The #1 thing that has helped me the most in my personal weight management journey is limiting starchy foods.
I generally think a diet that is overall low in starchy foods is good for our health. Here is a great, well-written, well-researched article: Important nutrition myths debunked!
Benefits Of Starchy Vegetables
Now, if you’re asking yourself if starchy foods are bad…
Starchy foods are NOT BAD! No food is bad 🙂 There are no “good foods” or “bad foods”.
Starchy foods are helpful for many reasons:
We need the nutrients they provide!
They’re emotionally satisfying
They provide immediate energy
BUT, eating a diet higher in protein and fat (while still including some starchy foods), compared to a diet higher in starchy foods, may be more filling and help us more easily meet our health goals – whether those are weight loss, weight management, or weight gain.
When hearing this, some people say: but don’t you need carbohydrates to function? I thought carbohydrates were an important part of the diet?
True BUT…
did you know?
So many other foods also include carbohydrates:
Dairy foods (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.)
Nuts
Sauces
Dressings
Desserts
Beans and legumes (including lentils, hummus, and falafel)
Fruit
Non-starchy vegetables like greens and tomatoes
Therefore! I would strongly argue that even by limiting the number of starchy carbohydrates in the diet, you are still getting plenty of total carbohydrates 🙂
A common misconception people have is that starchy food is the same as carbohydrates – but the fact is, you can get carbohydrates from other food sources as well, not just from starchy foods!
Ok, now that we covered the difference between starchy and non-starchy foods, and why you should eat each of those, let’s cover what vegetables fall into which category.
On to what is classified as what – starchy and non-starchy foods! This will help you create your meal plans with ease – you’ll know what foods to include, and how much.
Starches vs. Non-Starchy Vegetables
FOOD SOURCES OF STARCH
What Are Starches?
Starches include grains like bread, rice, pasta, and quinoa, and starchy vegetables include beans, peas, corn, potatoes, hummus, falafel, and French fries.
Here’s a (pretty) complete list! And what “1 serving” includes (about 120 calories per serving.)
Grains
Bagel: 1/2 bagel
Barley: 1/2 cup cooked
Bread – white, whole wheat, rye, etc.: 1 medium slice
Bulgar: 1/2 cup cooked
Farro: 1/2 cup cooked
Flour – whole wheat, corn meal, rye etc.
Oatmeal: 1/2 cup uncooked
Pasta: 1/2 cup cooked
Quinoa: 1/2 cup cooked
Rice – white, brown, wild: 1/2 cup cooked
Starchy Vegetables List
Acorn squash: 2 cups
Beans, lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas: 1/2 cup cooked
Butternut squash: 2 cups
Corn: 1 cup kernels
Hummus: 1/3 cup
Falafel: depends on the type!
Parsnips: 1 cup cooked
Peas: 1 cup cooked
Plantains: 1/2 medium, raw
Popcorn: 4 cups popped
Potato – sweet, white, etc.: 1 medium potato
Pumpkin: 2 cups
WHAT ARE NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES
Benefits Of Non-Starchy Vegetables
Non-starchy veggies are also so important to eat for a number of reasons:
They have so many antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help your overall health
They add a lot of VOLUME to meals and snacks, without adding many calories, which makes them great if you want to lose weight
They’re good for weight loss, as they don’t have lots of calories
They’re very nutritious and help keep you full
They’re very versatile and they can be turned into so many different dishes – from soups, salads, stews, pasta sauces grilled veggies, casseroles, to literally anything you want to eat
Non-Starchy Vegetables List
1 serving = 1 cup – except for leafy greens, where 2 cups of raw leafy greens = 1 cup of vegetables (because there’s so much air in there!)
Artichoke/ hearts
Asparagus
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green beans
Leafy greens e.g. collard, kale, mustard, turnip, bok choy, kohlrabi
Jicama
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Peppers
Radishes
Snap peas
Sprouts
Summer squash
Spaghetti squash
Tomato
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Zucchini
