Starches are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, and starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. They provide carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Eat some starches at each meal. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes.

Examples of starches are

* bread
* pasta
* corn
* pretzels
* potatoes
* rice
* crackers
* cereal
* tortillas
* beans
* yams
* lentils

How much is a serving of starch?

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 chips or potato chips, baked potatoes, or low-fat muffins.
* Use low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream on a baked potato.
* Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich.
* Use 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.