You must cut out starchy foods if you choose a low-carb dieting plan to lose weight. You also may cut back on starchy foods if you are working to control diabetes or irritable bowel syndrome. Starchy foods include pasta, bread, rice, cereal and potatoes. These foods are high on the glycemic index, whereas low-starch foods are low on this index, note Rob Thompson and Dana Carpender in "The Low-Starch Diabetes Solution."
Fruits and Vegetables
High-fiber fruits and vegetables are often low in starch, with potatoes being the exception. Per serving, raspberries have the top fiber content, followed by pears, apples and strawberries, according to MayoClinic.com. High-fiber veggies include artichokes and broccoli. Other nonstarchy veggies include asparagus, beans, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, jicima, okra, peppers, radishes, tomatoes and turnips.
A starch is essentially a chain of sugar molecules, which are made up of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. Starch comes in varying configurations, some of which are easier to break into sugar molecules than others, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Starch in potatoes is digested and subsequently absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, making it a "starchy" vegetable.
Cereals and Grains
Breakfast cereals based on oats, bran and barley have a lower glycemic index than other types, and breads with stone-ground flour, whole grains or sourdough are also considered low glycemic index foods, according to the University of Sydney in Australia, which maintains a comprehensive glycemic index database.
Long-grain rice and wild rice also are lower than white rice. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends foods like wheat berries, bulgur, millet or hulled barley.
Foods such as fish, meat, eggs, avocados and fats do not have carbohydrates, so they are not starches, according to the University of Sydney.
Starch Exchanges
On food exchange lists, a serving of starch counts for 15 g carbohydrates and 80 calories per serving, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. You can eat higher quantities of some starches, such as popcorn, with 3 cups counting as one starch exchange. This compares to a food like pasta, in which a ½ cup serving counts as a starch.
References
- Food Standards Agency: Starchy Foods
- "The Low-Starch Diabetes Solution"; Rob Thompson and Dana Carpender; 2009
- "The Great Physician's RX for Irritable Bowel Syndrome"; Jordan Rubin and Joseph Brasco; 2006
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates---Good Carbs Guide the Way
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Food Exchange Lists
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