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Carbohydrates Tier List
Fiber and wholeness do the heavy lifting here. Refined grains get exactly what they deserve.

Farro
49Chewy, nutty, and the highest-protein grain here at 5g per 100g cooked.

Amaranth
47Tiny seeds, outsized mineral panel — iron and magnesium lead the grains.

Corn (Sweet)
47A vegetable that eats like a grain — decent fiber, real sweetness.

Potato (White)
47535mg potassium per 100g — more than a banana, unfairly maligned.

Buckwheat
45Not wheat, no gluten, complete-ish protein. The underdog grain.

Wild Rice
44Not actually rice — a grass seed with more protein and zinc than the real thing.

Brown Rice
40White rice with its nutrients left on. The fiber gap is the whole story.

Millet
40Mild and inoffensive — nutritionally average, culinarily versatile.

Barley
39The fiber sleeper — 3.8g per 100g cooked, more than brown rice or oats.

Rice Cakes (Brown Rice)
38Packaging foam you can eat — the crunch is the point.

Pita (Whole Wheat)
33The pocket bread — portion control built into the shape.

Couscous
26Pasta's tiny cousin — same story, smaller granules.

Pasta (White)
26Energy delivery, plain and simple. The sauce is doing the nutritional work.
Questions
How are carbohydrates scored?
Every food is scored 0–100 per 100 calories across five factors (protein, fiber, micronutrients and more depending on the category), combined with fixed weights, then ranked. The top 10% of the board earn S tier. Full methodology.
What is the healthiest carbohydrate?
By our numbers: Popcorn (Air-Popped) — S tier, 55/100. See its full breakdown.




