Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram and are a macronutrient. When they are consumed, they get converted to glucose and they are either used for energy immediately or stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles, and used for energy at a later date. Foods that are high in carbs and low in fat are natural sources.
Fruit
Fruits are high in carbs, vitamins, fiber and water content. They also contain little if any fat. Specific examples of the highest carb fruits include apples, pears, raisins, dates, peaches, bananas, grapefruits, grapes, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes and pineapples.
Vegetables
Vegetables are similar to fruits in the fact they they are low in fat and high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and water content. The place they differ is the carb content. Only a select few vegetables are high in carbs and they include acorn and winter squash, sweet potatoes, yams and regular potatoes.
Legumes
Legumes are seeds that are contained inside a pod. These are high in fiber, carbs and vitamins and they are low in fat. Examples include peas, lentils, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, soy beans, kidney beans and lima beans.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are high in fiber, B vitamins and complex carbs. They are also low in fat. Examples of these are oats, all forms of rice, amaranth, quinoa, corn, barley, rye, sorghum, buckwheat, regular wheat and millet. Products that are made from these grains are also low in fat and high in carbs like bread, bagels, cereal, crackers and all types of pasta.
Dairy
All dairy products are high in calcium, protein and fat when they are in their whole-fat forms. Butter, cheese, regular cream and sour cream are dairy products that are low in carbs, but high in fat. However, some dairy products are high in carbs and low in fat. Examples of these are low-fat or fat-free yogurt, low-fat and skim milk, buttermilk and chocolate milk made with reduced-fat milk.