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Healthy Carbs: Benefits and How to Choose

By Ethan Boldt

April 8, 2025

Carbohydrates get a bad rap. Not only do carbs provide energy, they’re vital for our gut and brain health as well as our muscles. But we’re often being told to either cut them out or at least “limit” our consumption of them.

Let’s examine the role of carbohydrates in the body, the different types, associated benefits, how many you need per day and then how to choose the best carbs.

Turns out carbs not only don’t need to be limited but can play key roles in your health as long as you choose the right kind, including those that contain fiber and may be composed of whole grains.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are one of the three main nutrients (macronutrients), with the other two being fat and protein. They consist of sugars, starches and fiber — and they are found in foods like grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Carbs are the body’s primary source of energy, as these foods are broken down into glucose and then fuel our various bodily functions and physical activity.

Carbohydrates can be the parts of food that the body doesn't digest: fiber. Carbs can also be added to processed foods, such as fructose (a fruit carbohydrate) being used to sweeten drinks.

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

• Sugars (simple carbs) — These simple sugars are made of one or two types of sugar. For example, fructose in fruit and honey, lactose (composed of two sugar until) in dairy products, sucrose (glucose and fructose together) in table sugar.

• Starch (complex carbohydrates) — These are composed of many sugar units that are bonded together. They occur naturally in whole grains, beans and vegetables. They take longer than simple carbs to break down in the body, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels.

• Fiber (another complex carb) — It is a carbohydrate found in plants. Fiber doesn’t get broken down by the body at all but can be used by gut bacteria and help move waste through the GI tract. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel-like substance in your digestive system. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and remains intact as it moves through your digestive system.

What is the role of carbohydrates in the body? See below.

Benefits

1. Provide energy

Carbs are the body's primary fuel source. They get broken down into glucose, which cells then use for energy. They provide energy for daily activities as well as brain function.

The hormone insulin helps glucose gets into the cells through the bloodstream, hence glucose being called blood sugar.

Carbs are also important for energy storage. When the body doesn't need the glucose from the carbs breaking down, it can be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. Of course, excess glucose may also be stored as body fat.

2. Promote digestive health

Fiber, a main type of carbohydrate, promotes digestive health in various ways. It helps promote regular bowel movements, reduces the likelihood of occasional constipation, and promotes the health of the colon and surrounding digestive areas.

It also supports a healthy gut microbiome, with a balanced and diverse gut microbiota.

3. Support cognitive health

Carbohydrates are critical for brain function, as glucose can assist with clear thinking and focus. Complex carbohydrates, in particular, are linked with healthy brain aging and improved memory. These types of carbs can regulate serotonin levels in the brain, and this neurotransmitter is associated with mood regulation.

In contrast, a diet low in healthy carbohydrates can make it difficult to concentrate.

4. Helps manage a healthy weight

Fiber contributes to a feeling of fullness (satiety) and can help reduce calorie intake and thus assist in weight management.

Evidence indicates that eating plenty of high-fiber whole fruits, vegetables and grains can help manage a healthy weight over time. These foods often are low in calories yet because of the fiber can help people feel full with fewer calories.

5. Boost muscle recovery and growth

Carbohydrates play a vital role in muscle recovery after exercise, as they help replenish glycogen stores and decrease muscle breakdown. Carbs help with protein sparing, aka help prevent the body from using protein — muscle — for energy.

In addition, it’s important to have enough carbohydrates for workout energy and intense training sessions that are needed for muscle synthesis and eventual muscle growth.

6. Supports healthy aging

For healthy aging, it’s important to support normal, healthy blood sugar levels in addition to healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Fiber helps ensure those healthy levels.

Most healthy carbs

Whole, unprocessed carbohydrates are the most healthy carbohydrates. All these foods have their nutrients intact and have been minimally altered to impact the nutritional value of the food.

The most healthy carbohydrates are so-called complex carbohydrates, including those high in fiber. They include the following:

• Vegetables: In particular sweet potatoes, yucca, beets, green peas and winter squash

• Fruits: In particular bananas, dates, oranges, blueberries, grapefruit, apples, strawberries and mango

• Whole grains: Brown rice, quinoa, oats, farro, wild rice and wheat berry bread

• Legumes: Kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, lima beans

• Seeds: Buckwheat, chia seeds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds

• Some dairy: Milk and yogurt

Bad carbs to avoid

Refined carbohydrates don’t contain fiber. They’ve usually been processed or even heavily processed, stripping away many key vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.

Examples of refined carbs include white rice, white pasta, white bread, crackers, cookies, cakes and sugary drinks.

Processed carbs can lead to a constant blood sugar fluctuation throughout the day, affecting energy levels, healthy aging and even insulin concentrations.

How many good carbs should I eat?

How many carbohydrates should you eat per day? Research indicates that people need at least 130 grams of carbs per day to meet our energy needs. This equals around 25 percent of calories in a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbs account for 45 percent to 65 percent of total daily calories. So for a 2,000 calorie diet, that means 900 to 1,300 calories from carbs per day. Carbohydrates are roughly 4 calories a gram, so that means 225 to 325 grams of carbs per day.

Of course, your carb consumption should change based on your activity level, your age and any health conditions you’re managing.

How to pick healthy carbs

Finally, how to pick healthy carbs vs. unhealthy carbs? Follow these tips:

• Have more “whole” versions of foods, including grains.

• Make carbohydrate part of a mixed macronutrient meal next to protein and fat, so all three main nutrients are on the plate. You’ll feel more satisfied and also may have more stable blood sugar levels.

• Increase your consumption of beans, lentils and peas. These high-fiber foods don’t appear enough in the average diet. Have them in soups, salads and main dishes.

• Aim to have less sugar, which will also mean less simple carbs like soda, cookies and frozen dairy treats.

As always, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new diet or lifestyle regimen.