Starchy fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients with virtually no sodium or fat, but they may be higher in calories than non-starchy produce. To avoid weight gain and keep your blood sugar stable, treat starchy vegetables as part of the grains and cereals group, and eat them in moderate portions. Eat non-starchy produce to meet most of your daily requirement of fruits and vegetables.
Types
Although you may eat bananas on a regular basis, you may not be as familiar with other starchy fruits, such as plaintain or breadfruit. Starchy vegetables include white potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and taro. Some starchy foods that you eat as vegetables, such as sweet corn and peas, cross over into different food groups. Corn is a cereal grain, while peas are legumes. However, the American Dietetic Association classifies white potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and peas, as starchy vegetables, which have 80 calories per serving. Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, zucchini, spinach and tomatoes, have 25 calories per serving.
Contents
Fruits and vegetables may contain three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches or fiber. Because your body doesn't digest most of the fiber that you eat, only sugars and starches contribute to the caloric value of a food and its effect on your blood sugar. Starchy fruits and vegetables have a different distribution of carbohydrates than their non-starchy counterparts. A medium banana, which is starchy, has 105 calories, 14 g of sugar, 6 g of starch and 3 g of fiber. A medium apple, which is not starchy, has 118 calories, 18 g of sugar, 0.09 g of starch and 4 g of fiber.
Significance
Because your body breaks down some forms of starch into glucose rapidly, starchy fruits and vegetables rank higher on the glycemic index a method used for measuring the effects of a carbohydrate-containing food on your blood sugar on a scale of one to 100. White potatoes rank near the top of the scale, meaning that your blood sugar rises quickly after you eat them. Bananas and sweet potatoes have a moderate effect on your blood sugar. By contrast, dark green vegetables such as spinach or romaine lettuce have such low amounts of digestible carbohydrate that they have no GI value.
Benefits
The starch content in these fruits and vegetables doesn't mean you should eliminate them from your diet. These foods provide fat-free energy combined with fiber, which satisfies your appetite and regulates your digestion. Starchy fruits and vegetables also offer essential vitamins and minerals. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, while sweet potatoes and yams are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Recommendations
If you eat white potatoes frequently, substitute sweet potatoes or yams two or three times per week. These orange root vegetables have a lower impact on your blood sugar. You can balance out the glycemic effects of sweet potatoes, peas or corn by eating non-starchy vegetables, such as spinach or a green salad, and a lean protein such as fish or poultry at the same meal, according to the Glycemic Index Foundation.
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