Starchy foods and carbohydrates

Starchy foods are our main source of carbohydrate and play an important role in a healthy diet.

Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals should make up just over a third of the food you eat, as shown by the Eatwell Guide.

Where you can, choose wholegrain varieties, and eat potatoes with their skins on for more fibre.

We should eat some starchy foods every day as part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

During cooking, aim for a golden yellow colour or lighter when baking, toasting, roasting or frying starchy foods like potatoes, root vegetables and bread.

Why do you need starchy foods?

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet. As well as starch, they contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.

Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram they contain fewer than half the calories of fat.

Just watch out for the added fats used when you cook and serve them: this is what increases the calorie content.

Starchy foods and fibre

Whole grain varieties of starchy foods and potatoes – particularly when eaten with their skins on – are good sources of fibre.

Fibre is the name given to a range of compounds found in the cell walls of vegetables, fruits, pulses and cereal grains. 

Fibre that cannot be digested helps other food and waste products move through the gut more easily.

Potato skins, wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta are good sources of this kind of fibre.

Fibre can help keep our bowels healthy and can help us feel full, which means we're less likely to eat too much.

This makes wholegrain starchy foods and potatoes eaten with their skins on a particularly good choice if you're trying to lose weight.

Some types of fibre – present in fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, potatoes, oats and pulses – can be partly digested, and may help reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Tips to eat more starchy foods

These tips can help you increase the amount of starchy foods in your diet.

Breakfast

• Opt for wholegrain cereals, or mix some in with your favourite healthy breakfast cereals.
• Plain porridge with fruit is perfect as a warming winter breakfast.
• Whole oats with fruit and low-fat, lower-sugar yoghurt make a great summer breakfast.
• Use the Be Food Smart app to compare products and get ideas on how to make healthy choices.

Lunch and dinner

• Try a baked potato for lunch – eat the skin for even more fibre.
• Instead of having chips or frying potatoes, try making oven baked potato wedges.
• Have more rice or pasta and less sauce – but don't skip the vegetables.
• Try different breads, such as seeded, wholemeal and granary. When you choose wholegrain varieties, you'll also increase the amount of fibre you're eating.
• Try brown rice – it makes a very tasty rice salad.

Types of starchy foods

Potatoes

Potatoes are a great choice of starchy food and a good source of energy, fibre, B vitamins and potassium. 

Bread

Wholemeal, granary, brown and seeded varieties. Wholegrain, wholemeal and brown breads give us energy and contain B vitamins, vitamin E, fibre and a wide range of minerals.

White bread also contains a range of vitamins and minerals, but it has less fibre than wholegrain, wholemeal or brown breads. If you prefer white bread, look for higher-fibre options.

Cereal products

Cereal products are made from grains. Wholegrain cereals can contribute to our daily intake of iron, fibre, B vitamins and protein. Higher-fibre options can also provide a slow release of energy.

Wheat, oats, barley, rye and rice are commonly available cereals that can be eaten as whole grains.

Rice and grains

Rice and grains are an excellent choice of starchy food. They give us energy, are low in fat, and good value for money.

There are many types to choose from, including:

• all kinds of rice – such as quick-cook, arborio, basmati, long grain, brown, short grain and wild  
• couscous
• bulgur wheat

As well as carbohydrates, rice and grains (particularly brown and wholegrain versions) can contain:

• fibre – which can help the body get rid of waste products
• B vitamins – which help release energy from the food we eat and help the body work properly

Rice and grains, such as couscous and bulgur wheat, can be eaten hot or cold and in salads.

Pasta in your diet

Pasta is another healthy option to base your meal on. It consists of dough made from durum wheat and water, and contains iron and B vitamins.

Wholewheat or wholegrain are healthier alternatives to ordinary pasta, as they contain more fibre. We digest wholegrain foods more slowly, so they can help us feel full for longer.

Dried pasta can be stored in a cupboard and typically has a long shelf life, while fresh pasta will need to be refrigerated and has a shorter lifespan.