Dieters typically recoil at the mere mention of carbohydrates, which are widely considered to be the enemy of waistlines and health. New research, however, suggests that eating the right type of carbs slows down the aging process, helps to ward off 11 major chronic diseases and preserves physical function and good cognitive and mental health.
The evidence was gathered over 30 years as part of a large study published in the JAMA Network Open journal by researchers at Tufts University and Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health. “Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality may be an important factor in healthy aging,” says Andres Ardisson Korat, an assistant professor in the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.
Between 1984 and 2016, the study tracked diet and health data of more than 47,000 women from their middle age onwards. Those who had consumed the most carbohydrates of the highest nutritional quality—including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes—were up to 37 percent more likely to age healthily than those who reported consuming the lowest intakes of wholesome carbs.
Predictably, higher intakes of ultra-processed and refined carbs had a negative effect, resulting in 13 percent worse odds of healthy aging. “Refined carbohydrates, which included carbohydrates from added sugars, refined grains, and [white] potatoes, were unfavorably associated with healthy aging,” Ardisson Korat says. “Minimizing the intake of those carbohydrates is related to better healthy aging outcomes.”
“Carbohydrates have unfairly taken a bashing, but this new study reinforces that high-quality carbohydrates are essential for gut health and healthy aging,” says the dietician Bahee Van de Bor, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. “They provide a valuable source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as key vitamins and minerals that support digestion, metabolic health, immune function and beyond.”
Eli Brecher, a registered nutritionist, says that carbs should ideally be combined with protein and healthy fats in order to create a balanced meal that supports stable blood sugar and keeps you feeling full.
So which carbs should we be eating more of? We all know the benefits of whole grain carbs and that boosting our intakes of foods such as oatmeal, rye bread and brown rice is a good move. But here are 13 carbs you might want to consider eating more of, according to the experts:
1. Pears
Studies have linked pear consumption to a reduced risk of heart disease and, thanks to the high levels of beneficial phenolic compounds found particularly in the skin of the fruit, to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Pears are also one of the foods rich in flavonoids that have been associated with a healthy gut microbiome and as having a positive effect on blood pressure levels in studies by Aedín Cassidy, professor in nutrition and preventive medicine at Queen’s University in Belfast.
2. Pasta
Researchers at the University of Minnesota who reviewed 38 published studies on pasta intake for a paper in the journal Nutrients confirmed that even white pasta “does not hinder weight loss or contribute to weight gain.” According to the authors, pasta is made in a way that causes the carbohydrates to digest slowly in the body when cooked, giving a much lower glycemic response than, say, white bread. Cooling cooked pasta first also produces a lower blood sugar spike. “For added fiber, pasta made from wholewheat or legume flours such as red lentil pasta are good options,” Brecher says. “Pasta offers sustained energy with a low glycemic impact to keep you going.”
3. Red rice
A nutritional analysis of red rice, sold in many supermarkets, in the journal Molecules last year revealed it has an 87.2 percent carbohydrate content, provides some protein and also contains the beneficial plant compounds flavan-3-ols “which may provide biological benefits to human health”, according to the researchers. “Red rice is a deep red whole grain, its color indicating it is packed with a unique spectrum of antioxidants and more so than regular brown rice,” says Dr. Linia Patel, a researcher in the department of clinical sciences and community health at the Università degli Studi di Milano in Italy, and a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.
4. Raspberries
Raspberries are an overlooked berry and yet, high in fiber and polyphenols, they can “help to reduce inflammation and support a healthy gut,” Brecher says. In one study, 59 overweight participants with belly fat obesity were asked to either consume 280 grams a day of frozen raspberries or to stick to their usual diet for two months. Results showed the raspberry-rich diet to have positive effects on immune function.
5. Red kidney beans
“These are one of my favorite carb sources as great in salads and in place of meat in sauces,” Brecher says. “They are packed with plant-based protein, iron and resistant starch that feeds our gut bacteria.” Darker-colored beans such as red kidney beans and also black beans might help to maintain blood vessel health too. Researchers from the University of Manitoba in Canada showed that blood pressure was lower two hours after eating red kidney beans compared with rice.
6. Lentils
Patel says that fiber-packed beans and legumes should be a carb staple in our diets and that lentils, with a good iron content, are “also the protein powerhouse of the legume family.” For a study she published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Patel showed that eating just one 40 gram portion of dried beans or legumes (about three tablespoons when cooked) per week decreases the risk of colon cancer by 21 percent compared with those who ate none.
7. Kiwi fruit
“Two kiwis are packed with 5 grams of fiber, which is 16 percent of your recommended daily amount,” Patel says. The green flesh of the furry-skinned fruit contains tiny amounts of the hormone melatonin, which plays a role in circadian rhythm regulation, and scientists have shown that eating a couple before bed might improve sleep.
8. Figs
“Sweet from naturally occurring sugar and rich in calcium, potassium and prebiotic fiber, figs help to nourish gut bacteria,” Brecher says. “As a source of vitamin K1, they also help to support bone health.” Figs are packed with a plant hormone called abscisic acid, which helps to manage the body’s blood glucose response. A study in Diabetes journal showed that 100 to 200 milligrams of fig extract lowered blood sugar within 30 to 120 minutes. And eating more fresh or dried figs might help to reduce blood sugar levels by up to 13.5 percent in eight weeks, according to a review by food scientists at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
9. Broccoli
About seven percent of the total weight of broccoli is carbs and it is a great standby, Van de Bor says. As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, she says it also contains powerful compounds called glucosinolates that are broken down to form biologically active compounds that are known to have health benefits such as preventing damaging oxidative stress in the body.
10. Quinoa
“Quinoa provides fiber, iron, B vitamins and good amounts of protein as well as valuable carbohydrates,” Brecher says. “Technically a seed, quinoa is a complete plant protein and is naturally gluten-free, so a good option for those avoiding common grains like wheat, barley and spelt.” In a 2024 review in Frontiers in Nutrition journal, researchers from China reported that quinoa is also rich in active ingredients such as flavonoids, saponins, peptides and polysaccharides, which may help to regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels and also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, all of which are helpful in the prevention of heart disease.
11. Red cabbage
“This is a tremendous carb-loaded vegetable as it keeps for ever in the fridge, ready to supercharge any salad,” Patel says. “It is loaded with anthocyanins—the ‘daddy’ of polyphenols—which give it its purple color.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service identified 36 anthocyanins in red cabbage, which have been shown in some studies to provide cancer protection, improve brain function and promote heart health.
12. Green peas
Don’t ignore common green peas as a source of carbs in the diet. “They are a valuable sweet, starchy veg that pack a punch in terms of fiber that might help with blood sugar control,” Patel says. “They also contain vitamin K1 for bone strength and help with healthy blood clotting.”
13. Butter beans
Add butter beans to your salads and casseroles as their carb and fiber content will fill you up—and more. “Butter beans provide manganese, a trace mineral involved in antioxidant defense, bone formation and energy metabolism—all important in supporting healthy aging,” Van de Bor says. “They are also a source of folate, which supports normal cell division, red blood cell formation and helps reduce homocysteine level—a factor linked to cardiovascular health.”
Peta Bee is a U.K.-based freelance health journalist
