I love carbohydrates; large bowls of rice, pasta or cereal, tortillas with cheese melted on top, and baked potatoes with butter. A few weeks ago I bought some GMO free bread and ate four slices per day until the loaf was gone.
Because I eat a lot of carbs I decided to find out which ones are the healthiest.
I compared nutrition information for bread, rice, pasta, potato, tortilla and cereal side by side in a table (see below). I did not include sugar and fat in the table because they are similar. Fat grams ranged from 0.2 - 3 grams per serving and sugar ranged from 0.1 - 2 grams per serving.
I was surprised to learn that in addition to cereal; bread, pasta, and rice are fortified with nutrients and minerals such as iron, folate, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.
Comparison summary for bread, rice, pasta, potato, tortilla and cereal:
- Tortillas have the most sodium (200 mg) and pasta has the least (0 mg)
- Rice and pasta have the most calories (206, 200 calories respectively)
- Rice has the most carbs (45 g) and bread has the least (15 g)
- Potatoes have the most fiber (4.7 g) and rice has the least (0.6 g)
- Pasta has the most protein (7 g) and tortillas (2.5 g) have the least
- Tortillas have the lowest Glycemic Index (GI) (30) and potatoes have the highest (85)
- Potatoes have a lot of Vitamin C and potassium
- Cereal (Cheerios) has the most added iron (45%)
Bread (1 slice)
|
Rice (1 cup cooked)
|
Elbow Macaroni (1 cup cooked)
|
Potato (med.)
|
Flour Tortilla (6”)
|
Cheerios (1 cup)
|
|
| Calories |
79
|
206
|
200
|
163
|
95
|
100
|
| Total Carbs (g) |
15
|
45
|
41
|
37
|
16.5
|
20
|
| Glycemic Index |
71
|
65
|
47
|
85
|
30
|
74
|
| Fiber (g) |
0.8
|
0.6
|
2
|
4.7
|
1.5
|
3
|
| Protein (g) |
2.7
|
4.3
|
7
|
4.3
|
2.5
|
3
|
| Sodium (mg) |
147
|
2
|
0
|
13
|
200
|
140
|
| Potassium (mg) |
35
|
55
|
0
|
897
|
0
|
180
|
| Iron* (%) |
6
|
11
|
10
|
9
|
4
|
45
|
| Vitamin C* (%) |
0
|
0
|
0
|
70
|
0
|
10
|
| Thiamine* (%) |
8
|
17
|
35
|
13
|
0
|
25
|
| Riboflavin* (%) |
8
|
0
|
15
|
8
|
0
|
2
|
| Niacin* (%) |
6
|
12
|
20
|
21
|
0
|
25
|
| Folate* (%) |
15
|
38
|
30
|
21
|
0
|
15
|
*% of daily requirements based on a 2000 calorie diet
Typically I eat cheerios for my carb fix, 2 - 3 bowls every day. However, based on this investigation I am going to eat baked potatoes instead of cereal because of the significant amount of Vitamin C and potassium in potatoes.
Although cereal has quite a bit of sodium (140 mg) compared to pasta, rice and potatoes I don't eat many other foods with sodium and I don't have any issues with high blood pressure. Although potatoes and cereal have a high Glycemic Index (GI) (85 and 74 respectively) I am careful to monitor what I eat if I feel hungry again shortly after eating.
You should decide what is best for you based on your diet and body. I hope this summary table helps!
Although cereal has quite a bit of sodium (140 mg) compared to pasta, rice and potatoes I don't eat many other foods with sodium and I don't have any issues with high blood pressure. Although potatoes and cereal have a high Glycemic Index (GI) (85 and 74 respectively) I am careful to monitor what I eat if I feel hungry again shortly after eating.
You should decide what is best for you based on your diet and body. I hope this summary table helps!
Background Info
Dietary Guidelines for Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. So, if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day. Mayo Clinic But if you need to lose weight, you will get much faster results eating around 50 to 150 grams of carbs. HealthLine
Glycemic Index (GI) - Glycemic index rates foods that contain carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100. Foods on the lower end are considered low-glycemic foods, while foods closer to 100 are high-glycemic foods. Foods with a GI rating closer to 100 cause your blood sugar to spike suddenly and then drop to a lower level than it was in the first place. When this happens, you may feel hungry again shortly after eating. Healthy Easting
Dietary Guidelines for Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. So, if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day. Mayo Clinic But if you need to lose weight, you will get much faster results eating around 50 to 150 grams of carbs. HealthLine
Glycemic Index (GI) - Glycemic index rates foods that contain carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100. Foods on the lower end are considered low-glycemic foods, while foods closer to 100 are high-glycemic foods. Foods with a GI rating closer to 100 cause your blood sugar to spike suddenly and then drop to a lower level than it was in the first place. When this happens, you may feel hungry again shortly after eating. Healthy Easting
Benefits of Potassium - Potassium supports blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and bone and muscle strength. Adults should consume 4,700 mg per day. Medical News Today
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