Whole grains: the best of the best

I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love their carbs. Whether it's pasta or pretzels, cookies or cake, everyone has their carb of choice. The key to incorporating them into a healthy diet is to eat the ones with little nutritional value only from time to time (the refined type, which can lead to obesity, heart disease, stroke, heart attack, and diabetes), and to eat the ones high in nutritional value on a more regular basis (those being whole grains, meaning their kernels are still intact).

Now, here comes the golden question: which carbs are the most beneficial for a healthy diet? I'm going to make answering this very easy for you, for below is Organic Gardening's list of the 11 Healthiest Whole Grains:

Whole wheat: A good source of fiber, but be sure to you're eating the right type. When at the food store, make sure the packaging says "100% whole wheat," not just "wheat."

Whole oats/oatmeal: Oats are abundant in avenanthramide, which helps to protect your heart. To get the most out of your oatmeal, stray away from the flavored instant-packets and instead aim for plain varieties. You can then mix in your own nutritious toppings, such as honey, fruit, or cinnamon. This will eliminate the high-fructose corn syrup found in the flavored packets and provide you with a healthy dose of antioxidants.

Bulgar: Just one cup of this grain will provide you with nearly 75% of your daily fiber and 25% of your daily protein.

Brown rice: Believe it or not, white rice is actually brown rice sans all of the nutritional benefit. When brown rice goes through the milling process (thus, turning into white rice), 75% of its antioxidants, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins go with it. You can also go for basmati, jasmine, wild, red, or black rice, all of which are considered whole grains.

Whole-grain barley: Eating this grain regularly can lower cholesterol levels. Be sure to buy "whole-grain" and not "pearled,"in which the bran and germ have been extracted.

Whole rye: This carb has contains more nutrients than any of the other whole grains per 100-calorie serving. Again, be sure to purchase "whole rye," not plain ol' "rye," to take in the benefits.

Buckwheat: Containing a high dosage of both magnesium and manganese, this carb and can typically be tolerated by those with celiac disease.

Whole-wheat couscous: By choosing whole-wheat over its refined counterpart, you up your fiber intake by about 5 grams.

Corn: When eaten whole, corn can be very beneficial for a healthy diet! Providing you with magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, you have a great excuse to snag a bowl of popcorn before settling down for a movie (leaving out all of the salt and butter, of course!).

Quinoa: My personal favorite! Actually considered a seed, quinoa contains more protein than any other grain and provides you with a mean dose of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Freekeh: This lesser-known carb contains more vitamins and minerals than other carbs. Additionally, freekeh boasts 4x more fiber than brown rice and aids in digestion.

Next time you're making selections at the food store or out ordering a sandwich, keep this information in mind. Don't forget to read labels closely and to ask the guy behind the deli counter to be specific when listing your bread options. Eat your carbs, but do so wisely!