Are potatoes, rice and bread actually healthy? The best carbs to eat – and the cooking trick that may lower bowel cancer risk
Carbs have been getting a bad rap in recent years – some say unfairly. Blame low-carb diets – the weight-loss trend that’s led many people to believe foods such as potatoes, pasta and fruit are inherently unhealthy.
In truth, diet experts who actually know what they’re talking about insist this is a myth.
The real issue is not carbohydrates themselves, but highly processed carbs stripped of fibre, such as white bread, sugary cereals and sweet snacks, says consultant dietitian Sophie Medlin, director of CityDietitians.
Whole-food carbohydrate sources – including grains, beans, vegetables and fruit – provide energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals and are consistently linked in large population studies to lower risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Fibre slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, supports beneficial gut bacteria and helps people feel full for longer, all of which can actually aid being a healthy weight.
‘Social media is filled with people touting the benefits of reducing carbohydrates to lose weight, with things like the keto, paleo and carnivore diets. Unfortunately this has given carbs quite a bad name, unfairly,’ said Ms Medlin.
The key, say experts, is how carbs are cooked and what they are served with can make a dramatic difference – and adding butter, cream, cheese or large amounts of oil can transform a relatively modest dish into something far more calorific.
With that in mind, we asked consultant Ms Medlin, director of CityDietitians, gave the Daily Mail her views on the healthiest carbohydrate foods we should all be eating regularly – and reveal what they actually contain.
Weight-loss trends have led many people to believe foods such as potatoes, pasta and fruit are inherently unhealthy – but diet experts insist this is a myth
Are potatoes healthy? The truth about calories, nutrients and cooking methods
Few foods have been as unfairly criticised as the humble potato – often the first thing people cut when trying to lose weight.
In reality, potatoes themselves are relatively low in calories and packed with nutrients.
A medium baked potato weighing around 180g contains roughly 160 calories – similar to a slice of wholemeal bread with butter but far more filling – and about 4g of fibre if the skin is eaten.
It also provides around 900mg of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure and support muscle and nerve function – more than a medium banana.
Potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, important for immune function and skin health, as well as B vitamins, including vitamin B6, which help the body release energy from food.
Their unhealthy reputation usually comes down to how they are cooked.
Boiled potatoes contain roughly 90 calories per 100g, but deep-frying dramatically increases this figure because of the oil absorbed during cooking.
French fries can contain more than 300 calories per 100g, while roasting in oil, mashing with cream and butter, or loading potatoes with cheese can easily double or triple the calories.
There is also an interesting nutritional quirk. Cooking and cooling potatoes – for example in potato salad – increases their resistant starch content, explains dietitian Sophie Medlin.
‘Cooking methods can change the calorie impact of carbohydrates quite significantly,’ she said.
‘When we cook, cool and then reheat foods like potatoes, bread and pasta – or freeze them before defrosting – the structure of the carbohydrate changes into what we call resistant starch.
‘This type of starch is harder for the body to digest and break down.’
This means fewer calories are absorbed. Resistant starch also acts similarly to fibre, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and helping support blood sugar control.
‘This is helpful if we’re trying to modify our weight,’ added Ms Medlin. ‘There is also evidence that consuming more resistant starch can help reduce our risk of bowel cancer.’
Oats – the high-fibre breakfast carb that can lower cholesterol
Oats are widely considered one of the healthiest carbohydrate foods because they are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol.
A typical 40g portion of oats contains around 150 calories, 27g of carbohydrates, about 4g of fibre and 5g of protein.
The fibre slows digestion, preventing sharp spikes in blood sugar and helping people stay fuller for longer.
This is why porridge is often far more filling than many processed breakfast cereals, which may contain similar calories but far less fibre.
Whole grains – the carbs linked to better heart health
Whole grains such as brown rice, barley, quinoa and whole-grain pasta contain the entire grain kernel – including the fibre-rich bran and nutrient-dense germ.
Refined grains such as white rice or white pasta remove these layers, stripping away much of the fibre and nutrients.
Although pasta is processed, whole-grain pasta is made using flour ground from the entire wheat grain, meaning much of the fibre and nutrients remain.
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS
Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count
Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain
30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on
Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts
Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day
Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
A 75g portion of whole-grain pasta provides around 3–4g of fibre, compared with roughly 1–2g in white pasta.
That difference can quickly add up across the day. Most adults in the UK consume around 18g of fibre daily, well below the recommended 30g.
Whole grains also digest more slowly, leading to a steadier release of glucose into the bloodstream.
Studies suggest people who eat around three servings of whole grains daily have roughly a 20–30 per cent lower risk of heart disease.
Ms Medlin said: ‘Wholegrains like oats, barley, wheat and beans contain resistant starch. These help control blood sugar, keep us fuller for longer and support our gut bacteria.
‘When carbohydrates are more refined, for example wholemeal versus white bread, the white bread releases sugar much more rapidly. We won’t feel full for as long, and our gut bacteria aren’t as well nourished due to the lack of fibre.
‘We should all look for ways to switch from refined carbs to wholegrain versions.’
Beans and lentils – carbs that are also high in protein
Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and black beans are among the most nutritionally dense carbohydrate foods.
A 100g portion of cooked lentils contains around 115 calories, 20g of carbohydrates, about 8g of fibre and roughly 9g of protein.
While they are not considered complete proteins, combining legumes with grains – such as beans on toast or rice and beans – provides a broader amino acid profile.
‘A good example is beans on toast, with grain protein coming from the bread,’ says Ms Medlin.
‘Having a range of protein sources in the diet – including animal and plant foods – is the most balanced approach.
‘If we increase foods like beans, which are high in fibre, and reduce meat consumption, we’re likely to improve overall health.’
Beans and lentils are also rich in resistant starch.
Sweet potatoes – a vitamin-rich alternative
Sweet potatoes provide many of the same benefits as regular potatoes but contain particularly high levels of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.
A medium sweet potato (around 130g) contains roughly 110 calories, 26g of carbohydrates and about 4g of fibre.
Boiling or baking them whole keeps calorie density modest.
However, cubing and roasting sweet potatoes for long periods removes water, concentrating their sugars – similar to what happens when fruit is dried – making them easier to overeat.
Frying sweet potatoes as chips or fries increases calories even further because the flesh absorbs oil.
Fruit – natural carbs with fibre and antioxidants
Fruit is another carbohydrate source often criticised because it contains natural sugars.
However, whole fruit also provides fibre, water and antioxidants, which slow the absorption of sugar.
Nutritionists split food into three groups based on the amount of processing they have gone through
A medium apple contains about 95 calories and 4g of fibre, while a medium banana contains roughly 105 calories, 3g of fibre and more than 400mg of potassium.
Berries and citrus fruits are particularly rich in polyphenols, compounds linked with lower inflammation and improved heart health.
Comparing fruit with sugary drinks highlights the difference between natural and processed sugars. A 330ml can of soft drink contains around 140 calories with almost no fibre.
Quinoa – a carb that also provides complete protein
Quinoa is technically a seed but is often grouped with grains.
A 100g portion of cooked quinoa contains roughly 120 calories, 21g of carbohydrates, 3g of fibre and 4g of protein.
Unlike most plant carbohydrate foods, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source.
It is also rich in magnesium, iron and manganese, minerals involved in energy metabolism and muscle function.
Vegetables – low-calorie carbs that support long-term health
Non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and spinach contain small amounts of carbohydrates but are extremely low in calories.
A 100g portion of broccoli contains only 35 calories, yet provides 2–3g of fibre and almost an entire day’s recommended intake of vitamin C.
Because they are high in fibre and water but low in energy, these vegetables increase meal volume and promote fullness while adding very few calories.
They also contain a wide range of antioxidants and phytochemicals linked to lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
