Top 10 Foods Highest in Carbohydrates (To Limit or Avoid)

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Carbohydrates (To Limit or Avoid)

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients required by the body for proper functioning and good health. The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body including the brain, which also runs on glucose.

Healthy high carb foods like whole grains, plus fruits and vegetables (which are also classed as carbohydrates) are an essential part of a balanced diet, and eating plenty of these foods reduces the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, type II diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. On the other hand, excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can increase our risk of the same diseases.

Unhealthy high carbohydrate foods include pancakes, soft pretzels, bread products, ready-to-eat cereals, milkshakes, ice-cream, cereal bars, cake, pies, muffins, sweetened canned fruits, sugary drinks, fruit juices, corn chips, potato chips, and candies. Healthy high carbohydrate foods include whole grains, beans, vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds. The daily value (DV) for carbohydrates is 275 grams. For more healthy high carbohydrate choices see the list of healthy high carb foods.

Below is a list of foods highest in carbohydrates, for more see the extended list of carb rich restaurant foods.

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A printable list of the top 10 foods highest in carbs to avoid.

Restaurant Foods High in Carbs

FoodServingCarbs
1. Sweet and Sour Chicken per order 61% DV
(168.5g)
2. Vegetable Lo Mein per order 54% DV
(149.4g)
3. Fast Foods (Applebees Onion Rings) per order 51% DV
(140.6g)
4. Fast Foods (Hot Cakes with Syrup) per 3 pancakes 37% DV
(101.8g)
5. Carrabbas Italian Grill Spaghetti With Pomodoro Sauce per order 33% DV
(91.1g)
6. Olive Garden Spaghetti With Meat Sauce per order 33% DV
(90.2g)
7. McDonalds McFlurry With Oreo Cookies per 12oz shake 31% DV
(86.1g)
8. Taco Bell Taco Salad per order 29% DV
(80.5g)
9. TGI Fridays French Fries per order 25% DV
(67.9g)
10. Dennys Mozzarella Cheese Sticks per order 23% DV
(62.1g)

The daily value (%DV) for carbohydrates is 275g and is a general target intended for most people. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) shows specific targets by age and gender. The RDA for carbohydrates is between 60g - 130g for most people.

Life StageRDA
Infants
0-6 months old*60g
7-12 months old*95g
Children
1-3 years old130g
4-8 years old130g
Males
9+ years old130g
Females
9+ years old130g
Pregnancy
14-50 years old175g
Lactation
14-50 years old210g
* Adequate Intake (AI)
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids.

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that\'s found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It\'s more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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