Carbs and calories are two important nutritional details. With these foods you can consume more carbs while staying low in calories.
There are actually a wide variety of whole foods that can help you if your goal is to consume more carbs while keeping your calorie intake low. One thing to keep in mind is that you can define “high carb” in different ways.
One way foods can be “high carb” is by having a generally high amount of grams of carbs per 100 grams. Food groups like this that are at the same time relatively low in calories include legumes and whole grains.
Another way foods can be “high carb” is by having a relatively high % of their total calories coming from carbs. Food groups like this that are at the same time relatively low in calories include vegetables, mushrooms, and fruits.
There are of course individual differences within these categories but knowing these food groups gives you a better idea of what you are looking for. Below you can find 10 foods high in carbs and low in calories from each of these categories with other nutritional details.
1. Adzuki beans
Adzuki beans are a type of legume that is mainly popular in the east but a good food option to consume more carbs while keeping calories low no matter where you live.
100 grams of cooked adzuki beans contains (1):
- % of calories from carbs: 79%
- Calories: 128
- Protein: 7.5 grams
- Carbs: 24.8 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 7.3 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Folate: 30% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Manganese: 29% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 17% of the DV
- Potassium: 15% of the DV
- Copper: 15% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
Adzuki beans regularly play a role in dessert recipes with a lot of sugar. If one of your goals is lowering calorie intake these recipes may not be a good idea.
2. Eggplant
Eggplants are the relatively big purple vegetable. A high amount of its total calories are from carbs and at the same time it is very low in calories.
If your goal is to consume a lot more total carbs while staying low in other macro calorie sources other options on this list may be better.
100 grams of boiled eggplant contains (2):
- % of calories from carbs: 89%
- Calories: 35
- Protein: 0.8 grams
- Carbs: 8.7 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 2.5 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Manganese: 6% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Thiamin: 5% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 4% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 4% of the DV
- Potassium: 4% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
Eggplant is a great addition to many recipes. You can for example use eggplant as a pasta substitute in lasagne for a healthier source of carbs.
3. Pear
Pears are a popular fruit, generally green or yellow, with a typical shape of a wide bottom and a narrow top.
100 grams of raw pear contains (3):
- % of calories from carbs: 96%
- Calories: 58
- Protein: 0.4 grams
- Carbs: 15.5 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 3.1 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Vitamin C: 7% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Vitamin K: 6% of the DV
- Copper: 4% of the DV
- Potassium: 3% of the DV
- Folate: 2% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
There are multiple ways you can consume a pear but if you are trying to lower your calorie intake it is generally better to stick to its raw form.
4. Brown rice
Rice is one of the most popular whole grains around the world. It is a great example of a food that can help you increase your total carb intake while staying relatively low in calories.
100 grams of cooked long-grain brown rice contains (4):
- % of calories from carbs: 85%
- Calories: 111
- Protein: 2.6 grams
- Carbs: 23 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 1.8 grams
- Fat: 0.9 grams
- Manganese: 45% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Selenium: 14% of the DV
- Magnesium: 11% of the DV
- Niacin: 8% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 8% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
Another great aspect of brown rice is that it is easy to combine with other foods in a wide variety of dishes.
5. Enoki mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms are a type of mushroom with a different look depending on whether they are cultivated or found in the wild. Enoki mushrooms are especially popular in Japanese cuisine.
100 grams of raw enoki mushrooms contains (5):
- % of calories from carbs: 70%
- Calories: 44
- Protein: 2.6 grams
- Carbs: 7.7 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 2.7 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
- Niacin: 30% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Folate: 13% of the DV
- Thiamin: 12% of the DV
- Vitamin B5: 11% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 11% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
6. Pink beans
This next option, pink beans, is a legume that is a great source of folate and manganese.
If you struggle a lot with hunger, there may be better legumes for you than pink beans. That being said, they are still a great source of carbohydrates that is relatively low in calories.
100 grams of cooked pink beans contains (6):
- % of calories from carbs: 76%
- Calories:149
- Protein: 9.1 grams
- Carbs: 27.9 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 5.3 grams
- Fat: 0.5 grams
- Folate: 42% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Manganese: 27% of the DV
- Thiamin: 17% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 17% of the DV
- Magnesium: 16% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
7. Zucchini
Zucchini, also called courgette, is a green to yellow vegetable that certainly qualifies as having most of its calories come from carbs while staying low in calories.
One of the facts about carbohydrates is that the fiber varieties can help you control hunger and control how much your blood sugar increases when eating other carbs.
100 grams of cooked zucchini contains (7):
- % of calories from carbs: 88%
- Calories: 16
- Protein: 0.6 grams
- Carbs: 3.9 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 1.4 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Vitamin A: 22% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 8% of the DV
- Potassium: 7% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 5% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
Similar to eggplants zucchini can be used as a pasta, in particular spaghetti, replacement in the form of zucchini noodles.
8. Raspberries
Raspberries are a type of berry, and thus fruit, available in a variety of colors. These berries stand out for their relatively high fiber content combined with a low calorie count.
100 grams of raspberries contains (8):
- % of calories from carbs: 82%
- Calories: 52
- Protein: 1.2 grams
- Carbs: 11.9 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 6.5 grams
- Fat: 0.7 grams
- Vitamin C: 44% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Manganese: 34% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 10% of the DV
- Folate: 5% of the DV
- Magnesium: 5% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
This applies to most fruits but some foods that combine great with raspberries include yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothies.
9. Bulgur
This whole grain may not be the most popular whole grain but bulgur can be helpful if you are trying to consume more carbs while keeping your calorie intake low. Bulgur is actually one of the whole grains highest in fiber.
100 grams of cooked bulgur contains (9):
- % of calories from carbs: 84%
- Calories: 83
- Protein: 3.1 grams
- Carbs: 18.6 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 4.5 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Manganese: 30% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Magnesium: 8% of the DV
- Niacin: 5% of the DV
- Folate: 5% of the DV
- Iron: 5% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
10. Barley
Barley is one of the more widely cultivated whole grains around the world. One explanation for this may be that barley is commonly used to make beer, whiskey, and bread.
100 grams of cooked barley contains (10):
- % of calories from carbs: 90%
- Calories: 123
- Protein: 2.3 grams
- Carbs: 28.2 grams
- Part of the carbs that is fiber: 3.8 grams
- Fat: 0.4 grams
- Manganese: 13% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Selenium: 12% of the DV
- Niacin: 10% of the DV
- Iron: 7% of the DV
- Thiamin: 6% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.
