How Dieting Makes You Afraid of Carbohydrate-containing Vegetables.
Learn how corn, peas, potatoes and beans are part of a balanced diet, no weight loss required.
“I don’t want to know that carbs in some vegetables impact my blood sugar.” Explained Shannon at our last appointment. When I asked why, she shared, “I’m frustrated, confused, uncertain about what to eat. There is always another food I must avoid, limit, consider, or count.”
Hearing this, a few things became clear. First, Shannon was burned out from decades of dieting. Getting told she had type 2 diabetes was overwhelming. She struggled to express the many feelings that swirled around her during the session.
“I think those are very normal feelings.” Shannon remained silent, allowing me to continue explaining that feelings of frustration, overwhelm, and burnout can be part of diabetes distress. Years of dieting can magnify these feelings. Many people feel they “should” count carbs or limit and restrict eating certain foods, including starchy vegetables, after being told their blood glucose levels are elevated.
Starchy Vegetables
Starchy vegetables include potatoes (white, sweet, red, baby), orange squash (Hubbard, Winter, Acorn, and Butternut), plantains, corn, beans (White, Black, Navy, Pinto, Chickpea), peas, and lentils/pulses. Typically, these foods contain about 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Servings vary but are often ½ cup.
When Shannon repeated, “I thought I wasn’t allowed to eat carbs,” I could see how years of dieting had changed her view on nutrition. For many chronic dieters, the goal is to eat less rather than a balanced diet.
“Shannon, you get to eat carbs. The RDA has 130 grams of carbs as the minimum recommended daily allowance. This equals about 45 grams of carbs per meal. Translating that into servings would equal 1.5 cups of these starchy vegetables.” 45 grams of carbs is not the amount you ‘should’ eat. This is the minimum amount carbohydrates needed for a balanced diet. Most people eat between 30-75 grams of carbs per meal, and this range changes based on hunger, preference, activity and availability.
“That seems like a lot.”
“It certainly can,” I replied, “Especially if you have been used to restricting these foods.”
Shannon countered, “But won’t they make my blood sugar go up? I mean, aren’t carbs ‘bad’?”
Retaining your brain, which has been swimming in diet culture, takes a lot of practice. “I can’t have, not allowed, must earn” types of thoughts are familiar. They feel NORMAL, and giving yourself permission to eat and enjoy foods feels unfamiliar. When things are unfamiliar, your internal warning system is triggered. It is almost as if a loud speaker blasts Warning-Warning-Warning inside your head.
When things are unfamiliar, your internal warning system is triggered. It is almost as if a loud speaker blasts Warning-Warning-Warning inside your head.
Restricting carbohydrates is a popular way to ‘lose weight quickly.’ However, this isn’t an effective way to be healthy and engage in sustainable dietary changes. You already know its possible to weight loss, but the ability to maintain weight loss isn’t present for most people. This is how yo-yo dieting works. You lose weight by restricting carbs and then gain it back, plus some within 2-12 months when you can’t follow a restrictive diet any more.
What carbohydrate-containing vegetables offer.
Another missing piece about eating carbohydrate-containing vegetables is that they are high in fiber when minimally processed. Fiber blunts blood glucose rise, increases fullness, lowers cholesterol, reduces heart disease, and helps fight colon cancer. These are the types of benefits we all want from our diet. If you are curious here is some common foods and the amount of carbs and fiber in them.
1 ear of corn =30 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber
1 cup of orange squash =30 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber
1 cup of peas =30 grams of carbs and 7 grams of fiber
1 cup of black beans =30 grams of carbs and 15 grams of fiber
How do you balance vs limit carbohydrate-containing vegetables?
Corn is a summertime favorite. An ear of corn with a burger on a bun would contain 60 grams of carbohydrates. To increase the fiber content, purchase whole wheat buns, which provide 6 grams of fiber, so this meal would clock in at 9 grams of fiber.
Maybe you want to skip the bun and have a 1-cup of 3-bean salad instead. This high-fiber and protein option provides over 15 grams of protein and fiber and 30 grams of carbohydrates. It could be added to a green salad or as a side dish.
Visualizing your plate could include some grilled meat, an ear of corn, and 1 cup of three-bean salad. This balanced meal would provide 60 grams of carbohydrates,18 grams of fiber, and about 45 grams of protein.
Is this an estimate? Of course it is and you are invited to guesstimate your carbs as well. It isn’t a test, so there isn’t a correct answer and guessing your carbs helps you not ‘check out’. Balance carbohydrates-containing vegetables with protein and lower carbohydrate vegetables to create satisfying meals.
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