If you’re one of the few who have realized that carbs are not the enemy and are essential for muscle growth, brain function and yes, even fat loss, and are sick and tired of having the same old brown rice, pasta and bread as your go to carb sources, I’ve got a gift for you.
Here are 5 healthy carbs that will add some variety into your diet!
Couscous
Couscous is extremely common in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is derived from coarsely ground semolina and is usually boiled or steamed in the same way as rice or pasta and can also be used as a replacement for both. It is of a similar consistency to quinoa and as such, can also be used in salads.
1 cup of cooked couscous contains 176 calories, 37 grams of carbs and 6 grams of protein.
Breadfruit
What? Is it bread? Is it a fruit? It’s both, sort of. The breadfruit is a member of the jackfruit family and the reason it’s called that is because when cooked, it resembles the texture of bread. Breadfruit is a good source of Vitamin C, Thiamin and Potassium.
100grams of cooked breadfruit contains 105 calories, 27grams of carbs (5grams fiber!) and a whopping 490mg of potassium. That’s more than a banana!
Taro
Taro, deriving from the Corm root is a highly popular root vegetable in Asia and South America. It has a sweet nutty flavor similar to a water chestnut and is high in fiber, antioxidants, Vitamins A and B, Copper, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc.
1 cup of cooked Taro contains 190 calories, 45 grams of carbs (7grams of fiber!) and 640mg of potassium! You’ll never get muscle cramps if you eat this regularly.
Chestnuts
You probably already know of chestnuts but what you might be surprised to find out is that unlike other nuts, chestnuts are high in carbohydrates and relatively low in proteins and fats. Chestnuts are high in vitamin C, folates and the little fat it has is made up of all healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. It is also exceptionally high in Potassium, in fact, more than any other food on this list.
1 cup of roasted chestnuts contains 350 calories, 75 grams of carbs (7grams of fiber) and 845mg of potassium.
So, say bye to your boring old diet and explore some new foods, there’s a ton of healthy carbs out there.