Non-starchy foods. Starchy and non-starchy vegetables: list and description

The diet of the peoples of the world is based on foods containing starch. In our country it is wheat and potatoes, in China and India it is rice, in Central and South America it is corn. There is a lot of energy in starchy foods, but they do not participate in the construction of body tissues. Animal starch is healthier than vegetable starch. In some cases, both varieties can be harmful.

Composition and types of starch

The substance belongs to complex (polysaccharides), it contains residues of glucose molecules. It is poorly soluble in water, which helps to perform the main function - to retain nutrients for a long time.

Plants with its help accumulate energy reserves, form tiny grains in greenery.

Hydrolysis processes convert starchy grains into water-soluble sugars (glucose). Through cell membranes, they penetrate into various parts of the plant. Glucose feeds the sprout when it emerges from the seed.

When chewing foods containing starch, saliva partially breaks it down to maltose (complex sugar). Under the action of pancreatic secretion, the process is completed in the small intestine.

Vegetable products with starch bring maximum benefit if they are not consumed in cereals or soaked, but chewed thoroughly, not washed down.

• Before eating, it is useful to grind whole grains, add the resulting powder to a vegetable salad.

Animals store glucose in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen (animal starch). Its slow hydrolysis keeps the blood constant between meals.

vegetable starches

Potato. This product has a high absorption rate. It breaks down to glucose 10-12 times faster than starchy cereals and grains (several hours).

Rapid absorption is facilitated by a thin oily layer under the skin of young potatoes. As a rule, it is cut off during cleaning. This is also why potatoes baked in their skins or boiled in their skins are useful.

Most potato dishes are quickly evacuated by the body; they do not burden the function of the digestive organs.

Rice. The product is rich in starch, has an astringent effect. Cooked without oil, rice is useful for diseases of the genitourinary system, enhances lactation, soothes, improves complexion. Round rice has the most starch, so the grains boil and stick together.

Wheat. Products with wheat are useful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, dissolution of salts in the genitourinary system, and have a vasodilating effect. Outwardly baths with starch are used to get rid of itching, with children's diathesis.

Rye. Products are used in diabetes mellitus, to enhance resistance, bind and remove harmful substances.

Oat. Kissels and other products help to cope with physical and intellectual overwork. Remove excess, help with diabetes, anemia, insomnia.

Corn. Products have a rejuvenating effect. The extract from the grains prevent the development of tumors. It is used as a choleretic agent or to increase blood clotting.

animal starch

In fact, vegetable starch is nothing more than organic glue. If you forget to wash the plate after porridge or potatoes, only hot water and a hard brush remove hardened food residues.

The complex formula of vegetable starch contains glucose, which is the body's main source of energy. Its chemical formula consists of the same elements as glycogen, but their spatial arrangement in plant and animal varieties is different.

Therefore, enzymes designed to break down glycogen do not completely break down glucose from the plant variety.

Such food is more difficult to digest, and by-products of cleavage accumulate in the body. They require additional energy costs for their removal. Accumulated harmful substances cause atherosclerosis, osteochondrosis, and other diseases.

Some researchers believe that diabetes mellitus develops as a result of the depletion of the enzyme system during many years of processing vegetable starch. It is not the level of glucose ("sugar") that increases in the blood, but the amount of products of incomplete breakdown. They clog tissue and disrupt microcirculation.

More useful to the body starch contains the liver of animals or fish, in which up to 10% glycogen.

Therefore, the less you consume starchy foods, the more health. Arnold Ehret wrote about the dangers of foods containing starch in the early twentieth century in his book The Healing System of the Mucusless Diet.

List and table of foods containing starch

Vegetables and fruits contain up to 10% carbohydrates. When apples ripen, the amount of starch increases, and during storage it decreases. There is a lot of it in green bananas, in ripe ones it turns into sugar.

The largest amount of starch in products from cereals, legumes, rice. The proportion recommended by nutritionists is 10% of the daily diet.

Non-starchy and green vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers, turnips, carrots, sweet peppers, onions, parsley, pumpkin.

Table of foods that contain starch

Product (100g)	Starch content, g
cereals
Rice	75
Corn	65
oats	61
Buckwheat	60
Wheat	60
Millet	59
Barley	58
Rye	54
Flour
Rice	79
barley	71
Wheat	70
corn	65
Dishes
Pasta	72
Kashi	55
Kiseli	50
White bread	47
Rye bread	44
Legumes
chickpeas	50
Peas	48
Lentils	41
Soya	35
Beans	27
Vegetables
Potato	18,2
Swede	18
radish	15
Beet	14
Pumpkin	2
Garlic	2
Parsley	1,2
Eggplant	0,9
celery root	0,6
Cabbage	0,5
Tomato	0,3
Radish	0,3
Turnip	0,3
Carrot	0,2
Bulb onions	0,1
Cucumber	0,1
Sweet pepper	0,1
Fruits
Bananas	7
Apples	0,80
Black currant	0,60
Pear	0,50
Strawberry	0,10
Plum fresh	0,10

Harm starch

Cereals are the most difficult to digest, even when boiled. Products from them cause fermentation and gas formation.

Grains, cereals, starchy foods are contraindicated in young children, because they do not produce the necessary enzymes. Even in a two-year-old, they are less active compared to an adult's body.

Therefore, before the age of two, it is better to prefer fruits to starchy foods - prunes, dates. They are easily digested, give enough energy, do not require long digestion.

Modified: 02/11/2019

The diet of every healthy person must include vegetables. The list of cultivated vegetables is extremely wide and includes many dozens of items. But not all vegetables can be combined in nutrition with other food groups.

Non-starchy vegetables

Their list includes vegetables such as cucumbers, gherkins, cabbage, (white, Brussels sprouts, red, broccoli), bell peppers, asparagus, peppers, turnips, onions and others.

In nutrition, they can be combined with fish, meat, fruits, herbs and fats. Starchy vegetables go well with non-starchy vegetables.

The list of non-starchy vegetables is wider than the starchy ones. This is due to the fact that this includes a variety of greens. These are parsley, dill, basil, celery, lettuce, rhubarb, purslane, leek, dandelion and nettle leaves, sorrel, asparagus, arugula, and so on. Non-starchy vegetables are combined with many other foods and are an essential part of healthy eating systems.

With separate meals, only combinations of non-starchy vegetables and dairy products are unacceptable.

Starchy vegetables

The list of starchy vegetables is: eggplant, zucchini, carrots, green peas, pumpkin, beets, radishes, turnips, squash, corn, rutabaga, Jerusalem artichoke, celery and horseradish. The list of products with which they are excellently combined includes non-starchy vegetables.

The list of vegetables that are rich in starches includes cauliflower, which is not entirely obvious. When eating starchy vegetables, it is necessary to supplement food with light fats (cream, sour cream, vegetable oil). With this addition, these products are useful for the human body and are well absorbed.

Special Products

Tomatoes have a special place. These vegetables are especially rich in acids. In terms of compatibility, they are similar to some fruits, such as pomegranates or citrus fruits.

We considered two classes of vegetables. And which of them includes our favorite potato? According to nutritionists, it does not apply to vegetables, but is included in the list of starchy foods, like cereals.

An intermediate link between the considered groups of vegetables with separate nutrition are legumes. Most legumes, like cereals, are high in starch. For example, beans, dried peas and lentils have up to 45% starches, but also contain a lot of vegetable protein. Therefore, for digestion, legumes and cereals are heavy foods. Only soy among legumes contains only 3% of starches.

Any vegetables that are listed in both groups of vegetables are best eaten raw or steamed. Only with this preparation they contain all the minerals, vitamins and fiber necessary for good nutrition.

Herbert Shelton developed the theory of separate nutrition, he also divided vegetables into two main groups - non-starchy and starchy. This principle of separation is the basis for the selection of different products for compatibility with each other.

Green non-starchy vegetables

The non-starchy group includes all juicy, crunchy, green leafy vegetables. These are turnips, asparagus, cucumbers, white cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi, sweet peppers, rhubarb and radishes. Non-starchy include a large group of leafy green vegetables, consisting of spinach, green leaves, beets, lettuce, bamboo shoots, onions, chicory, celery, parsley, sour sorrel, garlic, leek, dandelion, green turnip leaves. Nutritionists advise combining these vegetables with protein foods (fish, eggs and meat). Especially meat goes well with salads of celery and other greens.

Starchy vegetables for a healthy diet

Sauerkraut and Shelton tomatoes are sour fruits. He suggests eating them with meat and fish.

Starch - advantages and disadvantages

Starch is one of the complex carbohydrates. It contains fruits, vegetables, stems, leaves and roots of plants. As well as rye, wheat, various cereals, legumes and potatoes. Starch promotes the absorption of these products.

Shelton G. argues that starchy foods are not compatible with those foods that contain Because protein digestion requires an acidic environment, while starch digestion requires an alkaline environment. With the simultaneous digestion of these products by the stomach, the processes of fermentation and putrefaction begin, leading to disruption of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract (bloating, constipation, etc.).

People who consume starchy foods excessively provoke the formation of body fat.

Green and non-starchy vegetables are the basis of a separate diet

Unlike starchy foods that go with a limited list, non-starchy foods can go with almost all foods. Experts recommend that everyone eat these foods along with any other, except for dairy products and milk.

Shelton identifies intermediate products. He gave this name to legumes (in other words, legumes): lentils, peas, beans, soybeans. They contain a lot of vegetable proteins and starch. It must be admitted that legumes are heavy food for the stomach. Soy contains the least amount of starch.

Green leafy vegetables are also classified as starch-free vegetables. The group of such vegetables is very large, you can choose from it the ones that suit you, to your own taste, and eat them with other products.

• Eating a large number of vegetables and fruits - starchy and non-starchy.
• Eating at least 4 types of vegetables and fruits per day.
• The use of the main part of carbohydrates only in raw form (the norm per day is 400 g).

However, eating a lot of raw vegetables sometimes leads to problems related to the intestines and stomach. They can be accompanied by bloating and even pain in the abdomen. In such cases, vegetables should be eaten stewed, boiled, or steamed. It is good to prepare salads for weight loss from non-starchy vegetables.

It must be remembered that everyone chooses for himself what principles of nutrition are closer to him, but do not forget that, first of all, the main thing is not to harm your body. Therefore, nutritionists recommend having non-starchy and starchy vegetables in your diet. So you can balance your diet and do not harm your health.

Other interesting articles

Starch, which is converted into glucose during digestion, is one of the most common form of polysaccharides in nature. Therefore, the division of vegetables into starchy and non-starchy, which was originally part of the theory of separate nutrition, has found a place in the universal healthy diet. Non-starchy vegetables are real helpers in losing weight, but you should keep your eyes peeled with starchy ones! But how not to confuse? Our reference service with convenient tables will help.

A vegetable menu is not a synonym for a weight loss menu! Vegetables are different, and, accordingly, the rules for their combination with each other and with other products differ.

Root crops and large grains differ in the highest percentage of starch content, accumulating nutrients to continue growth and provide the “food reserve” of the plant embryo. The most "pronounced starchy" vegetable, no doubt, is potato- starch can represent up to 1/5 of the volume of the tuber! That is why for those who want to lose weight, nutritionists recommend giving up potatoes in the first place.

Starchy vegetables are recommended, if consumed, only in combination with green non-starchy vegetables, fats (both vegetable and animal), avoiding a gastronomic tandem with proteins, sugar and acid. The rule applies: one meal - one type of starchy vegetables.

Non-starchy vegetables are the basis of the right menu! Products from this list go well with all types of starchy and protein foods, they are perfectly digestible and do not create any problems for either the gastrointestinal tract or the waist. Milk is the only undesirable companion for non-starchy vegetables, and not only the usual whole, but also sauces based on it (such as, for example, béchamel) should be avoided.

cauliflower the founder of separate nutrition, Herbert Shelton, attributed it to moderately starchy vegetables, on the one hand, in terms of compatibility and dietary properties, referring it to non-starchy counterparts, and on the other hand, noting that, nevertheless, cauliflower should be eaten a little, and best of all together with fats. Shelton's followers have expanded the list of moderately starchy vegetables by adding new members that, while containing starch, are not in criminal amounts. Please note that eggplant in different interpretations, it can also refer to both non-starchy and moderately starchy vegetables. (see tables below).

Adored by many tomatoes, on which the popular tomato diet is based, did not find a place among either starchy or non-starchy vegetables, although in the common view it is the most salad vegetable (though, from a botanical point of view, a tomato is a berry). Shelton found that the main nutritional characteristic of a tomato is its acidity, not its starch content. Due to the high percentage of citrus, malic and oxalic acids in the composition, red-cheeked tomatoes are acidic foods, and they cannot be eaten with anything starchy, but they can be eaten with leafy vegetables and fats.

Using our lists, you can easily navigate the variety of vegetables, choosing effective products for weight loss and keeping fit. And detailed rules for the combination of components can be found in the product compatibility table for the separate power system.

Starchy vegetables: the complete list

RutabagaCornCarrotBeetsRipe (dry) beans, except soybeansRipe (dry) peasSquashSquashPotatoes (all types and varieties, including sweet)Chestnuts Roots of plants suitable for human consumption (horseradish, parsley, parsnips, celery)Pumpkin (round, autumn ripening)Jerusalem artichokeRadish

Moderately Starchy Vegetables: Two List Options

In the interpretation of Herbert Shelton

Cauliflower

In an extended interpretation

eggplant

zucchini

Soy (sprouts and beans)

Non-Starchy Vegetables: The Complete List

EggplantBroccoliBrussels sproutsMustardGreen peasBeijing (Chinese) cabbageKolrabiCabbage (white, red, savoy, garden, fodder) Watercress and watercressAsparagusSummer squash (oblong yellow)Lettuce and other types of lettuce Turnip greens and other ground green parts eaten common plants Beet leaves and Swiss chard ) Onion (bulb, shallot, leek, chives, leek) Cucumber Dandelion greens Okra Okra Parsley (greens) and other table herbs Bamboo shoots Colza (greens) Celery ( greens) Sweet pepper Chicory Garlic ( greens and cloves) SpinachSorrel

Vegetables that do not contain starch

Tomatocm. comment at the top of the page

In accordance with the norms of healthy eating, every day an adult is supposed to eat 600 g of plant foods (300 g of fruits and vegetables each).

Now imagine what will happen to the weight if you regularly add, for example, only beans, potatoes and bananas to the diet. Of course, extra pounds and folds at the waist will appear. Another thing, if you chew, say, cucumbers and parsley. What should be the serving size to fill up? The difference between the first and second sets is the content of useful substances and, first of all, starch. It is strongly not recommended to completely exclude this element from the diet, since it is an energy source.

The question arises, how to be?

The answer to it is offered by the creators of the theory of separate nutrition. They not only distinguished between starchy and non-starchy vegetables and fruits, but also suggested options for their compatibility with each other, with other products.

True, the system is complex, not everyone can master it. The situation is simplified if you clearly know which category a particular fruit or plant belongs to.

Starch-containing products: benefits and harms to the body

The first thing that comes to mind is potatoes, right? In fact, the list of starchy vegetables and fruits is much wider, and the indicated root crop is far from being in the first place in it. By the way, they still need to be included in the menu.

For reference
Starch belongs to the category of the most common and available carbohydrates of the group of polysaccharides (amylose + amylopectin) that enter the body with food. As a result of an internal hydrolysis reaction, it turns into an energy source - glucose, a by-product - dextrin.

Do you remember at least a school chemistry course? 70% of readers probably forgot all sorts of nuances. Therefore, more specifically about the benefits of this substance:

• relieves hyperglycemia in diabetics;
• stimulates the growth of intestinal microflora;
• normalizes acid-forming processes;
• has a beneficial effect on the immune system.

But with improper or excessive use, this type of carbohydrate harms the body:

• the notorious extra pounds appear;
• cause "fermentation" processes in the stomach and intestines, which are manifested by flatulence, nausea, stool disorders.

A complete list of starch-containing plants, broken down into groups

Some will be surprised to learn that in the first place is not potatoes at all - the enemy of all dieters, but cereals. Yes, yes, the very ones from which they are prepared.

So, starchy cereals are:

• millet;
• corn;
• wheat.

Paradoxically, oatmeal and wheat and rice porridge are a component of 90% of diets; corn is a valuable source of vitamins. Feature - easy digestibility.

The largest number of starchy vegetables are tubers: swede, potato, radish and radish, Jerusalem artichoke. But the leaders in the presence of carbohydrates in the composition of the considered variety are corn and legumes. Healthy roots of ginger, parsnips, parsley and celery complete the list. Here we add zucchini, squash and pumpkin.

A separate subgroup is moderately starchy vegetables. According to the developments of the main theorist of the separate nutrition system G. Shelton, it includes only cauliflower. But there is a more advanced option, including: eggplant, carrots, turnips, beets, soybeans and zucchini.

Conclusion:
from the point of view of rational nutrition, it is obvious that it is undesirable to completely exclude starchy vegetables, fruits and other foods from the diet.

However, for weight watchers, nutritionists recommend reducing their intake to 20-30% in relation to the total diet. The right combination of products is also important.

Main theses:

• it is better to combine starches with each other;
• eat dishes from legumes or potatoes with salads (cabbage + greens, cucumber + tomato);
• in parallel, include in the menu foods rich in B vitamins;
• preferred types of heat treatment: baking and steaming.

Non-starchy vegetables and fruits

Generally speaking, the main advantages of plant foods in this group are:

• easy digestibility;
• compatibility with any products (except for milk);
• composition enriched with vitamins and other useful components.

Although nutritionists note that, in terms of usefulness, each element must be considered separately. For example, a mandatory item in numerous tables of non-starchy vegetables is ordinary white cabbage. But it is prohibited by most therapeutic diets, as it provokes the processes of fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines. In a similar way, you can go through literally every item, considering in detail the entire nutrient-vitamin-mineral composition, its benefits and harms to the body.

List of non-starchy vegetables:

• artichokes;
• mushrooms;
• greens (lettuce, spinach, ground part of parsley and others);
• onions of all varieties;
• cabbage (except cauliflower);
• cucumbers;
• pepper;

Fruits - everything except the already mentioned bananas.

Table of starch content in vegetables per 50g of product

In conclusion, we note that practitioners, for the most part, have a negative attitude towards the theory of separate nutrition. And not many experts will immediately answer the question, what are non-starchy vegetables? Doctors explain their point of view by the fact that there are no enzymes in the body that break down meat or fish or milk separately.

For a normal existence, a person needs all the nutrients! Biological starch is fundamentally different from the synthetic substance of the same name, and has been used by mankind since time immemorial. Gathering an evidence base for any theory is not a problem today. But those who mindlessly try to follow all sorts of developments in the field of nutrition often have to be treated by practitioners.