Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains
Now, when you’re grocery shopping, know that food labels include sugar and fiber in the total number of carbohydrates. Because our body breaks carbs into sugar, you want to choose high-fiber carbs, which take longer to break down and provide more lasting energy. To help you discern the best-of-the-best, we thought outside of the bread box and chose 10 nutritious carb sources from most of the major food groups (vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fruit, dairy) so you'll get a variety of vitamins and nutrients to support a healthy lifestyle. Many carbohydrates also supply fiber. Fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate found in foods that come from plants—fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. Eating food with fiber can prevent stomach or intestinal problems, such as constipation. It might also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Fats. Fats also give you energy and help you feel satisfied after eating. Oils, shortening, butter, and margarine are types of fats, and mayonnaise, salad dressings, table cream, and sour cream are high in fat. Foods from animal sources and certain foods like seeds, nuts, avocado, and coconut also contain fat. Carbohydrates are found in foods including fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, pastries, and candy and are considered the bodies preferred energy source. More specifically, carbs are sugar molecules that are a union of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (CHO). The level of sugar in the bloodstream is called your blood sugar level. As you eat carbs, your blood sugar level rises, which activates the hormone insulin to suck the excess sugar out of the bloodstream and into your muscles (which can absorb about 300-400 grams) and your liver (which can absorb 100 grams). Carbohydrates or ‘carbs’ are an energy source in food that comes from starch, sugar and cellulose. Carbohydrates provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber in the diet. The current recommendations suggest 45 to 65 percent of daily calories come from these types of foods. You can find healthful carbohydrate sources in foods like wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, rye and in fruits, vegetables and legumes. Read on to learn more about the importance of including the right type of carbohydrates in your diet. Opt for good fats from lean meats and plant foods as well as good carbohydrates from whole foods, like milk, fruits and vegetables. You need a certain amount of fat to help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, cushion vital organs and aid in hormone production. Most monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats come from plant-based foods, although some meats and seafood also have high amounts. Foods high in these good fats often contain both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but may have higher amounts of one type over the other. Vegetable oil, olive oil, avocados and sunflower seeds are all higher in monounsaturated fats. Peanut oil, sunflower oil, chicken and nuts have more polyunsaturated fats Even though milk has good simple carbs, opt for milk that is low-fat or fat-free to avoid consuming too much harmful saturated fat. Vegetables, especially potatoes, corn, yams and peas, are high in good starchy carbohydrates, as well as fiber. All plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts are high in fiber. Most monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats come from plant-based foods, although some meats and seafood also have high amounts. Foods high in these good fats often contain both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but may have higher amounts of one type over the other. Vegetable oil, olive oil, avocados and sunflower seeds are all higher in monounsaturated fats. Peanut oil, sunflower oil, chicken and nuts have more polyunsaturated fats Dark green veggies like spinach, kale, and Brussels sprouts offer some omega 3s. Because our bodies can't make these good fats, you have to get them from food. Aim for 2-3 cups of vegetables every day. Include fish in your diet, too, since fish have a different kind of omega-3 fat that you need. Plants only offer a fraction of the omega-3s that fish do. They have good fats that can lower cholesterol. In general, fats that come from plants are healthier than those from animal products. Bad fats are in foods like fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy products, and some packaged foods. Check food labels to see how much fat, and what type, you're getting.
http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/healthy-food-10-best-sources-carbs https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/whats-your-plate/protein-carbohydrates-fats http://www.builtlean.com/2012/05/17/carbohydrates/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/27398-list-complex-carbohydrates-foods/ http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-food-choices-good-fats-good-carbs-2966.html http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-food-choices-good-fats-good-carbs-2966.html http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-healthy-fat-foods
good food sources as you can complex fats