Best Non Starchy Vegetables for Over 50 Weight Loss
If you’ve been looking for ways to lose weight, chances are carbohydrates have come up more than a few times. Carbs are a macronutrient, which means they are something your body needs. But, as with most things, moderation is the key.
Part of the problem with carbohydrates is they tend to hide in foods. You might be eating a healthy diet and still getting more carbs than you should without knowing it. You’ll even find them in foods you consider good for you, such as vegetables.
When it comes to managing carbohydrates, an excellent place to start is with your veggies. What vegetables can you enjoy on a low-carb, weight-conscious diet?
What Are Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates consist of sugars, fiber, and starchy foods. These are nutrients your body converts to glucose for energy.
Simple Carbs
The worst type of carbohydrates for your diet are simple carbs, meaning they are primarily sugars. Your body breaks down simple carbs easily, hence the name.
Some common simple carbohydrates include:
Table sugar
Candy
Yogurt
Baked goods
Fruit juice
Soda
Simple sugars will spike blood glucose levels, giving you a burst of energy.
Complex Carbs
Complex carbs are starch and fiber. Unlike simple sugars, the body has to work to break them down. Some examples of complex carbs include:
Whole grains
Beans
Lentils
Complex carbs are full of fiber and can help keep you full longer!
How Carbohydrates Factor Into Weight Loss
All forms of carbohydrates become glucose (sugar), which the body uses as fuel. The downside to carbs is if you get too much, they become fat.
The human body has built-in mechanisms designed to protect you. One of those is fat storage. To put it simply, fat is a savings account. Your body will convert any unused glucose into fat to be there if you need it. The problem is the more fat that builds up, the harder it is to burn it all off, especially if you continue to add more each day by eating carbohydrates.
When it comes to energy, there are two options available. First, you burn off any glucose in your system. Once that is gone, the body switches to burning fat. Cutting back on carbs is one way to force your body to dip into that savings account and burn fat.
That won’t happen as long as you have high blood glucose levels. So, carbohydrates that spike the blood glucose levels will keep you from burning fat. That is where the glycemic index can help.
What Is the Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index is a rating system nutritionists use to help you understand how carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. A high glycemic index number means that foods break down quickly and increase blood sugar. A low number infers it takes time for the body to break the carbs down, so it will have less of an immediate impact on your blood sugar.
Simple sugars have high glycemic indexes, but so do starchy vegetables like potatoes. That means eating these will work against your weight loss efforts and may lead to insulin resistance.
What Is Insulin Resistance?
If you are trying to lose weight, you probably hear a lot about insulin resistance, too. Insulin is a hormone that works like a key to open cell membranes.
Most of the time, cell membranes remain closed to glucose. When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin to open the membranes and allow the sugar to enter the cells.
Insulin resistance means the cells in your muscles, liver, and fat stop responding as well to insulin levels. That makes it harder to regulate blood sugar. Chronic high levels of blood sugar can cause damage to healthy tissue.
Typical insulin functioning works like this:
You break down food into glucose, raising blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar levels trigger the pancreas to release insulin.
The insulin “unlocks” cell membranes so they can take in glucose to use for energy. This lowers blood sugar levels.
When the blood glucose drops, the pancreas stops producing insulin.
With insulin resistance, it can be difficult to lower blood sugar levels because specific cells don’t respond correctly to the insulin. Then, the pancreas has to release more insulin to control blood sugar. At some point, the pancreas may be unable to keep up with the insulin production, and blood sugar levels remain high. That can lead to pre-diabetes and, eventually, type-2 diabetes, along with other chronic diseases.
Choosing Healthy Starches
Your body needs some carbohydrates, but it is better to stick to vegetables with low glycemic index numbers. They will primarily contain fiber instead of simple sugars. These also usually have a low calorie content.
Non-starchy vegetables are rich in nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and fiber. They are often suitable for heart health, too, making them a critical part of any balanced diet. So, what non-starchy vegetables make up healthy meals?
Starchy vs. Non-Starchy
All veggies contain some carbohydrates, so what’s the difference? The answer is the level of starch. Starch is a form of complex carbohydrates, but foods with it tend to have high to medium glycemic index ratings.
Non Starchy Vegetables List
If you are looking for dietary choices to support weight loss, it is better to go with non-starchy veggies. That helps you control your blood sugar levels, which ensures you have energy throughout the day and encourages fat burning.
In general, color is a good thing when it comes to vegetables. The pigment contains antioxidants that help fight chronic illness and aging and usually high fiber content.
Many colorful vegetables are non-starchy, too, especially leafy greens, such as:
Spinach
Lettuce
Kale
Mustard greens
Swiss chard
Cabbage
Brussels sprouts
Bok choy
Or any green veggies, like:
Okra
Avocado
Celery
Pea pods
Orange vegetables are a good choice, too, such as:
Carrots
Peppers
Pumpkin
Most bright colors will fit into your low-carb diet, including:
Turnips
Radishes
Hearts of palm
Eggplant
Bamboos shoots
Tomatoes
There are a few exceptions to this very general rule. For example, cauliflower may not have much color, but it is an excellent low-starch option. Onions and mushrooms also fail the color test but work well in a healthy, low-carb diet and are high in fiber for digestive health.
Don’t shy away from canned or frozen vegetables, either. When it comes time to make a meal, just pull a bag of frozen vegetables out or open a can to make it easier and avoid all the chopping and cleaning.
Starch Vegetables to Limit
You don’t necessarily need to cut out starchy vegetables completely, but they should be your plan B option. That list includes:
Potatoes
Corn
Green peas
Hominy
Plantains
Taro
Yams
Acorn and butternut squash
Beets
White rice
How you prepare starchy vegetables matters, too. Try to avoid deep fat frying them. You can lower the starch content by:
Baking
Steaming
Boiling
Microwaving
Broiling
Grilling
When you are planning your meals, start with the non-starchy veggies first, especially the colorful ones. The American Diabetes Association recommends you eat three to five servings of non-starchy veggies every day to help manage your blood sugar. Fill up half your plate with them.
Then add on a healthy, lean protein. Then, if you have room, tach a small serving of starchy veggies.
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