Carbohydrates are essential sources of energy, fueling the cells of your body, including your muscles and your brain. There are plenty of carbs in plant foods such as grains, fruits, potatoes and other vegetables. Fiber is the indigestible part of the plant foods you eat, according to Mayoclinic.com. Food labels list the grams of fiber as an individual number and as part of the total grams of carbohydrate in the food.
Canned Sweet Corn and Rice
Half a cup of corn has 60 calories, 2 g of fiber and 9 total grams of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates make up 60 percent of calories in corn. If you are looking to increase your fiber intake, replace some of your cooked, long grain rice with corn. One-half cup of rice has around 100 calories, 23 g of carbohydrates and only 1/2 g of fiber. Carbohydrates make up 92 percent of calories in long grain rice.
Peanut Butter, Banana and Bread
Make a peanut butter, banana and whole-wheat bread sandwich for a high-carbohydrate and high-fiber meal. Spread 1 tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter containing 3.5 g of carbs and 1 g of fiber on one piece of whole-wheat bread. Slice the banana into round pieces, lining them side-by-side atop the peanut butter; one large banana contains 32 g of carbs and 3 g of fiber. Place the second piece of bread over the bananas; both slices of bread have 22 g of carbs and 3 g of fiber. This sandwich has 350 calories of which 66 percent are from carbohydrates.
Waffles, Milk and an Orange
For a quick breakfast, toast two multigrain waffles for 32 g of carbohydrates and 6 g of fiber. Peel a medium navel orange for 16 more grams of carbs and 3 g of fiber. Increase your carbohydrate intake by drinking one cup of skim milk, which adds 11 g of carbs. This breakfast has 334 calories; 71 percent of the calories are from carbs.
Apple and Almonds
Eat a medium apple and 1 oz., or about 28 pieces, of whole, unsalted almonds for 8 total grams of fiber and 27 g of carbohydrates. This snack has 43 percent of its calories from carbs and 52 percent of its calories from fat. Although this snack has only 253 calories, the fiber in the apple and almonds and the fat in the almonds will stave off hunger until your next meal.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet
- "The NutriBase Complete Book of Food Counts"; NutriBase; 2001
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