What are Starchy Vegetables?
Starchy vegetables get a bad rap for being “unhealthy.” I mean, potatoes and corn aren’t even really in the vegetable food group, right? Many blame starch for preventing weight loss and wreaking havoc on blood sugar levels. Discover the reasons why starchy vegetables are must-have foods.
So, which vegetables are starchy?
Starchy Vegetable List
- Corn
- Green Peas
- Black-eyed peas
- Green split peas
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Parsnips
- Yams
- Taro
- Cassava
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Kidney beans
- Lima beans
- Garbanzo beans
- Great Northern beans
- Navy beans
- Soybeans/edamame
- Mung bean
- Adzuki beans
- Cannellini beans
- Black Lentils
- Brown Lentils
- French Green Lentils
- Green Lentils
- Split Red Lentils
- Red Lentils
Winter Squash
- Butternut Squash
- Acorn Squash
- Delicata Squash
- Spaghetti Squash
- Buttercup Squash
- Blue Hubbard Squash
- Carnival Squash
- Kabocha Squash
- Red Kuri Squash
What are Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates, protein, and fats are macronutrients that make up the foods you eat.
Simple and complex are the two categories of carbohydrates.
- Complex Carbohydrates include starches and fiber.
- Simple Carbohydrates are sugars.
Simple carbs include foods like milk, fruit, honey, desserts, and sugary beverages. Since starchy vegetables contain starches and fiber, they are considered complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are better for managing blood sugar levels.
Starchy Vs. Non-Starchy Vegetables
Starchy vegetables have more carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables. Here is a comparison of the carbohydrates in a starchy veggie like potatoes compared to a non-starchy veggie like broccoli.
1 cup of potatoes = 33 grams of carbohydrate (source)
1 cup of broccoli = 6 grams of carbohydrate (source)
Counting Carbohydrates
If you have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, you might count your carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar levels healthy. Some people count carbohydrates to lose weight.
If you’re not sure how counting carbohydrates works, here’s how:
1 serving of carbohydrates = 15 grams of carbs
Each serving of these starchy vegetables is 15 grams of carbohydrate.
½ cup Garbanzo beans
½ cup mashed potatoes
½ cup corn
1 cup butternut squash
To reach 30 grams of carbohydrates, you’d have to eat 1 cup of Garbanzo beans. This would make two servings of carbohydrates because one serving of carbohydrates is 15 grams of carbohydrates.
Is Corn a Starchy Vegetable?
Of all vegetables, corn has one of the highest levels of starch (source). Corn is a starchy vegetable. A medium ear of corn has 19 grams of carbohydrates (source).
(Check out our blog post about Corn Allergy if you can’t eat corn.)
Are Peas a Starchy Vegetable?
Peas are a starchy vegetable. A cup of peas contains 21 grams of carbohydrates (source).
Are Beets a Starchy Vegetable?
Beets are not a starchy vegetable because there are only 8 grams of carbohydrates in a ½ cup of beets (source).
Is Cauliflower a Starchy Vegetable?
Cauliflower is not a starchy vegetable because it only has 5 grams of carbohydrate in 1 cup (source).
