Carbohydrates are broken down by the body into usable energy called glucose or stored as glycogen for future energy use. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, whole grains and low carbohydrate fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables are healthy carb choices. The majority of fresh foods---meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds---according to the American Heart Association (AHA) should be part of every heart healthy nutrition plan.
Vegetables
Vegetables tend to be low in carbohydrates and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. The American Cancer Association recommends eating no less than four to five servings of each per day. Fiber is a carb, but it does not get used as energy because it cannot be broken down in the body. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, fiber provides many healthy benefits, including constipation and digestive relief, lowering of blood cholesterol, controlling of blood sugar, weight maintenance and possible risk reduction of colorectal cancer.
The Mayo Clinic recommends men aged 50 and younger eat 38 grams of fiber per day and women of the same age eat 25 grams of fiber per day. For men ages 50 and older, the Mayo Clinic recommends 30 grams per day and for women of the same age 21 grams per day. Vegetables are a nutrient-dense food, which contain high amounts of nutrients (e.g. vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) per calorie consumed. Low carb fresh foods include arugula (1/2 cup, less than 1 gram of carbs, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber), fresh cooked asparagus (1/ 2 cup, 4 g, 2 g), raw bean sprouts (1/2 cup, 3 g, 1 g), broccoflower (1/2 cup, 5 g, 2 g), cauliflower (1/2 cup, 3 g, 2 g), celery (1 cup diced, 4 g, 0.68 g), collards (1/2 cup, 5 g, 3 g), cucumber (1 cup, 7 g, 2 g), kale (1 cup, 7 g, 3 g), Romaine lettuce (1/2 cup, 1 g, 1 g), raw mushrooms (1/2 cup, 1 g, less than 1 g), fresh okra (8 pods, 4 g, 4 g), onions (1 cup sliced, 6 g, 1 g), pumpkin (1/2 cup, 6 g, 1 g), raw spinach (1/2 cup, 1 g, less than 1 g), zucchini (1/2 cup, 4 g, 1 g) and raw tomatoes (1 whole, 5 g, 1 g).
Fruits
Fruits are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber as well as being a low-carb, nutrient-dense food. Fruits contain the carbohydrate fructose, which makes them higher in carbs than vegetables. Fruits that are low in carbs include (serving size, grams of carbs, grams of dietary fiber) fresh apricots (3 each, 12 g , 2 g), California avocados (1 each, 15 g, 12 g), fresh raspberries (1 cup, 15 g, 8 g), fresh strawberries (1 cup, 11 g, 3 g), sweet cherries (10 each, 11 g, 1 g) and fresh peaches (1 whole, 9 g, 1.5 g).
Meat, Nuts and Seeds
Meats are a rich source of amino acids, vitamin B, iron, phosphorus and zinc, as well as being a low-carb or carb-free food. Nuts and seeds provide essential unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Restricted carb nuts and seeds include (servings size, grams of carbs, grams of dietary fiber) almond butter (1 Tbsp, 3 g, 1 g), dried whole almonds (1 oz, 6 g, 3 g), shredded raw coconut (1/2 cup, 6 g, 4 g), hazelnuts (1 oz chopped, 5 g, 3 g), peanuts (1 oz, 4 g, 3 g), pecans (1 oz, 4 g, 3 g), pine nuts (1 oz, 5 g, 3 g), sesame butter (1 Tbsp, 3 g, 3 g), black walnuts (1 oz, 3 g, 2 g) and English walnuts (1 oz, 4 g, 2 g).
References
- Understanding Nutrition; Ellie Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes; 2005
- Department of Health and Human Services
- American Cancer Society
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