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. (1,2)

Healthy high carb foods like whole grains, plus fruits and vegetables (also classed as carbohydrates) are an essential part of a balanced diet. Eating plenty of healthy high carb foods reduces the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, type II diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. (3,4) On the other hand, excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can increase our risk of the same diseases. (4,5)

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. (6)

Below is a list of foods highest in carbohydrates to avoid. For more see the extended list of carb-rich restaurant foods to avoid. To see a list of which carbs to eat, see the list of healthy high-carb foods.

Top 10 High Carb Foods to Avoid

• 1. Fast Foods (Hot Cakes with Syrup) + Add

  Carbs per 3 Pancakes	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  101.8g (37% DV)	46.1g (17% DV)	33.9g (12% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for McDonald's, Hotcakes (with 2 pats margarine & syrup). (Source)

  See the full list of fast foods high in carbs.

• 2. Soft Pretzels + Add

  Carbs in 1 Large	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  101.6g (37% DV)	71g (26% DV)	41.2g (15% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Soft Pretzels. (Source)

  Other Refined Bread Products High in Carbs

  • 72g (24% DV) in a slice of French bread
  • 49g (16% DV) in a pice of naan bread
  • 25g (8% DV) in a hamburger roll
  • 25g (8% DV) in a hotdog roll
  • 25g (8% DV) in a flour tortilla
• 3. Ready to Eat Cereals (Familia) + Add

  Carbs per Cup	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  90g (33% DV)	73.8g (27% DV)	38g (14% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Familia Swiss Muesli Cereal. (Source)

  See the full list of 200 cereals high in carbs.

• 4. Milkshakes + Add

  Carbs per 12oz Cup	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  86.1g (31% DV)	25.6g (9% DV)	30.2g (11% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Light Ice Cream, soft serve, blended with cookie pieces. (Source)

  More Unhealthy Dairy Foods High in Carbohydrates

  • 168g (61% DV) per cup of dulce de leche
  • 69g (25% DV) per serving of soft-serv ice-cream
  • 33g (12% DV) per ice-cream sandwich
  • 27g (10% DV) in a cup of hot cocoa
  • 20g (7% DV) in a cup of eggnog

  See the complete list of dairy foods high in carbohydrates.

• 5. Cereal Bars (Nutri-Grain) + Add

  Carbs per Bar	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  84.4g (31% DV)	72.8g (26% DV)	39.4g (14% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Nutrigrain Mixed Berry Cereal Bar. (Source)

  Other Cereal Bars High in Carbs

  • 45g (16% DV) in a Quaker Oatmeal Bar
  • 39g (14% DV) in a Mars Marathon Protein Performance Bar
  • 39g (14% DV) in a South Beach Protein Bar
  • 33g (12% DV) in a Slim Fast Omptima Meal Bar
  • 30g (11% DV) in a Snicker's Marathon Bar

  Note: There are some healthy cereal bars available if you check the ingredients and choose wisely. Look for bars made of whole grains such as oats, and bars containing nuts, seeds, dried fruit. Be sure there are no added sugars, sweeteners, or chemical additives.

• 6. Cake with Frosting + Add

  Carbs per Slice	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  79.7g (29% DV)	55.4g (20% DV)	29.2g (11% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Yellow Cake With Chocolate Frosting. (Source)

  More Baked Confections High in Carbs

  • 71g (25% DV) per slice of white cake with coconut frosting
  • 43g (16% DV) per slice of blueberry pie
  • 39g (14% DV) per chocolate cookie
  • 36g (13% DV) per piece of gingerbread
  • 36g (13% DV) in a small muffin

  See the list of baked foods high in carbohydrates.

• 7. Canned Fruits (Sweetened Peaches) + Add

  Carbs per Cup	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  67.2g (24% DV)	25.3g (9% DV)	52.1g (19% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Pears Canned In Syrup. (Source)

  More Canned Fruits High in Carbs

  • 65g (23% DV) per cup of prunes canned in heavy syrup
  • 54g (19% DV) per cup of sweetened canned apricots
  • 54g (19% DV) per cup of sweetened canned blueberries

  Note: Look for fruits canned in fruit juice instead and eat fresh fruit whenever possible.

• 8. Sugary Drinks (Cream Soda) + Add

  Carbs per 16oz Bottle	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  65.7g (24% DV)	13.3g (5% DV)	52.2g (19% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Cream Soda. (Source)

  Other Sugary Drinks High in Carbs

  • 66g (24% DV) per 16oz glass of orange juice
  • 60g (21% DV) per 16oz bottle of Ocean Spray Cran-Pomegranate.
  • 60g (21% DV) per 16oz glass of sweetened lemon black tea
  • 60g (21% DV) per 16oz glass of V-8 V-Fusion Strawberry Banana
  • 60g (21% DV) per 16oz bottle of orange soda
  • 51g (19% DV) per 16oz glass of cola soft drink
  • 51g (19% DV) per 16oz glass of root beer
  • 42g (15% DV) per 16oz glass of ginger ale

  See the complete list of drinks high in carbohydrates.

• 9. Snacks (Corn Chips) + Add

  Carbs per Cup	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  50.5g (18% DV)	57.4g (21% DV)	20.6g (7% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Extruded Corn Chips. (Source)

  Other Snacks High in Carbs

  • 46g (17% DV) per cup of tortilla chips
  • 36g (13% DV) per 2oz bag of Utz Veggie Chips
  • 36g (13% DV) per 1.9oz bag of kettle chips

  See the complete list of high carbohydrate snacks.

• 10. Candies (Jelly Gumdrops) + Add

  Carbs per 10 Pieces	Carbs per 100g	Carbs per 200 Calories
  35.6g (13% DV)	98.9g (36% DV)	49.9g (18% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Jelly Gumdrops. (Source)

  See the full list of sweets and candies high in carbs.

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Restaurant Foods High in Carbs

Food	Serving	Carbs
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)

What is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for Carbohydrates?

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 Stage	RDA
Infants
0-6 months old*	60g
7-12 months old*	95g
Children
1-3 years old	130g
4-8 years old	130g
Males
9+ years old	130g
Females
9+ years old	130g
Pregnancy
14-50 years old	175g
Lactation
14-50 years old	210g

* Adequate Intake (AI)
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids.

From the Nutrient Ranking Tool

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

• Foods High in Carbohydrates
• Foods Low in Carbohydrates
• Vegetables High in Carbohydrates
• Fruits High in Carbohydrates
• Vegetarian Foods High in Carbohydrates
• Nuts High in Carbohydrates
• Grains High in Carbohydrates
• Beans High in Carbohydrates
• Dairy High in Carbohydrates
• Breakfast Cereals High in Carbohydrates
• Fast Foods High in Carbohydrates

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

Related

• Healthy High Carb Foods
• High Sugar Foods
• High Protein Foods
• High Calorie Foods
• The BMI Weight Loss Calculator
• Cholesterol Lowering Foods
• Low Carb Weight Loss Meal Plans
• 11 Foods To Help You Build Muscle

Data Sources and References

1. Qi X, Tester RF. Physiology, Carbohydrates Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2019 Oct;33:18-28. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2019.07.004. Epub 2019 Jul 19. 31451258
2. Wali JA, Raubenheimer D, Senior AM, Le Couteur DG, Simpson SJ. Importance of Carbohydrate Quality: What Does It Mean and How to Measure It? Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Jan 21;117(2):386-401. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa136. 32386289
3. Slavin J. Whole grains and human health Proc Nutr Soc. 2003 Feb;62(1):129-34. doi: 10.1079/PNS2002221. 12740067
4. Perler BK, Friedman ES, Wu GD. The Burden of Carbohydrates in Health and Disease Annu Rev Physiol. 2023 Feb 10;85:449-468. doi: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-031522-092054. Epub 2022 Nov 14. 36375468
5. Sievenpiper JL. Carbohydrates: Separating fact from fiction Nutr Rev. 2020 Aug 1;78(Suppl 1):69-77. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz082. 32728757
6. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels