Super Healthy High Carb Foods

As a diabetic, I need to watch my carbs, but there are times when I disregard the cards over the health benefits. Now eating a Snickers bar over a banana is not what I am talking about, the banana has a lot of great nutrient value, but the Snickers does not. But I want to go through a few foods that may be high in carbs but also have a lot of nutritional properties.

Quinoa is a great pick, is also very filling since it is relatively high in fiber and protein. Cooked quinoa is 21% carbs, making it high carb. It is also a good source of protein and fiber. Quinoa is rich in many minerals and plant compounds. It has health benefits including improved blood sugar control. It does not contain any gluten, making it a popular alternative to wheat.

Oats are the next best food, they are a good source of protein, containing more than most grains. Oats may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels, along with a great source of many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Raw oats contain 66% carbs, nearly 11% of which is fiber. Eating oats may also lower blood sugar levels, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. I have found that steel cut oats in my oatmeal is much less of a carb hit as regular rolled oats, they do take longer to cook.

Sweet potatoes, without all the brown sugar and butter, are a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. I mix sweet potatoes, onions and kale in a stir fry and put a poached egg on top. The sweet potato is a great sweetener to the kale. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants and may help reduce oxidative damage.

Bananas are the most portable food you can find, and it has so many uses. Bananas are made up of about 23% carbs. Unripe, green bananas are higher in starches, which transform into natural sugars as the bananas ripen, turning yellow in the process. These great fruits are high in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, they also contain several beneficial plant compounds. Due to their potassium content, bananas may help lower blood pressure and improve heart health.

Blueberries are my next pick, I put them in my oatmeal. They are frequently marketed as a super food due to their high amounts of plant compounds and antioxidants. Blueberries also contain high amounts of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. They can help safeguard your body from oxidative damage. Blueberry may also improve memory in older adults.

Here is one that many people hate, but my mother had beets all the time, so I learned to like them. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, potent antioxidants, and plant compounds. Beets are also high in inorganic nitrates, which transform into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide lowers blood pressure and may decrease the risk of several diseases.

My last one is the one that keeps the Doctors away. Apples boast many vitamins and minerals, but usually only in small amounts. However, they are a decent source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and healthy plant compounds. Eating apples may benefit health in several ways, such as improving blood sugar control and reducing the risk of heart disease. Apples may also decrease the risk of some types of cancer.

As you can see there are some high carb foods that may be worth the carb spike, I eat all of these foods and if I watch the quantities and don’t mix them with other high carb foods, you won’t have much issue with the blood sugar spikes. My oatmeal and blue berries will push my glucose to 195, but I think the trade off of the benefits are worth it.