CrossFit South Bend

What are the best carbs for health? In this video we answer that question.

So what are the best carbs for health?

Best (in descending order of importance)

-Non-starchy vegetables (e.g., kale, broccoli, spinach)
-Denser vegetables (e.g., beets, rutabagas, parsnips)
-Starchy vegetables (e.g., white potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash)
-Fruits (e.g., apples, grapes, oranges)

Okay (in descending order of importance)

-Gluten free grains (e.g., rice, corn, (gf) oats)
-Pseudograins (e.g. quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat)
-Natural Sweeteners (e.g., honey, stevia, maple syrup)
-Certain Drinks (e.g., shakes, smooties, wine)

Avoid/Minimize

-Processed Foods (e.g., pizza, fries, fast food)
-Refined Sugar/Artificial Sweeteners (e.g., sugar, sucralose, aspartame)
-Liquid Carbs (e.g., soda, beer, lemonade)
-Gluten containing grains (e.g., wheat, barley, rye)

Just to be 100% clear, we are not taking about the best carbs for body composition and/or athletic performance. We’re talking specifically about the best carbs for overall health, which can contribute to body composition and athletic performance, but they wouldn’t necessarily be the same thing. For example, white bread or gatorade, from a health perspective, are pretty far down the totem pole. However, white bread and gatorade may be useful for body composition and athletic performance where health is less of a concern.