What are starches?

Ilovepeppers

I can't help but sit here and think I'm doing something wrong eating my baked potato and pasts for dinner... Calories are within reason but isn't there something out there about avoiding starches? Are they ok?

Sunshine_Girlie

I eat starches everyday, but I don't eat a bunch of them. Whole grains are your best bet. They have less calories, carbs, sugars, and fat. You also have starchy vegetables such as peas, corn, potatoes, okra, and dried beans.

absie107

Ehh.... I highly recommend ditching grains and super-starchy vegetables (for the most part... a sweet potato and carrots here and there aren't going to do any harm). Basically... carbs = insulin spike = fat storage.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/

That might help explain it... there are plenty of other sources that explain it though. It's biochemistry.

RDH0513

When I am eating more carbs some days- i keep them in the morning. Starches are your white carbohydrates. white potatos, white pasta, white bread, white rice, etc... switch the baked potato with a sweet potato, or have brown instead of white. you will feel full at dinner but not so much of that overly full feeling. With my dinners I stick with veggies like asparagus or green beans!

sarah44254

Of course. All foods are ok within a certain spectrum. Starches (carbs) give energy. You just want to be able to space out eating them during the day so that you can avoid insulin spikes. This isn't something that only diabetics need to know, it is knowledge that can help every person.

There are plenty of folks who believe low carb diets are the way to go. I personally eat between 90-150 carbs a day. I can eat plenty less and still be satisfied, but it just kinda ends up that way.

As a starter, eat your calorie goal. Then as you get used to doing that, focus on getting the minor goals within a good level,too.

HeatherScottTN

baked potatoes and pasta will not help you lose weight but if you are getting plenty of exercise, you can still do it. I'd suggest only having a carbohydrate (small portion of pasta or half a baked potato) and maybe only carbs at one meal (either breakfast or lunch if possible). The suggestion of sticking with the complex carbs if possible is best... brown rice, whole grain pasta.

stay away from corn and peas....

basically, if you think of it like this.. . What do we feed pigs and cows to fatten them up before they are sold? if you do not know... CORN. Corn converts to sugar easily in our system...the same as all the white flour type carbs. If we don't need the energy, it converts to fat very easily.

Everything in moderation.

Sunjenk

When I am eating more carbs some days- i keep them in the morning. Starches are your white carbohydrates. white potatos, white pasta, white bread, white rice, etc... switch the baked potato with a sweet potato, or have brown instead of white. you will feel full at dinner but not so much of that overly full feeling. With my dinners I stick with veggies like asparagus or green beans!

\

I never understood this topic either, but your post specifically helped me finally understand!! Thanks!

Lleldiranne

Starches are the simplest of the complex carbs. They have the same calories as any other kind of carb. They need to be broken down (which simple carbs don't) and so generally satisfy you for longer than sugars, but they break down pretty quickly, so not as much satisfaction as more complex carbs or proteins or fats.
Starches are found in breads, pastas, potatoes, most cereals, crackers, chips, pretzels, etc. Basically, if it's made of flour, especially white flour, it has starch. So do white rice and white potatoes.

Starches are a pretty basic part of most diets. It's hard to cut out all starches unless we cut out most of the carbs. While there are diets that promote very low carb, our body needs carbohydrates to function (especially the central nervous system). Starches are part of that. It's best to get your starches (and all carbs) from foods that have other nutrients as well - vitamins, minerals, etc. Go for whole grains when you can (wheat bread, brown rice, etc). White potatoes actually have a fair amount of vitamins, especially if you eat the skins too. I'd be more worried about what is going on the potato ... or if it's fried into chips or fries. Of course, you don't want to eat too much. But the same goes for everything!