Grains & Starches
Rice, oats, pasta, potatoes, bread and other carb sources, with cooked values for grains. The carbs that fuel training, refill glycogen and support muscle gain.
Most protein per calorie in this group: Whole-wheat / whole-grain bread (5.0 g per 100 kcal).
Quick picks
Oats, rolled (dry, uncooked)
Slow-digesting beta-glucan carbs for a pre-workout breakfast. If you're celiac, buy certified gluten-free oats.
→Whole-wheat / whole-grain bread
Look for "100% whole wheat" as the first ingredient; two slices give about 8 g protein.
→Bagel, plain, enriched
One medium bagel is about 270 kcal, mostly carbs: an easy pre-workout or bulking breakfast.
→Tortilla, wheat flour
Convenient for high-protein wraps; low-carb and high-fiber versions vary widely by brand.
→White bread, enriched
Fast-digesting carbs that work well 30-60 minutes pre-workout with jam or honey.
→Corn flakes cereal
Fortified with iron and B vitamins; a fast carb for post-workout bowls with protein milk.
→Whole-wheat pasta (cooked)
More fiber and minerals than regular pasta, which helps with fullness on a cut.
→Pasta, enriched (cooked, unsalted)
Dry pasta grows about 2.2-2.5x in weight when cooked; al dente pasta digests more slowly.
→Tortilla, corn
Smaller, gluten-free and lower in calories per tortilla than flour versions.