List of good carbs
Good carbs are those carbohydrates that...
- Are nutrient-rich
- Are high in fiber
- Don't spike blood sugar, but release energy slowly
Use this list of good carbohydrates to make your next shopping list...
Vegetables
These vegetables should be the basis of your good carbs diet. They have a low glycemic index and are nutrient and fiber rich.
- Lettuce, spinach, and other greens Use in salads.
- Bell pepper Get the ripened yellow, orange, and red kinds, slice thinly to make "pepper fries" for snacking.
- Tomatoes Wedges or diced in salads, diced to put on meats.
- Squash and zucchini Diced small for salads, or slice thinly and roast as a side vegetable.
- Fennel Thinly sliced to make a simple side salad.
- Green onions Garnish meat and egg dishes.
- Onions Sliced or diced for salads, sauteed as a side dish.
- Carrots Baby carrots raw for snacking, other carrots for steaming or blanching as a side dish.
- Parsley Garnish meat and egg dishes.
- Cilantro Garnish meat and egg dishes for a Mexican flavor.
- Avocado Creamy and smooth, try using this to replace butter if you are dairy-free.
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Broccoli If you don't like broccoli, try cutting it into small pieces and adding just a couple to a salad or dish.
- Cauliflower Same as broccoli.
- Celery If you like it raw, eat it raw. Otherwise, include it in stews and soups.
- Cucumber Make a salad.
- Eggplant Use as a substitute for lasagne noodles in Italian recipes.
- Mushrooms Use as a substitute for lasagne noodles in Italian recipes. Or make a salad.
- Parsnip
- Radish Use in salads.
- Swiss chard
- Turnips
- Watercress
Berries, fruits, and melons
Use this list for good carbs deserts and snacks.
- Strawberries Smell to make sure they have a good, deep strawberry odor.
- Blueberries Wild are best.
- Blackberries If you can't pick them yourself, you'll have to guess if they are good.
- Raspberries If you can't pick them yourself, you'll have to guess if they are good.
- Kiwi Gently squeeze to make sure they are firm without being hard.
- Cantaloupe Gently squeeze to make sure they are firm without being hard.
- Watermelon I find cold watermelon as refreshing on a summer day as ice cream.
- Other melons There are many different varieties of melons with their unique differences. Try different ones.
- Peaches Smell them. If they don't have a great peach odor, they will never taste like a great peach.
- Apples Try different varieties for interest. My favorite: Ambrosia!
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Mangos
- Oranges
- Pears Try different varieties for interest.
- Plums
- Peaches Make sure to smell. If it doesn't smell like a peach, it won't taste like a peach.
- Nectarines A bald peach. Should smell like a peach.
Also, see what's locally available and try any new fruit or vegtable.
Starchy vegetables
If you are dieting to lose weight, eat these in moderation or avoid totally...
- Potatoes and potato products
- Sweet potatoes
- Tapioca
If you eat grains...
Make sure to buy whole, unprocessed grains. Include lots of different grains rather than eating only wheat. Eat using traditional slow-cooking techniques.
- Barley
- Corn
- Millet
- Oats
- Rice
- Rye
- Sorghum
- Wheat
- Wild rice
If you are on a grain-free or gluten-free diet, avoid.
If you eat legumes...
Be sure to use long soak times and cook completely through to minimize lectins. Undercooked beans have actually been found to cause food poisoning.
Use as only a part of a complete dish rather than making them the focus of a dish.
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Peanuts and peanut butter
- Snowpeas
- Sugar snap peas
Compare this good carbs list to the bad carbs list.
