The Healthiest Carbs In Your Supermarket

Posted on Feb 18th 2011 2:00PM by That's Fit Editors

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Provided by Women's Health

Best Cereal
Kashi Whole-Wheat Biscuits, Cinnamon Harvest
One bowl contains all the fiber you need to stay full until lunch.
Per 2 oz (28 biscuits): 180 calories, 6 g protein, 43 g carbs (5 g fiber, 9 g sugars), 1 g fat, 0 g sodium

Best Instant Oatmeal
Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal, Cinnamon
This morning meal has a sane number of calories and won't jolt your taste buds with too much sugar.
Per packet: 160 calories, 7 g protein, 29 g carbs (6 g fiber, 1 g sugars), 3 g fat, 290 mg sodium

Best Steel-Cut Oats
Arrowhead Mills Organic Steel Cut Oats Hot Cereal
It's nuttier and more filling than instant oatmeal.
Per 1⁄4 cup: 160 calories, 6 g protein, 27 g carbs (8 g fiber, 0 g sugars), 3 g fat, 0 mg sodium

Best Granola
Nature's Path Organic Pomegran Plus Granola with Cherries
Mix into Greek yogurt for an easy postworkout snack.
Per 3⁄4 cup: 250 calories, 5 g protein, 38 g carbs (4 g fiber, 13 g sugars), 9 g fat, 60 mg sodium

Best Breakfast Bar
KIND Plus Almond Cashew + Flax (Omega-3) A crunchy, craving-busting bar with just nine ingredients-all of which you can pronounce.
Per bar: 150 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g carbs (4 g fiber, 14 g sugars), 9 g fat, 0 mg sodium

Best Bagel
Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Include a scrambled egg with one of these for a protein-packed start to your day.
Per bagel: 250 calories, 11 g protein, 49 g carbs (6 g fiber, 9 g sugars), 1.5 g fat, 450 mg sodium

Best English Muffin
Rudi's Organic Whole Grain Wheat English Muffins
Upgrade your breakfast: Top it with tomato, egg, and a slice of Swiss (#23).
Per muffin: 120 calories, 5 g protein, 23 g carbs (3 g fiber, 2 g sugars), 1 g fat, 220 mg sodium

Best Sliced Bread
Arnold Grains & More Bread, 100% Whole Wheat Triple Health
No high-fructose corn syrup and plenty of fiber.
Per slice: 100 calories, 4 g protein, 20 g carbs (6 g fiber, 3 g sugars), 2 g fat, 170 mg sodium

Best Burger Bun
Arnold Select Sandwich Thins, Whole Wheat
Don't let the bread overwhelm your sandwich. These thin buns save on calories so you can layer on protein.
Per bun: 100 calories, 5 g protein, 21 g carbs (5 g fiber, 2 g sugars), 1 g fat, 230 mg sodium

Best Hot Dog Roll
Pepperidge Farm Classic Whole Grain White
A tasty bun that stands up to whatever you top your dog with.
Per roll: 110 calories, 6 g protein, 21 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugars), 1 g fat, 220 mg sodium

Best Tortilla
La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Extra Virgin Olive Oil Multi–Grain Soft Wrap
Wrap slices of avocado, lettuce, tomato, and cooked bacon (#115) in this tortilla for an awesome riff on a BLT.
Per tortilla: 100 calories, 9 g protein, 18 g carbs (12 g fiber, 1 g sugars), 3.5 g fat, 290 mg sodium

Best Pita
Weight Watchers 100% Whole Wheat
Perfect for a sandwich on the go.
Per pita: 100 calories, 7 g protein, 24 g carbs (9 g fiber, 0 g sugars), 1 g fat, 260 mg sodium

Best Pizza Crust
Rustic Crust Organic Great Grains
Think outside the box: Top your pizza with thinly sliced potatoes, chopped leeks, prosciutto, and blue cheese crumbles. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes or until crispy.
Per 1⁄8 crust: 140 calories, 5 g protein, 28 g carbs (5 g fiber, 0 g sugars), 1.5 g fat, 190 mg sodium

Best Whole-Wheat Pasta
Bionaturae Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti
A whole-wheat pasta that doesn't taste like the box from which it came.
Per 2 oz: 180 calories, 7 g protein, 35 g carbs (6 g fiber, 1 g sugars), 1.5 g fat, 0 mg sodium

Best Regular Pasta
Ronzoni Smart Taste Thin Spaghetti
It's smart because it has as much calcium as a glass of milk and three times the fiber of regular pasta.
Per 2 oz: 180 calories, 6 g protein, 43 g carbs (7 g fiber, 1 g sugars), 0.5 g fat, 5 mg sodium

Best Quick-Cooking Rice
Uncle Ben's Ready Whole Grain Brown
The easiest side dish ever. Microwave for 90 seconds and you're good to go.
Per cup: 240 calories, 5 g protein, 39 g carbs (2 g fiber, 0 g sugars), 3 g fat, 15 mg sodium

Best Grain
Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Grain Quinoa
Switch up your sides by swapping it for rice.
Per 1⁄4 cup: 170 calories, 7 g protein, 30 g carbs (3 g fiber, 0 g sugars), 2.5 g fat, 2 mg sodium

Best Flour
King Arthur Flour 100% Organic Unbleached White Whole Wheat
Rich in fiber just like regular whole-wheat flour but with a lighter flavor. Perfect for making homemade pizza dough.
Per 1⁄4 cup: 100 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g carbs (3 g fiber, <1 g sugars), 0.5 g fat, 0 mg sodium

For all 250 of the healthiest supermarket foods, pick up The Women's Health Diet.

17 Comment

Tags: best carbs, Carbs, Foods, low-carb, Supermarket, whole grain

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

HiddenChilli 2-20-2011 @ 6:30AM

This is very valuable information for me... However, can I also use this diet supplements for my husband??

HiddenChilli

janelle 2-20-2011 @ 6:45AM

None of this stuff is any good for you since they contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and high fructose. The so-called 'good carbs' are replaced by these others.

Lisa 2-20-2011 @ 6:50AM

You don't know what you are talking about! The only item high in fat is the breakfast bar. Everything else is fine, most of the fat, if not all, is unsaturated fat.

Pam 2-20-2011 @ 6:52AM

Thanks lisa i was about to say the same thing. Also, i don't see "high fructose" lurking around these suggestions either.

Ellen 2-20-2011 @ 11:32AM

Try Uncle Sam's cereal. Tastes great and has very healthy ingredients, including flaxseeds. No added sugar, either.

Faye 2-20-2011 @ 11:53AM

No such thing as a "healthy carb", especially when you have type II diabetes.

sondbr 2-20-2011 @ 1:07PM

Cereals like Kashi cause me to have so much gas, so I just won't eat them. There is TOO much fiber. A max of about 5 g. of fiber is all I can take. In order to make food very high in fiber and protein they put additives in to do this, some with very long names and my body will not tolerate them.

Jim 2-20-2011 @ 3:19PM

Soy is the biggie, GMO, and natural flavors? Come-on, if it's natural, why do they have to add them in? They should say what thier natural flavors are, unless they are hiding something (can anyone say MSG derivatives?).

David 2-20-2011 @ 3:33PM

There is a better english muffin out there. Western Bagel makes one with 100 calories, 5g of fiber(about 21% of daily need), less than 1g of fat and no sugar(it uses Splenda instead). It even has 8g of protein and does not taste like cardboard.

Ben 2-20-2011 @ 4:15PM

None of these carbs are "healthy". The ONLY truly healthy carbohydrates are fruits and vegetables. All of the foods on this list contain one form or another of refined sugar. Besides that, the carbs come from grains which are absolutely unhealthy. This entire list is a fail.

leopardgirl 2-20-2011 @ 11:27PM

Wow, Ben! My sentiments exactly. Fruits and veggies rock!!

harry l oakman 2-21-2011 @ 3:53AM

and my grocery bill just went up $50 a week

susanne 2-20-2011 @ 7:55PM

None of this stuff is any good. My guess is they got paid to post these items.BTW does everyone know that most breads include plastic? Yup its outlawed in the entire world but not here.The word starts with AZ... Make your own whole wheat bread..much better for you! we don't buy any bread at all.

Hope 2-22-2011 @ 10:52AM

what about those who have celiac?

Cherie 2-22-2011 @ 12:00PM

These are all great items, but you need to find the best gluten free items for the wheat free people out there. That would be great!

hn 2-23-2011 @ 12:04PM

This list has steel cut oats, quinoa and King Arthur organic flour.

Now throw everything else out because they are all junque foods.

peg 3-04-2011 @ 9:18AM

Every body has different diet needs. I am on a higher carb diet because I have chronic acid reflux. I have a daily struggle with everything that I put into my body. So it is nice to have a list to start with on carbs. Gosh it is not saying go eat everything on this list every day. Look at it more as a guide for people that love carbs or need to have them due to health reasons. The key is moderation.

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The Healthiest Carbs In Your Supermarket