1. Starch Versus Non-Starch Veggies
When you are categorizing vegetables between starch and non-starchy versions, you may find yourself surprised at the veggies that fall in each category. For instance, potatoes and yams are not the only vegetables considered starchy. Additional vegetables high in starch include beans, corn, peas and lentils. However, since many beans and lentils contain a lot of protein and fiber, people that wish to limit their starch intake begin by eliminating the unhealthier white potatoes. To help you get rid of some of the starch veggies in your diet, you should know the non-starch vegetables you can enjoy instead. Your selections include onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms and turnips. If your taste buds aren't satisfied by these alternatives, use spices or toppings to improve the taste of the non-starch vegetables.
2. Stick to the Rule of One
When you want to limit starch vegetables in your diet, you should use the "Rule of One" to guide you through the process. This guideline requires you to cut down your starchy vegetable servings to one serving per day. Measure out this serving size and make sure it does not surpass one cup. If you're trying to limit your starches, you should only have one baked potato, sweet potato or piece of corn on the cob each day. If you find that you crave starches more than just once a day, try to split the serving size in half and eat the starch vegetable at two separate meals. Replace the starchy vegetables with healthier alternatives, like green leafy vegetables.
3. Reduce Carb Intake by Limiting Starchy Vegetables
If you're following a low-carb diet, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the starchy vegetables in order to avoid consuming them. If a vegetable has a lot of starch, then it's high in carbs as well. Luckily, you'll find that only a small number of vegetables contain a lot of starch. Start by first limiting the number of potatoes, any variety, you eat a day. Then move onto winter squashes, like pumpkin and butternut. Finally, you'll want to limit or eliminate any green beans, peas, corn and parsnips from your diet. You can safely eat many other vegetables considered low carb. Rely on healthy green veggies, cauliflower, avocado, eggplant, carrots, artichokes and more to get your daily vegetable requirement.
Member Comments