Starches

Starches are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, or starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. They give your body energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Eat some starches at each meal. People might tell you not to eat starches, but that is not correct. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes.

The Food Pyramid, with the starches section enlarged to show drawings of rice, potatoes, bread, crackers, tortillas, and other starches.

Examples of starches include

  • bread
  • pasta
  • corn
  • potatoes
  • rice
  • crackers
  • tortillas
  • beans
  • yams

How much is a serving of starch?

Examples of 1 serving: 1 slice of bread or 1 small potato or a half cup cooked cereal or 3 quarter cup dry cereal or 1 small tortilla.
Examples of 2 servings: 1 small potato plus 1 small ear of corn or 2 slices of bread.
Examples of 3 servings: 1 small roll plus half cup of peas plus 1 small potato or 1 cup of rice.

If you have more than one serving at a meal, you can choose several different starches or have two or three servings of one starch.

Print out this chart. Then fill in the blanks with how many servings of starch to have at meals and snacks.

1. How many servings of grains, cereals, pasta, and starchy vegetables (starches) do you now eat each day?
I eat _____ starch servings each day.

2. Check how many servings of starches to have each day in the section on How much should I eat each day.
I will eat _____ starch servings each day.

To control your blood glucose, spread the servings you eat throughout the day.

3. I will eat this many servings of starches at

Breakfast______

Snack ______

Lunch______

Snack ______

Dinner______

Snack ______

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal plan.

 

What are healthy ways to eat starches?

  • Buy whole grain breads and cereals.

  • Eat fewer fried and high-fat starches such as regular tortilla chips and potato chips, french fries, pastries, or biscuits. Try pretzels, fat-free popcorn, baked tortilla or potato chips, baked potatoes, or low-fat muffins.

  • Use low-fat or fat-free yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream on a baked potato.

  • Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich.

  • Use the low-fat or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine on bread, rolls, or toast.

  • Eat cereal with fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
     

Vegetables

Vegetables give you vitamins, minerals, and fiber, with very few calories.

The Food Pyramid, with the vegetables section enlarged to show drawings of salad, carrots, broccoli, and other vegetables.

Examples of vegetables include

  • lettuce
  • broccoli
  • vegetable juice
  • peppers
  • carrots
  • green beans
  • salsa
  • chilies
  • greens


How much is a serving of vegetables?

Examples of 1 serving: half cup cooked carrots or half cup cooked green beans or 1 cup salad.
Examples of 2 servings: half cup cooked carrots plus 1 cup salad or half cup vegetable juice plus half cup cooked green beans.
Examples of 3 servings: half cup cooked greens plus half cup cooked green beans and 1 small tomato or half cup broccoli plus 1 cup tomato sauce.

If you have more than one serving at a meal, you can choose a few different types of vegetables or have two or three servings of one vegetable.

Print out this chart. Then fill in the blanks with how many servings of vegetables to have at meals and snacks.

1. How many servings of vegetables do you now eat each day?
I eat _____ vegetable servings each day.

2. Check how many servings of vegetables to have each day in the section on How much should I eat each day.
I will eat___________vegetable servings each day.

To control your blood glucose, spread the servings you eat throughout the day.

3. I will eat this many servings of vegetables at

Breakfast______

Snack ______

Lunch______

Snack ______

Dinner______

Snack ______

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal plan.

 

What are healthy ways to eat vegetables?

  • Eat raw and cooked vegetables with little or no fat, sauces, or dressings.
  • Try low-fat or fat-free salad dressing on raw vegetables or salads.
  • Steam vegetables using a small amount of water or low-fat broth.
  • Mix in some chopped onion or garlic.
  • Use a little vinegar or some lemon or lime juice.
  • Add a small piece of lean ham or smoked turkey instead of fat to vegetables when cooking.
  • Sprinkle with herbs and spices. These flavorings add almost no fat or calories.
  • If you do use a small amount of fat, use canola oil, olive oil, or soft margarines (liquid or tub types) instead of fat from meat, butter, or shortening.

 

Fruit

Fruit gives you energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

The Food Pyramid, with the fruit section enlarged to show drawings of fruit juice, an apple, a banana, canned fruit, and other fruit.

Examples of fruit include

  • apples
  • fruit juice
  • strawberries
  • bananas
  • raisins
  • oranges
  • mango
  • guava
  • papaya


How much is a serving of fruit?

Examples of 1 serving: 1 small apple or half cup juice or half grapefruit.
Examples of 2 servings: half cup orange juice plus 1 and a quarter cups whole strawberries.

If you have more than one serving at a meal, you can choose different types of fruit or have two servings of one fruit.

Print out this chart. Then fill in the blanks with how many servings of fruit to have at meals and snacks.

1. How many servings of fruit do you now eat each day?
I eat _____ fruit servings each day.

2. Check how many servings of fruit to have each day in the section on How much should I eat each day.
I will eat _____ fruit servings each day.

To control your blood glucose, spread the servings you eat throughout the day.

3. I will eat this many servings of fruit at

Breakfast______

Snack ______

Lunch______

Snack ______

Dinner______

Snack ______

A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal plan.

 

What are healthy ways to eat fruit?

  • Eat fruits raw or cooked, as juice with no sugar added, canned in their own juice, or dried.
  • Buy smaller pieces of fruit.
  • Eat pieces of fruit rather than drinking fruit juice. Pieces of fruit are more filling.
  • Drink fruit juice in small amounts.
  • Save high-sugar and high-fat fruit desserts such as peach cobbler or cherry pie for special occasions.