Top 10 Foods Highest in Carbohydrates (To Limit or Avoid)
Carbohydrates are found in almost all living things and play a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system, fertilization, blood clotting, and human development. A deficiency of carbohydrates can lead to impaired functioning of all these systems, however, in the Western world, deficiency is rare. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can lead to obesity, type II diabetes, and cancer. Unhealthy high carbohydrate foods include sugary cereals, crackers, cakes, flours, jams, preserves, bread products, refined potato products, and sugary drinks. Healthy high carbohydrate foods include vegetables, legumes (beans), whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt.
Below is a list of foods highest in carbohydrates, for more see the extended list of carb rich foods to avoid. For more healthy high carbohydrate choices see the list of healthy high carb foods.
#1: Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners (Granulated Sugar)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per teaspoon (4g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 100g |
4g |
100% |
Other Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners High in Carbohydrate (Grams per teaspoon): Fructose (4g), Aspartame (3.6g), Honey (3.3g), Powdered Sugar (3g), Brown Sugar (2.9g), and Maple Syrup (2.7g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#2: Candies (Jelly Gumdrops)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per 10 candies (36g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 98.9g |
35.6g |
99% |
Other Candies High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 10 candies): Almond Nougat (129g), Chocolate Tootsie Rolls (61g), Hard Candies (59g), Low Calorie Gum Drops (44g), Butterscotch (43.5g), Low Calorie Candies (30g), Chewing Gum (29g), Jellybeans (26.2g), Sugarless Chewing Gum (19g), and Skittles (10g).
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#3: Cereals (Frosted Rice Crispies)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
In a 3/4 cup (30g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 91.3g |
27.4g |
91% |
Other Cereals High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 3/4 cup (NLEA Serving)): Crispy Rice (28.5g), Cocoa Crispies (27.2g), Corn Pops (26.9g), Frosted Flakes (26.8g), Reduced-Sugar Frosted Flakes (26.3g), Honey Crunch Corn Flakes (26.1g), Marshmallow Froot Loops & Cocoa Dyno-Bites (25.9g), Apple Jacks with Marshmallow (25.1g), Golden Crisp & Fruity Dyno-Bites (24.3g), Golden Puffs (24.2g), Honey Smacks (23.9g), Bran Flakes (23.8g), and Fruit & Nut Muesli (23.3g).
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#4: Snacks (Fat-Free Potato Chips)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per ounce (28g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 83.8g |
23.5g |
84% |
Other Snacks High in Carbohydrate (Grams per ounce): Fat-Free Caramel Popcorn (25.2g), Pretzels (22.8g), Rice Cakes (white rice) (22.7g), KELLOGS Rice Krispies Squares (22.5), Granola Bars (with added sugar) (22.2g), Breakfast Bars (20.4), Low Fat Cheese Puffs (20.3), and Flavoured Tortilla Chips (17.7g).
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#5: Cookies & Cakes (Fortune Cookes)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cookie (8g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 84g |
6.7g |
84% |
Other Cookies & Cakes High in Carbohydrate (Grams per ounce): Fudge Cake Cookies (21.9g), Gingerbread Men & Plain or Low-Fat Graham Crackers (21.8g), Gingersnaps (21.5g), Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookies & Animal Crackers (21g), Butter Cookies (20.8g), Vanilla Cream Sandwich (20.7g), and Low-Fat Vanilla Wafers (20.6g). (Grams per piece or slice): Coffee Cake (29.6g), Fruit Cake (26.5g), Sponge Cake (23.2g), Low-Fat Cake Snacks (19.6g), and Fat-Free Devil's Food Cake (11.9g).
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#6: Refined Flours (White, All-Purpose Flour)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (125g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 76.3g |
95.4g |
76% |
Other Types of Flour High in Carbohydrate (Grams per cup): Potato Flour (133g), White Rice Flour (126.6g), Refined Sorghum Flour (123.7g), White Bread Flour (99.4), White Self-Raising Flour (92.8g), and Light Rye Flour (78.2g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#7: Jams & Preserves
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per tablespoon (20g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 68.9g |
13.8g |
69% |
Other Jams & Preserves High in Carbohydrate (Grams per tablespoon): Marmalade (13.3g), Apricot Jam (12.9g), and Dietetic Jam (7.5g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#8: Bread, Toast, Bagels, Pizza (Cinnamon-Raisin Bagel, toasted)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per bagel (99g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 59.3g |
58.7g |
59% |
Other Breads High in Carbohydrate (Grams per slice/piece): French Bread (72.1g), Naan Bread 45.4g, Deep Dish Pizza (39.5g), Pan-Dulce (Sweet Bread) (35.5g), Pita Bread (33.4g), Thin-Crust Pizza (27g), English Muffin (26.2g), Raisin Bread (16.5g), Flour Tortilla (15.4g), and White Bread (14.3g).
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#9: Potatoes (Hash Browns)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (156g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 35.1g |
54.8g |
35% |
Other Potato Products High in Carbohydrate (Grams per serving): Mashed Potato (35.3g), Instant Mashed Potato (33.9), Candied Sweet Potato (33.7g), 10 French Fries (21.2g), 1 Medium Potato Pancake (10.3g).
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#10: Sugary Drinks (Cola)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per can 12 fl ounces (368g) |
Percent Carbohydrate |
| 10.6g |
38.9g |
11% |
Other Drinks and Fruits Juices High in Carbohydrates (Grams per cup, 8-12oz): Strawberry Milkshake (53.3g), Guava Nectar (40.8g), NAKED Blue Machine Fruit Smoothie (40g), Fruit Flavoured Drink (38.2g), Grape Juice (37.4g), Passion Fruit Juice (35.7g), Orange Breakfast Drink (33.4g), Green Goodness Smoothie (32.8g), Pomegranate Juice (32.7g), and Pineapple Juice (32.2g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.
Top 10 Healthy High Carb Foods
Carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet, however, some popular diets have unfortunately given 'carbs' a bad reputation and even lead to a 'fear' of carbohydrate foods in recent years. A balanced diet should always include the three major food groups (carbohydrates,
proteins, and
fats). Carbohydrate rich foods are the body's main source of energy, giving you the fuel you need to carry out your daily activities. The brain also runs on carbohydrates, so this includes mental, as well as physical, energy. Healthy carbohydrate food sources like whole grains and vegetables are also a key dietary source of
fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Choosing the right type of carbohydrates is important; the ones that should be avoided are the refined carbs, including white bread, white rice, white flour products and anything with added sugar. The following is a list of the top 10 healthy sources of carbohydrates to include in your diet.
Click here for a list of
high carb foods to avoid.
#1: Wholegrains (Pearled Barley, cooked)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (157g) |
Per 1/2 cup (79g) |
| 28.2g |
44.3g |
22.2g |
Other Wholegrains High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Spelt (51.3g), Kamut (47.5g), Brown Rice (45.8g), Wholewheat Pasta (37.2g), Couscous (36.5g), Wild Rice (35g), Buckwheat Groats (33.5g), and Bulgur (33.8g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#2: Alternative Grains (Millet, cooked)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (174g) |
Per 1/2 cup (87g) |
| 23.7g |
41.2g |
20.6g |
Other Alternative Grains High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Teff (50g), Amaranth (46g), and Quinoa (39.4g).
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#3: Beans (Pinto Beans, cooked)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (171g) |
Per tablespoon (11g) |
| 26.2g |
44.8g |
2.9g |
Other Beans High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Adzuki Beans (57g), Navy Beans (47.4g), Pink Beans (47.2g), Black Turtle Beans (45g), White Beans (44.9g), Yellow Beans (44.7g), Cranberry (Roman) Beans (43.3g), and Kidney Beans (40.4g).
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#4: Lentils (cooked)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (198g) |
Per tablespoon (12g) |
| 20.1g |
39.9g |
2.4g |
Other Pulses High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) (27.4g), and Split Peas (41.4g).
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#5: Vegetables (Sweet Potatoes, cooked)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (200g) |
Average Potato (114g) |
| 20.7g |
41.4g |
23.6g |
Other Vegetables High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Sweet Corn (31.3g), Parsnips (26.6g), Peas (25g), Succotash (24.4g), Butternut Squash (21.5g), Beets (17g), Rutabagas (Swede) (16.4g), Tomatoes (13.2), and Carrots (12.8g).
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#6: Fruit (Bananas)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup, sliced (150g) |
Per banana (118g) |
| 22.8g |
34.3g |
27g |
Other Fruit High in Carbohydrate (grams per piece or cup): Pomegranate (52.7g), Mango (50.3g), Grapes (27.3g), Pears (27.1g), Apples (25.1g), Cherries (22.1g), Blueberries (21.4g), Figs (12.3g), and Kiwi Fruit (10.1g).
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#7: Nuts and Seeds (Pumpkin Seeds)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (64g) |
Per ounce (28g) |
| 53.8g |
34.4g |
15.1g |
Other Nuts and Seeds High in Carbohydrate (grams per ounce): Chestnuts (12.8g), Chia Seeds (11.8g), Cashew Nuts (9.2g), Pistachios (8.2g), Flaxseeds (8.1g), Sesame Seeds (7.2g), Sunflower Seeds (6.7g), and Almonds (6g).
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#8: Low Fat Dairy (Low Fat Cream Cheese)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (240g) |
Per tablespoon (15g) |
| 8.1g |
19.5g |
1.2g |
Other Low Fat Dairy Products High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup): Low Fat Plain Yoghurt (17.2g), Skimmed Milk (12.2g), Semi-skimmed Milk (11.8g), Whole Milk (11.7g), Whole Milk Plain Yoghurt (11.4g), Cottage Cheese (10.8g), Low-Fat Mozzarella (8.4g), and Swiss Cheese (7.1g).
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#9: Healthy Carb-Rich Snacks (Brown Rice Cakes, with Sesame Seeds)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per ounce (28g) |
Per 2 cakes (18g) |
| 81.5g |
22.8g |
14.7g |
Other Carb-Rich Snacks High in Carbohydrate (grams per ounce): Rye Crackers (23g), Wholewheat Pretzels (22.8g), Corn Tortilla Chips (18.3g), Sweet Potato Chips (15.9g), Trail Mix (12.6g), Raw Food or Granola Bars (no refined sugar) (9.9g), Falafel (8.9g), and Mixed Nuts (7.1g).
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#10: Dried Fruit (Raisins)
| Carbohydrate 100g |
Per cup (165g) |
Per ounce (28g) |
| 79.2g |
130.6g |
22.2g |
Other Dried Fruit High in Carbohydrate (grams per ounce): Dates (21g), Currants (20.7g), Dried Pears (19.5g), Dried Apples (18.5g), Prunes and Dried Figs (17.9g), Dried Apricots (17.5g), and Dried Peaches (17.1g). Click to see complete nutrition facts. *Dried Fruit is high in natural fruit sugars, so should be eaten in moderation. A small handful is a sensible portion size.
Grains Low in Net Carbs
Grains are a good source of fiber, carbohydrates, and energy for our bodies. Net carbs are equal to total carbohydrates minus the amount of fiber. The theory being that we do not digest the carbohydrates trapped in fiber.
In this article, both the amount of net carbohydrates and fiber are listed. If you add the two numbers together, you get the total amount of carbohydrates.
Grains low in net carbs include oatmeal, cornmeal, bulgur, amaranth, teff, buckwheat, and quinoa. Eating foods low in net carbs ensures you will digest the carbohydrates more slowly while feeling full longer. Below are 21 grains low in net carbs.
#1: Oatmeal (Oats) (Cooked)
Up to 10.3% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (234g) |
1 tbsp (15g) |
| 10.3g (1.7g fiber) |
24.1g (4g fiber) |
1.8g (0.3g fiber) |
How to Cook Oatmeal.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#2: Cornmeal (Grits) (Cooked)
Up to 13.2% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (233g) |
| 13.2g (0.7g fiber) |
30.7g (1.6g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#3: Bulgur (Cracked Whole Wheat) (Cooked)
Up to 14.1% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (182g) |
1 tbsp (8g) |
| 14.1g (4.5g fiber) |
25.6g (8.2g fiber) |
1.2g (0.4g fiber) |
Bulgur and Tomato Recipe.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#4: Amaranth Grain (Cooked)
Up to 16.6% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (246g) |
| 16.6g (2.1g fiber) |
40.8g (5.2g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#5: Teff (Cooked)
Up to 17.1% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (252g) |
| 17.1g (2.8g fiber) |
43g (7.1g fiber) |
How to Cook Teff.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#6: Buckwheat (Roasted Groats) (Cooked)
Up to 17.2% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (168g) |
| 17.2g (2.7g fiber) |
29g (4.5g fiber) |
How to Cook Buckwheat.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#7: Quinoa (Cooked)
Up to 18.5% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (185g) |
| 18.5g (2.8g fiber) |
34.2g (5.2g fiber) |
How to Cook Quinoa.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#8: Wild Rice (Cooked)
Up to 19.5% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (164g) |
| 19.5g (1.8g fiber) |
32g (3g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#9: Glutinous (Sticky) Rice
Up to 20.1% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (174g) |
| 20.1g (1g fiber) |
35g (1.7g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#10: Soba Noodles
Up to 21.4% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (114g) |
| 21.4g (0g fiber) |
24.4g (0g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#11: Brown Rice (Medium Grain)
Up to 21.7% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (195g) |
| 21.7g (1.8g fiber) |
42.3g (3.5g fiber) |
How to Cook Brown Rice.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#12: Couscous cooked
Up to 21.8% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup, cooked (157g) |
| 21.8g (1.4g fiber) |
34.3g (2.2g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#13: Egg Spinach Noodles
Up to 22% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (160g) |
| 22g (2.3g fiber) |
35.1g (3.7g fiber) |
Egg is an important component, since it reduces the total number of carbs.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#14: Millet (Cooked)
Up to 22.4% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (174g) |
| 22.4g (1.3g fiber) |
38.9g (2.3g fiber) |
How to Cook MilletClick to see complete nutrition facts.
#15: Spelt (Cooked)
Up to 22.5% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (194g) |
| 22.5g (3.9g fiber) |
43.7g (7.6g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#16: Rice Noodles (Cooked)
Up to 23% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (176g) |
| 23g (1g fiber) |
40.5g (1.8g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#17: Gluten Free Corn Pasta
Up to 23.1% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (140g) |
| 23.1g (4.8g fiber) |
32.4g (6.7g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#18: Kamut (Khorasan Wheat) (Cooked)
Up to 23.3% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (172g) |
| 23.3g (4.3g fiber) |
40.1g (7.4g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#19: Egg Noodles (Cooked)
Up to 24% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (160g) |
| 24g (1.2g fiber) |
38.3g (1.9g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#20: Pearled Barley (Cooked)
Up to 24.4% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup (157g) |
| 24.4g (3.8g fiber) |
38.3g (6g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
#21: Whole Wheat Pasta (Cooked)
Up to 26.2% Net-Carbs
| Net-Carbs in 100g |
1 cup elbows (117g) |
1 cup penne (97g) |
| 26.2g (3.9g fiber) |
30.6g (4.6g fiber) |
25.4g (3.8g fiber) |
Click to see complete nutrition facts.
