- Healthy carbohydrate meals should contain whole-grain varieties of bread and pasta rather than those made with white flour. Whole-grain products contain bran and fiber which aid in digestion and may help prevent serious health issues such as heart attacks, heart disease or type 2 diabetes. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a Nurses' Health Study suggested that women who consumed two to three servings of whole-grain foods reduced their risk of heart attack or heart disease by 30 percent when compared to women who consumed less than one serving of whole grains each week.
- Root vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates. These include sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, beets and squash. Vegetables are a healthy addition to any meal, and these high-carb vegetables can be used in place of bread or pasta or served alongside whole-grain foods. Green leafy vegetables should also be included in a healthy high-carbohydrate meal as they are good sources of dietary fiber and other important vitamins and nutrients.
- Fruits provide carbohydrates in the form of fructose. Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar responsible for the sweet taste of fruit. Eating fruits as part of a healthy meal is preferable to drinking fruit juice, as the whole fruit contains fiber.
- Dietary fiber is a nondigestible type of carbohydrate. Fiber aids in digestion and can prevent constipation. According to the USDA, 14 g of fiber are recommended for every 1,000 calories consumed. That would mean an adult requiring 2,500 calories should try to consume 35 g of fiber each day. Fiber can be found in whole-grain breads and pastas as well as fruits and vegetables.
- A simple healthy high-carbohydrate meal can be enjoyed by preparing whole-wheat pasta according to the package directions. Top the pasta with canned marinara sauce and serve with a fresh salad and sliced fresh or canned fruit. The pasta, salad vegetables and fruit are all healthy sources of carbohydrates.
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