What Foods Are Considered Starches for a Healthy Diet?

November 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Health Service (NHS), starchy foods should make up just over a third of the food you eat, playing a crucial role in a healthy diet. By understanding what foods are considered starches, you can make informed choices to fuel your body with sustained energy and essential nutrients.

Quick Summary

Starchy foods are complex carbohydrates, including grains, legumes, and certain vegetables, that provide the body with sustained energy. They are essential for a balanced diet and offer key nutrients and dietary fiber. Choosing whole-food starches over refined options is crucial for optimal health and blood sugar management.

Key Points

Whole Grains over Refined Grains: Choose whole grains like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread for more fiber and nutrients than refined versions like white rice and white bread.
Nutrient-Rich Starchy Vegetables: Include starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn in your diet for energy, fiber, and essential minerals.
Power of Legumes: Incorporate beans, lentils, and peas as excellent sources of both starch and protein, which aid in satiety and provide sustained energy.
Starch vs. Sugar: Recognize that starches are complex carbohydrates that release energy more slowly than simple sugars, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Focus on Whole Foods: Prioritize unprocessed or minimally processed starchy foods to maximize fiber intake and avoid added sugars and fats found in many packaged products.
Moderation is Key: While starchy foods are a crucial energy source, portion control is important to maintain a healthy weight and overall balanced diet.

Understanding Starch: A Complex Carbohydrate

Starch is a complex carbohydrate made up of long chains of glucose molecules that serve as the primary energy source for the human body. Unlike simple sugars, starches take longer for the body to break down, resulting in a slower and more stable release of energy. This process helps maintain steady blood sugar levels and promotes a feeling of fullness for longer, which can be beneficial for weight management. Starchy foods are found naturally in many plants, including grains, vegetables, and legumes, and also provide a variety of other essential nutrients.

The Three Major Categories of Starchy Foods

Starchy foods are not a single food group but a category of carbohydrates found across various plant-based foods. The healthiest options generally come from whole, unprocessed sources that retain their natural fiber and micronutrients.

Grains and Grain Products

This group includes some of the most common starchy foods in a typical diet. Choosing whole-grain varieties over refined ones is highly recommended, as they contain more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Rice: All varieties, including white, brown, wild, and black rice, are starchy. Opting for brown or wild rice provides significantly more fiber.
Oats: A whole grain with soluble fiber that is excellent for gut health and lowering cholesterol.
Barley: This versatile grain is rich in fiber and can be added to soups, stews, or salads.
Corn: Both yellow and white corn are considered starchy vegetables.
Wheat Products: Bread, pasta, and cereals made from whole wheat are better choices than their refined counterparts.

Starchy Vegetables and Tubers

While all vegetables contain some carbohydrates, certain types, particularly tubers and root vegetables, are notably high in starch.

Potatoes: A staple starchy food, potatoes offer energy, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium. Boiling or baking them with the skin on preserves more nutrients.
Sweet Potatoes: A nutrient-dense option, sweet potatoes are high in fiber and rich in vitamins A and C.
Yams: A starchy root vegetable often confused with sweet potatoes.
Cassava: A tropical root vegetable, also known as yuca, that is very high in starch.
Taro: A tropical root vegetable used in many cuisines.
Plantain: A starchy fruit that is typically cooked and prepared similarly to potatoes.
Green Peas: These are classified as a starchy vegetable, providing fiber and protein.
Winter Squash: Varieties like butternut and acorn squash are also starchy.

Legumes and Pulses

Beans, lentils, and peas are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and plant-based protein.

Kidney Beans: A classic source of dietary fiber and protein.
Black Beans: Known for their dark color and high fiber content.
Lentils: A small but powerful legume, rich in fiber and nutrients.
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): Used in hummus and other dishes, they provide both starch and protein.
Dried Peas: Such as split peas, these are high in starch and fiber.

The Difference Between Starch and Sugar

Both starch and sugar are types of carbohydrates, but they affect the body differently due to their chemical structure. Sugars are simple carbohydrates that are quickly digested and absorbed, causing rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. In contrast, starches are complex carbohydrates that require more time to break down, leading to a more gradual release of energy. Whole-food starches, particularly those rich in fiber, are digested even more slowly, promoting sustained energy and stable blood sugar. The glycemic index (GI) is a tool used to measure how quickly a food raises blood glucose, with low-GI starches like lentils and barley being beneficial for blood sugar management.

Making Healthier Choices with Starchy Foods

Focusing on quality and portion size is key to integrating starchy foods into a healthy diet. Instead of consuming heavily processed or refined starches, prioritize whole-food options that offer additional nutritional benefits. For example, opting for a baked sweet potato over processed potato chips can significantly increase your fiber and nutrient intake while providing longer-lasting energy. Similarly, choosing brown rice over white rice ensures you get more fiber and minerals. The added fiber in whole grains and legumes also contributes to digestive health and feelings of satiety. Moderating portion sizes is also important, as excess calories from any source can contribute to weight gain. For more detailed information, reputable health organizations like the Mayo Clinic offer valuable guidance on dietary choices and the benefits of whole grains.

Starchy vs. Non-Starchy Vegetables: A Comparison


Feature	Starchy Vegetables	Non-Starchy Vegetables
Carbohydrate Content	Higher	Lower
Energy Provided	Sustained release of glucose	Lower energy density
Primary Examples	Potatoes, corn, peas, butternut squash, yams	Leafy greens (spinach, kale), broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms
Caloric Density	Higher, particularly when processed	Lower, great for filling up on fewer calories
Digestive Impact	Slower digestion due to complex carbs and fiber	Quick digestion, lower impact on blood sugar

Conclusion

Understanding what foods are considered starches is fundamental to making sound dietary decisions. By incorporating whole grains, legumes, and nutrient-dense starchy vegetables into your meals, you can ensure a steady supply of energy, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. The key lies in choosing unprocessed, fiber-rich options over their refined counterparts and being mindful of portion sizes. A balanced diet doesn't mean avoiding starches entirely, but rather prioritizing high-quality sources that fuel your body and support your long-term health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference is their chemical structure and how the body processes them. Starch is a complex carbohydrate with long chains of glucose, while sugar is a simple carbohydrate. The body breaks down starch more slowly for a sustained energy release, whereas sugar is absorbed quickly, causing rapid blood sugar spikes.

No, not all starchy foods are bad. The healthiest options are whole, unprocessed starches like whole grains and legumes, which provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Refined starches, however, lose many of these nutrients and can be less healthy.

Whole grains are healthier because they contain all three parts of the grain—the bran, germ, and endosperm—which provide more fiber, B vitamins, and other nutrients. Refined grains have the bran and germ removed, stripping them of much of their nutritional value.

In many dietary guidelines, such as the UK's, potatoes are classified as a starchy food rather than a '5 A Day' vegetable because they are typically eaten as the starchy component of a meal, replacing other starches like pasta or rice.

Resistant starch is a type of starch that is not easily digested and acts like dietary fiber. Examples include raw potatoes, unripe bananas, legumes, and starches that have been cooked and then cooled, such as cooked and chilled rice or pasta.

Yes, when chosen wisely, starchy foods can help with weight management. Fiber-rich starches from whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables promote feelings of fullness (satiety), which can help curb overeating. The key is mindful portion control and avoiding high-fat cooking methods.

Starchy foods are broken down into glucose, which raises blood sugar. However, the impact depends on the type of starch. Whole, fiber-rich starches lead to a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar, while refined starches cause a faster spike.