The significance of starchy foods and suitable choices for consumption
Starchy foods, such as whole grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes, play a crucial role in a balanced diet. These foods provide complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals essential for energy and overall health.
Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables
Whole grains like wheat, barley, quinoa, and gluten-free options such as rice, oats, buckwheat, and quinoa offer essential nutrients and fiber. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, winter squash, yams, cassava, and taro, are excellent sources of healthy complex carbs and fiber [1][3].
Legumes and Beans
Legumes, including beans, lentils, and chickpeas, add protein and fiber alongside starch for a well-rounded nutrition profile [1][3][4]. Examples of legumes are black beans, lentils, and chickpeas, which provide a good amount of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates [2].
Fruits
Fruits contribute natural sugars but also important fiber and vitamins. Starchy fruits like bananas, plantains, and some tropical fruits provide potassium, vitamin B6, and resistant starch when green [1][2][5].
Balanced Consumption
Choosing these starchy foods, especially in their whole, minimally processed forms, supports sustained energy, digestive health, and heart health as part of a balanced diet [4]. Research suggests that foods containing fiber increase satiety and offer other health benefits, including improving the body's insulin sensitivity and reducing fat storage [6].
Carbohydrate Intake
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a daily value of 275 grams of total carbohydrates per day, which can vary based on factors such as height, weight, activity level, and total daily calorie intake. Many starchy foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and beans, are high in fiber [7]. The FDA suggests that for every 1,800 calories, 25.2 grams (g) should come from fiber.
Cooking and Storage
Starchy foods provide readily available energy to the body as they are a suitable source of carbohydrates. However, it's important to be mindful of the cooking process, as starchy foods can produce acrylamide, a potentially harmful chemical, when cooked at high temperatures for a sustained time. The FDA suggests limiting exposure to acrylamide by avoiding high-temperature cooking, being aware that certain foods have higher potential quantities of acrylamide, and storing starchy foods in a cool, dry place, but not the refrigerator [8].
Diabetes Considerations
People with diabetes may wish to contact a healthcare professional, registered dietitian, or certified diabetes educator for advice on managing their starchy food intake, as it is important to be mindful of starchy food intake due to their high carbohydrate content [9].
[1] American Diabetes Association. (2019). Carbohydrate counting. https://www.diabetes.org/nutrition/carbohydrates
[2] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2020). Beans. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/beans/
[3] Healthline. (2021). Whole grains. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whole-grains
[4] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Carbohydrates: How many carbs do you need each day? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/how-many-carbs-do-you-need-each-day/faq-20058109
[5] Nutrition.gov. (2021). Whole grains. https://www.nutrition.gov/health/dietary-guidance/grain-foods/
[6] Nutrition.gov. (2021). Fiber. https://www.nutrition.gov/nutrition-topics/dietary-fiber
[7] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Daily values for fiber. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-ingredient-reviews-and-other-approvals/daily-values-fiber
[8] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Acrylamide in foods. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-pet-food-ingredients/acrylamide-foods
[9] American Diabetes Association. (2019). Diabetes meal planning. https://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/meal-planning
Whole grains and starchy vegetables, like brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, and winter squash, are valuable sources of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, contributing to a healthy-diets, fitness-and-exercise routine, and overall health-and-wellness. The science of nutrition recommends including legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans, in one's diet, as they provide essential proteins, fibers, and complex carbs for nutrition, and well-rounded fitness-and-exercise performance. In addition to being important components of a balanced diet, fruits, such as bananas, plantains, and tropical fruits, offer natural sugars, fiber, and vital vitamins, supporting a healthy lifestyle and digestive health.
