Could adopting a starch-free diet help us lose weight?

What is starch?

As the most common carbohydrate in our diet, starch is found in rice, potatoes, wheat and corn. It contains a lot of glucose but does not have a sweet taste. These sugars are referred to as “slow” because of the way they continuously diffuse energy in the body. In contrast, simple sugars found in sweets and some sports refreshments give you immediate but momentary energy.

In simpler terms, starch is broken down rather slowly but it fuels (essential) energy for our body.

Why the bad reputation ?

We frequently hear that consuming starch equals to failing your diet, in part because starch has more calories than protein. But don’t forget that even during weight loss, the body still needs to function. Keep eating starch but choose the right ones that don’t boost the sugar level in blood and promote fat storage.

Here are three pointers to choose the best starch:

1. Trade your white breads for full-starch, fiber-loaded foods such as bread and brown rice, semi or whole wheat pasta. This is the best way to be full quickly and eat much smaller quantities.

2. Portion control — If you are trying to lose weight, try reducing the quantity little by little. Fill ¼ of your plate with protein, 1/4 starch, and half vegetables.

3. Seasonings: the silent killer — We often eat starchy foods with more fattening condiments (butter, cream, bacon, cheese …) Trade that for herbs and spices, they are savoury yet have a low calorie count!

Maia Baudelaire