On the one hand, eating vegetables is an important part of a healthy diet. On the other hand, some starchy vegetables (primarily corn and potatoes) can have a fairly high glycemic index, comparable to white bread and rice.
In particular, the World Health Organization guidebook, speaking about the benefits of vegetables in nutrition, specifically mentions the need to control the amount of starch in the diet – even for healthy people, not to mention people with diabetes.
Starchy vegetables – what are they?
Starch is the main form of carbohydrate energy storage in vegetables. It is formed in plants during their growth through photosynthesis (that is, under the action of sunlight). Like fiber, starch is a type of complex carbohydrate, consisting of long chains of molecules.
However, if fiber is not absorbed by the human body, then starch is absorbed. Moreover, the carbohydrates contained in it (amylose and amylopectin polysaccharides), when they enter the stomach, quickly break down to glucose and increase blood sugar levels.
Since diet in the presence of diabetes involves controlling the intake of carbohydrates, the doctor may advise limiting starchy vegetables. In addition, with diabetes, any products made from refined starch are most often prohibited.
List of starchy vegetables
A vegetable is any edible part of a plant. In fact, vegetables include even legumes – peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils, and soy – as well as cereals. At the same time, the main sources of starch in modern nutrition are wheat, rice, potatoes, and corn.
Starchy vegetables – list:
- Legumes
- Corn
- Potato
- Sweet potato
- Pumpkin
- Root vegetables (parsnips, artichokes, rhubarb)
- Carrots
Carbohydrate content in vegetables
The leader in carbohydrate content among starchy vegetables are corn and potatoes – on average, there are about 20 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of these vegetables (including 10-15 g of starch and no more than 1-3 g of fiber). Pumpkin contains about 5-10 g of carbohydrates per 100 g (half of them are starch).
As for carrots and starchy root vegetables (beets, radishes, celery, radishes, etc.), the carbohydrate content in them does not exceed 10 g per 100 g, and starch accounts for no more than 1-3 g. The only exception is Jerusalem artichoke – it contains 20 g of carbohydrates and about 5 g of starch.
Separately, it is worth considering legumes – in fact, related to starchy vegetables. Green peas contain about 15 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, of which 2-4 g is starch.
Is there starch in tomatoes?
Although tomatoes may look like starchy vegetables, about 95% of their weight is water. The total carbohydrate content is about 5 g per 100 g – moreover, the starch in the composition of tomatoes is negligible.
In zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, and other bulky vegetables, water also prevails – the total amount of carbohydrates rarely exceeds 5-7 g per 100 g, and there is practically no starch in their composition.
Can you eat potatoes?
It must be understood that 400 g of potatoes (2 medium potatoes) is about 60 g of starch, which is quickly transformed into glucose during digestion.
The glycemic index of boiled potatoes is about 70-80 units – and rises even more in the case of mashed potatoes.
Recommendations
In practice, a serving of fresh starchy vegetables (with the exception of potatoes and corn) contains very little carbohydrate and starch. That is, radishes, beets, and radishes are allowed for diabetes – naturally, as part of a general diet approved by a specialist.
As for pumpkins, potatoes, and corn, their use in the presence of diabetes, if not prohibited, should be limited. Even so, one small potato or bowl of pumpkin soup is fine (unless otherwise directed by your doctor).
Any food products made from potatoes and corn, such as chips, fall under an unambiguous ban. In addition, canned starchy vegetables may contain more carbohydrates than fresh ones (due to the addition of sugar).
With the exception of potatoes and corn, most starchy vegetables contain negligible amounts of starch – eating them fresh is usually acceptable if you have diabetes. Under an unambiguous ban, any products made from processed potato starch fall.