

voted down for misinformation on Okinawan sweet potatoes