10 Best Healthy Carbs for Weight Loss in 2023

Table of Content

• What are Carbs and Why are They Important?
• 10 Best Healthy Carbs for Weight Loss
• Carbs to Avoid During Weight Loss
• FAQs
• Final Thoughts

Any person that tries to lose weight or just wants to implement a healthy diet in their life, knows that eating carbs might contribute to gaining weight. This scares us since we all want to look fantastic and lose our excess weight and live a good life. But carbs are the main elements that are required for our bodies to properly work. 

This leads us to the main question “Are there healthy carbs for weight loss?”. The short answer is yes! There are many different good and healthy carbs, such as oats and brown rice that you should include in your diet if you haven’t done so! But we will discuss them very soon.

But there’re so many healthy and unhealthy carbs, how do you choose the right one? Don’t worry, in this article, we will learn more about carbs, and their types. We will also discuss the 10 best healthy carbs for weight loss in 2023, that will help you shine this summer!

Before we get started, consider reading my clean eating guide and my 1,600-calorie meal plan that will help you lose weight even faster. By reading them, you will learn more about weight loss and healthy eating in general.

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Now, let’s talk more about the importance of carbs and why we shouldn’t cut them off completely.

What are Carbs and Why are They Important?

Not everyone knows what are carbohydrates, so let’s quickly learn about it more. They're simply sugar molecules, and as I mentioned above, are very important for our bodies since they’re one of the three main nutrients that keep our body working properly. Our body breaks them down into glucose, which is the main source of energy for the body’s cells and organs.

Let’s learn about three main carb types:

• Sugars. These carbs are called simple and can be found in sugar, candies, and natural sweet products like fruits, and milk.

The problem with sugar and candies though is that they contain a lot of it, and simple carbs are easily built up as fat. This is why eating candies, a lot of sugar, or drinking sugary drinks is not recommended if you want to lose weight or just eat healthy. 

But remember, that cutting sugars out will not solve your problems either, so you should drastically cut them out, but not exclude sugar from your diet completely. They’re also a good source of fast energy, which might be very helpful if you need to be energetic in the closest period of time. Many people like to eat a few candies or a sweet protein bar 10-20 minutes before they start to work out because this will give them additional energy to make the workout even more enjoyable and effective.

• Starches. These are complex carbs. Your body just breaks it into simple sugars for getting energy out of them. They’re not recommended for weight loss by many experts, so cutting out the amount you consume will be a good idea, but you shouldn’t go crazy with it either. Good examples of starches might be bread and pasta, and some vegetables such as potatoes and corn. 
• Fiber. This type of carbs is the ultimate solution for all healthy diets out there. They’re slow carbs, which means that you will feel full for a longer time. They also have plenty of health benefits, and our today’s list of the best healthy carbs for weight loss will consist mostly of them. You can find fiber in whole grains, nuts, fruits, seeds, and beans. 

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Now that we learned more about carbs, let’s move to the best carbs you can start eating today and maintain a good figure.

10 Best Healthy Carbs for Weight Loss

1. Oats

We all know them, and most people associate this whole grain with healthy eating. This is true. Oats are packed with nutrients that include fiber, protein, and essential vitamins. By the way, they are very good to keep you full, so incorporating them into your diet will be an amazing idea. 

Another advantage of oats is that they’re very versatile. You can literally do whatever you want out of them. Do you want to make a delicious scramble? Well, add some eggs, yogurt and banana to your rolled oats, mix them well and throw into your pan. Maybe you want to eat some prepped oats in the morning? Overnight oats are a great choice for you! Mix oats with milk, chia seeds, honey, and yogurt, adding any toppings you like. These two recipes are just the most popular ones, but you can go creative with different recipes, and for instance bake or cook them in your pot adding milk or water.

Oats are also well to eat savory, so this carb should be included in every individual’s diet! Definitely worth it!

2. Quinoa

Quinoa is not as popular as oats, but it’s worth your attention, believe me. Firstly it’s gluten-free, which is very good for weight loss. Secondly, it contains a lot of fiber and protein. Quinoa is also a great and healthy carb for weight loss because of the high amount of minerals and vitamins in it. 

Another advantage that quinoa has it’s the versatility. You can do the same thing you did with oats. You can even make a salad with it, and this is also gonna turn out well. Get crazy with experiments and find the best recipes that will make your diet sustainable.

3. Whole Wheat Pasta

Do you remember when I said that pasta is not recommended for weight loss? Well, it’s true when it comes to regular pasta, but whole wheat pasta is a great healthier alternative to it, as it retains its natural nutrients and fiber content. The fiber in whole wheat pasta helps to slow down digestion, keeping you full and satisfied for longer.

Also, whole wheat pasta is usually lower in calories, so when you go to the grocery store next time, consider buying this one.

4. Sweet Potatoes

I said that eating potatoes isn’t very good for weight loss, but you definitely can eat them, there’s nothing wrong with eating them sometimes. But if you want to find a good alternative to them, sweet potatoes will come in handy. They’re a nutrient-dense carb, high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They have a low glycemic index, meaning they release energy slowly. It prevents blood sugar spikes. Sweet potatoes will also help you to stay full for longer, it’s something we’re looking for, right?

5. Brown Rice

I’m sure you’ve heard about this whole grain, and I’m sure you’ve eaten it at least once. But brown rice is worth eating more because it has more nutrients than white or basmati rice. Brown rice is a good and healthy carb for weight loss that I will recommend eating if you’re sick of everyday oats.

6. Barley

Barley lowers cholesterol and controls blood sugar levels. If you want to find more protein for you to digest. Along with meat and vegetables, barley will help you in creating a healthy plate. 

Barley is used in soups, stews, salads, and other dishes due to its versatility, so consider eating it interchangeably with other whole grains.

7. Lentils

Legumes. They’re an excellent source of protein and can easily swap your whole grains. Lentils are an even more versatile type of legume, and I’d experiment more with recipes that use them. They’re easy in cooking, they’re delicious, and can be used as a good source of vitamins and nutrients.

Use them in curries, soups, and salads, stir-fry them with some vegetables, or just cook them in boiling water, and finish the dish with salt. In any form, they’re scrumptious and provide a lot of healthy benefits. 

8. Chickpeas

Another type of legume you can eat, and is very popular. It’s used in a variety of dishes and also used in hummus. 

You can use them as an additional source of protein, that is low-calorie. It’s a perfect healthy carb for weight loss. I personally eat them with vegetables and meat, without cooking them directly. Turns out delicious and healthy.

9. Whole Grain Bread

As I mentioned in the second section, you can use whole grains as a good source of healthy carbs. This comes in handy when you want to eat bread, but don’t know what bread to choose. Choosing whole-grain bread is perfect for keeping your body full and digesting plenty of nutrients.

10. Green Peas

And the last carb I want to mention is green peas which are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food that's high in fiber, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. 

As with other fibers they’re keeping you satisfied for a long time and definitely should be added to your weight loss diet. 

Carbs to Avoid During Weight Loss

Now that we understood what healthy carbs to eat for weight loss, we need to figure out what carbs are not that good for our healthy diet.

Let’s start with sugars. Avoid eating the following products:

• Sugar
• Candies and cookies
• A lot of honey

But you can still eat bananas, apples, and other fruits in moderate quantities. They’re packed with vitamins, and nutrients and are natural sugar sources. Even though you should avoid the products I mentioned earlier, don’t stop eating them at all. Eating a few candies a week is good, and it’s not a tragedy if you did it.

Next are our refined carbs, some examples will be:

• White bread
• Refined paste
• Cereal

These are also not recommended and try to avoid them if possible, but again don’t try to cut them out totally!

FAQs

Q: Are all carbs bad for weight loss?

I’d say that no at all! Focus on eating complex carbs such as whole grains, beans, nuts, and fruits. But remember that there’re no “bad” products you must not eat. Eat everything you want but in moderation. I believe you will find a good balance in your diet and will stick to eating even more.

Q: How can I include healthy carbs in my diet?

Try incorporating a variety of whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables into your meals. Also, swap out refined carbs for whole grain options, such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole grain bread.

Q: Can I eat carbs and still lose weight?

Yes, if you eat the right types of carbs. It’s very good to also be in a caloric deficit, which is the key to losing weight, so make sure you have these conditions done, and you will see the result!

Q: How many carbs should I eat per day for weight loss?

Okay, so the number might vary from person to person, person’s age, weight, and activity level. The general guideline will be consuming 45-65% of your daily calorie intake, keep in mind that you will also have to eat enough protein and fats to keep your muscles in the same condition or grow them.

Don’t forget about focusing on complex carbs mostly, which are the healthiest carbs for weight loss.

Q: What is the difference between simple and complex carbs?

Simple carbs are found in sugary, processed foods and are absorbed by the body very quickly. What are the consequences of eating simple carbs? Blood spikes, hunger, and gaining weight if you don’t moderate the number of simple carbs you digest. 

Complex carbs on the other hand are found in whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables, and are absorbed more slowly by the body, providing a steady source of energy and keeping you fuller for longer.

Final Thoughts

Finally, we’re done! This article is a full guide to the best healthy carbs for weight loss, and I’m excited to give you as much valuable information as I have! Today you learned a lot about carbs, their types, and the best products to eat! Hopefully, this article was useful, and you will share it with your friends to make this knowledge more accessible to others.

If I was you, I’d visit my website and read other useful articles on different topics to glow up! So, thank you for reading. Happy eating!

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