Starchy foods are among the most commonly consumed items in the Western diet. They include corn and other grains, bread, pasta, beans, potatoes, peas, carrots and rice. Starches are known as complex carbohydrates, because they have longer chains of sugar molecules than simple carbohydrates, such as table sugar. Complex carbohydrates take longer to be broken down by the body and are more nutrient-rich and beneficial for good health.
Healthiest Starches
Beans are among the healthiest starchy foods you can eat because they are high in fiber and plant-based protein, which means they have no saturated fats or cholesterol. They also include other nutrients and antioxidants, which help fight against the molecules that can cause health problems, such as cancer. Starchy foods that include whole grains include fiber, which is vital to good digestion and overall health. Peas, carrots and other starchy vegetables contain vitamins and nutrients, such as calcium, B vitamins and iron, that contribute to good health.
Starches to Limit
Starchy foods that are less beneficial include enriched grains that have been stripped of the two outer layers of the grain, which is where most of the fiber and nutrients are located. The remaining inner-third portion of the grain is the starchy part, with much less nutritional value. This is why you should opt for whole-grain breads and pastas, rather than products that include "enriched flour."
How Starches are Digested
Starches are digested in a two-fold process. The first is when saliva starts to break down starches into a form of sugar called maltose. Then enzymes in the small intestines continue to break down maltose molecules into simpler sugars called glucose, which is absorbed by the body to be used as energy. Glucose that isn't used by the body for energy is stored and is eventually converted into fat. So if you eat a lot of starchy foods, know that you'll need to engage in a lot of fat-burning exercise to keep from gaining weight.
Misconceptions
Starchy foods are often thought of as fattening, but this isn't true. Starches on their own contain fewer calories than fats, even healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil. What gives starchy foods their bad reputation are the things we add to them, such as whole-fat sour cream on a baked potato or heavy sauces on pasta.
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