Best Fruits For Carbs are one of the best sources of natural sugar, which our body converts into energy. In current times, a lot of people are more concerned about their carbohydrate intake and eat more complex carbohydrates then fruits. This leads to inadequate carbohydrate intake as fruits not only play an integral role in your workouts but also help you burn fat and lose weight. Here is a list of fruits that are popular carb foods.
Healthful high carb foods
Carbohydrates are an essential component of the diet, and many high carb foods offer excellent health benefits.
Carbohydrates provide essential fuel for the body and are necessary for it to function efficiently.
In this article, we look at 10 high carb foods and consider what they can do for your health.
Healthful high carb foods
Minimally-processed fruits, vegetables, and pulses are good sources of carbohydrates and often contain a variety of other vitamins and minerals. By comparison, highly processed, refined carbohydrate products often contain fewer or none of these additional nutrients.
These foods can help increase the carbohydrate content of a person’s diet. Eating a varied, nutritionally-balanced diet rich in whole foods can help promote overall good health.
Healthful, whole-food carbohydrate sources include:
Vegetables
Adding these healthful, high carb vegetables to a meal will boost its carbohydrate content:
1. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a delicious favorite to include in a range of meals.
One large 180 gram (g) baked sweet potato with the skin has 37.3 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of potassium and vitamins A and C.
A 2015 study found that some carbohydrate molecules in purple sweet potato may also have antioxidant and antitumor benefits.
2. Beetroot
Beetroots, or beets, are a sweet, purple root vegetable that people can eat either raw or cooked.
One cup of raw beets has 13 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source. Beets are rich in potassium, calcium, folate, and vitamin A. They also provide people with naturally occurring inorganic nitrates that can benefit heart health.
3. Corn
Corn is a popular vegetable that people can enjoy year-round as a side dish, on the cob, or in a salad.
A measure of 100 g of cornTrusted Source contains 18.7 g of carbohydrates and 3.27 g of protein. It also provides a good amount of vitamin C.
High carb grains
Grains and pseudograins, the seeds of broadleaf plants, are great sources of carbohydrates. Whole-grain varieties provide protein and fiber and offer plenty of additional healthful benefits.
Grains are versatile and can form the main part of many meals. Rather than eating white rice and white bread, people can incorporate the following healthful high carb grains into their diet:
4. Quinoa
Quinoa is a nutritious pseudograin. It tastes similar to other types of grain, and people can prepare and eat it similarly.
One cup of cooked quinoa contains 39.4 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source, 8.14 g of protein, and only 1.61 g of sugar.
Quinoa is also rich in minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.
5. Brown rice
Brown rice is a common side dish and a healthful alternative to white rice. One cup of cooked brown rice has 45.8 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source.
This grain is also rich in antioxidantsTrusted Source.
6. Oats
Oats are versatile whole grains. Different varieties are available, including rolled, steel-cut, and quick oats.
A cup of uncooked oats provides 103 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source, 26.4 g of protein and 16.5 g of fiber.
Nutrients in oats can help promote heart health. Research has shown that oat fiber can reduce the riskTrusted Source of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease.
High carb fruits
Fruits are an excellent source of healthful carbohydrates, particularly those below:
7. Bananas
Bananas are widely available and make for a convenient snack.
One medium banana has 26.9 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source. Like sweet potatoes, they are also rich in potassium and vitamins A and C.
ResearchTrusted Source shows that potassium intake can help improve heart health and lower blood pressure.
8. Apples
There are several different types of apple, each with its specific nutritional content.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that one medium apple contains 20.6 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source. It also provides vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.
According to a study involving older women, apples may lower the risk of disease-related mortality, including cancer mortality.
9. Mangos
Mangos are a sweet tropical fruit. One cup of chopped mangos has 24.8 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source.
Mangos are also high in vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.
High carb dried fruits
Healthful dried fruits can help people achieve their daily carbohydrate needs. However, some dried fruit products contain additional sugars to increase their sweetness. People looking to eat more dried fruits should carefully check labels for added sugars and prioritize minimally-processed options.
People can try eating the following dried fruits alone as a snack or adding them to a trail mix or meal:
10. Dates
There are many varieties of dates, and they are naturally sweet enough to be used as a sweet snack or dessert.
There are 18 g of carbohydratesTrusted Source in one pitted Medjool date. This fruit is also rich in fiber, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin A.
5 Fruits With The Highest Carbohydrate Counts
Fact: Fruit is an important part of your overall diet. It is a nutrient-rich food full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Many also contain antioxidants like polyphenols that ward off cancer and keep your body healthy.
But here’s the thing: Eating endless fruit isn’t a zero-sum game. That’s because all fruit contains sugar and, as a result, is naturally higher in carbohydrate content than vegetables, says registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, author of Read It Before You Eat It. Some low-carb diets, such as the ketogenic diet, go so far as to ban consumption of most fruits because of their carb content. (There is no official definition of what low-carb truly means, but most diets range between 50 to 150 grams of carbs per day, with the ketogenic diet at no more than 50 grams of carbs per day.)
“I’ve never met a patient in my practice that was overweight because they ate too much produce. I have, however, had patients eating too much fruit and think that it doesn’t matter because it’s fruit. But it does matter,” she says, especially if you’re diabetic or need to control your blood sugar levels.
But the carbs in fruit are just one part of the picture, Taub-Dix says. Keep your fruit’s carbohydrate content in mind along with its overall nutritional profile, and don’t automatically ban higher carb fruits. Women should be eating about one and a half to two cups of fruit a day, according to the USDA, and most people aren’t eating enough of it in the first place.
Plus, if you’re not trying to lose weight, high-carb fruits might be a great way to stay fueled before a workout, or just add a sweet (all natural!) treat to your day.
So whether you’re about to embark on a low-carb diet or you’re just curious, here are five fruits that have particularly high carb counts.
Banana
There’s a good reason why you likely think of a banana when you think of high-carb fruit. A medium banana is loaded with 27 grams of carbs. But this energy powerhouse is also a go-to source for heart-healthy fiber and vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6 and potassium.
Raisins
Raisins are a staple in trail mix likely because of their high carb count (you need that fuel when you’re scaling mountains, after all!). With 34 grams of carbs in a small box, these sweet nuggets give you a burst of energy in a compact package when you’re out on the trail or on a long run. But raisins will give you more than just an energy boost. You’ll also get 1.6 grams of fiber, which can help balance your blood sugar levels, and minerals like potassium and iron.
Mango
The truth is that many tropical fruits tend to have higher sugar content, and thus, higher carb counts. That includes mangoes. One cup of cut mango yields 28 grams of carbs. But, there are reasons to eat this “king of fruits”—It’s a good source of vitamin C (76 percent of your recommended daily allowance, or RDA), vitamin A (25 percent of your RDA), and vitamin B6 (11 percent of your RDA).
Pineapple
With almost 22 grams of carbohydrates in one cup, pineapple packs a carbohydrate-rich punch. But this delicious tropical fruit also offers many nutritional benefits. You’ll get 131 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and 76 percent of your daily manganese needs in one cup.
Apple
It may surprise you that a medium apple (three inches in diameter) has 25 grams of carbs. That’s partly because it’s a high-fiber fruit. Apples also are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, which help keep your immune system humming.
Low-Carb Fruits Ranked from Lowest to Highest Carbs
All fruits are good for you and nutrient-rich. But if you’re watching your carbs, some are lower than others.
Fruit often gets a bad rap because it’s sweet and not low in carbs. But nature’s candy delivers more than just carbs in the form of natural sugar. Fruits are packed with important vitamins and minerals, plus fiber. Fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream so you’re less likely to experience blood sugar spikes and lows too. Plus, eating fruit is actually associated with a lower risk of diabetes. If you’re watching your carb intake, you may be wondering which fruits are lowest in carbs. Here we rank fruit based on how many carbs you’ll get.
How Many Carbs Are in Your Fruit?
We’ve ranked these common fruits based on a recommended serving size, but also provide information about how many carbs per 100 grams of fruit (about 3.5 ounces) to give you a better understanding when you’re (literally) comparing apples to oranges. Here they are ranked from lowest-carb fruit to highest-carb fruit.
1. Watermelon
Perfect for a hot summer day, watermelon is one of the lowest-carb fruits on this list. It can help quench your thirst and is an excellent source of vitamin C. You may be surprised to learn that watermelon has more beta carotene than berries; it’s the pigment that gives the melon its red color.
Recipe to try: Watermelon Fruit Pizza
1 cup chopped watermelon: 11 grams carbs, 46 calories.
100 grams: 8 grams carbs, 30 calories.
2. Strawberries
Strawberries are low in carbs, but they also provide 163% of your daily dose of vitamin C. Research has shown they can help promote heart health and stabilize blood sugar levels as well. Check out our 18 Best New Strawberry Recipes here.
Recipe to try: Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark
1 cup sliced strawberries: 13 grams carbs, 53 calories.
100 grams: 8 grams carbs, 32 calories.
3. Cantaloupe
If you don’t regularly enjoy it already, cantaloupe is worth a spot in your eating pattern. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium, which help support healthy immune function and promote heart and muscle health. Eat cantaloupe in slices or cubes, or add it to your favorite smoothie.
1 cup cubed cantaloupe: 13 grams carbs, 54 calories.
100 grams: 8 grams carbs, 34 calories.
4. Peach
Peaches taste like the epitome of summer. They’re delectably sweet and juicy and have only 15 grams of carbs per one medium peach. Enjoy peaches out of hand or add them to a rainbow fruit or leafy green salad for extra sweetness.
1 medium peach: 14 grams carbs, 58 calories.
100 grams: 10 grams carbs, 42 calories.
5. Raspberries
Don’t underestimate these tiny berries. Raspberries are a nutrition powerhouse, providing close to 10 grams of fiber and two-thirds of your daily requirement of vitamin C per cup. Their tanginess is perfect for adding flavor to your morning oatmeal or parfait.
Recipe to try: Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries
1 cup raspberries: 15 grams carbs, 64 calories.
100 grams: 12 grams carbs, 52 calories.
6. Orange
Oranges are a popular snack choice, and for good reason. They are accessible and easy to find at most grocers, and they are perfect for people watching their carb intake, like those with diabetes. One medium orange contains 15 grams of carbs and 70 milligrams of vitamin C (116% of your daily needs).
1 medium orange: 15 grams carbs, 62 calories.
100 grams: 12 grams carbs, 47 calories.
7. Blueberries
While blueberries have slightly more carbs than raspberries, they are just as nutritious as their red-colored counterparts. They help promote heart health, support healthy aging and can even help improve your memory. Eat them as they are or add them to desserts, salads and more.
Recipe to try: Purple Fruit Salad
1 cup blueberries: 21 grams carbs, 84 calories.
100 grams: 15 grams carbs, 57 calories.
8. Pineapple
One cup of pineapple has 22 grams of carbs. This tropical fruit provides minerals like copper that helps with forming and strengthening bones, alongside ample vitamin C and fiber. Eat pineapple in slices or cubes, in salsa or grilled.
Recipe to try: Pineapple & Avocado Salad
1 cup cubed pineapple: 22 grams carbs, 82 calories.
100 grams: 13 grams carbs, 50 calories.
9. Mango
Mangoes are slightly higher in carbs, with 25 grams per cup, but that doesn’t make them any less nutritious. Loaded with vitamin A, mangoes can help keep skin healthy and promote healthy aging. Enjoy the healthy fruit in one of our mango recipes.
1 cup chopped mango: 25 grams carbs, 99 calories.
100 grams: 15 grams carbs, 60 calories.
10. Cherries
Depending on the variety and ripeness, cherries can be sweet and tart. They are so versatile that you can eat them alone or add them to savory or sweet recipes. Cherries are packed with nutrients that may help regulate blood pressure and keep your skin and immune system healthy among other benefits.
1 cup cherries: 25 grams carbs, 97 calories.
100 grams: 16 grams carbs, 63 calories.
Low-carb fruits and berries – the best and the worst
What are the best and worst fruits to eat on a low-carb diet?
Here’s the short version: most berries are OK low-carb foods in moderate amounts, but other fruits can be thought of as nature’s candy, as they contain quite a lot of sugar.
However, the sugar consumed by eating fresh fruit is not as bad as that found in actual candy. The soluble fiber in fruit can help with short-term satiety; it also reacts with water in your gut to form a thick gel that helps delay and reduce the amount of sugar absorbed from that fruit. In fact, up to 30% of the sugar from fruit may not be absorbed.
Larger quantities of fruit, however, will deliver a significant sugar load to your intestines. Even if only 70% of that sugar is absorbed, 70% of a big number is still a big number.
Berries
The numbers above are the grams of digestible carbohydrates, or net carbs, per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of berries (net carbs = total carbs minus fiber).
See the complete carbs list for berries:
Carbs list
Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries can be eaten in small amounts on a ketogenic low-carb diet, and you can eat them more freely if you’re on a more moderate low-carb diet.
Blueberries contain twice as many carbs as strawberries, so don’t overdo them – on a keto diet you should eat them only occasionally and in limited amounts.
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Other fruits
So how about other fruit? As you can see, fruits contain quite a few carbs (mostly in the form of sugar). That’s why fruits are sweet!
For easy comparison all numbers are grams of digestible carbs per 100 grams (3½ ounces) of the fruits.
See the complete carbs list for fruits:
How much fruit can you have?
On a keto low-carb diet (<20 grams of net carbs per day), you’re probably better off choosing berries over other fruits. Also keep in mind that you don’t actually need to eat fruit. You can get any nutrient found in fruit from vegetables – without all the sugar. Therefore, perhaps you should try eating plenty of low-carb vegetables instead.
Even on a more moderate low-carb diet (20-50 grams per day) you’ll have to be careful with fruit – probably no more than about one to two servings per day.
On a liberal low-carb diet (50-100 grams per day) you may be able to squeeze in two or three fruits a day, if that is your biggest source of carbs.
Isn’t fruit natural?
Fruit is usually considered a very natural food, something humans have always eaten. However, from an evolutionary perspective there are often massive differences between today’s fruits in the supermarket, and what fruit used to look like before, in nature.
What fruits and vegetables looked like before
Furthermore, for most of human history, fruit was only available for limited time periods during the year, when they were ripe. Our ancestors, just like primates in natural habitats, were only able to eat plenty of fruit when it was available.
If any excess sugar helped them gain weight, this could have been helpful to survive through lean times and protect them from starvation.
Top 10 low-carb fruits
Let’s say you occasionally want to eat fruit while still staying relatively low carb. What fruit would be the best choice?
Below, you’ll find the best options, ranked by grams of net carbs.
The lowest-carb options are at the top.
- Raspberries – Half a cup (60 grams) contains 3 grams of carbs.
- Blackberries – Half a cup (70 grams) contains 4 grams of carbs.
- Strawberries – Eight medium-sized (100 grams) contains 6 grams of carbs.
- Plum – One medium-sized (65 grams) contains 7 grams of carbs.
- Clementine – One medium-sized (75 grams) contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Kiwi – One medium-sized (70 grams) contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Cherries – Half a cup (75 grams or about 12 cherries) contains 8 grams of carbs.
- Blueberries – Half a cup (75 grams) contains 9 grams of carbs.
- Cantaloupe (melon) – One cup (160 grams) contains 11 grams of carbs.
- Peach – One medium-sized (150 grams) contains 13 grams of carbs.