10/07/2025
🥔 Starchy vegetables can be part of a healthy diet, even when you’re aiming to lose weight 🙌
I was honored to be quoted in recent piece by .ehsani_nutrition, “5 Starchy Vegetables That Can Help With Weight Loss.” The article does a great job busting myths and spotlighting how starchy veggies can absolutely earn a seat at your table, even in a weight-loss plan.
Here are a few takeaways I especially want to highlight:
🔍 Key Science — Why starchy veggies deserve respect
✔️ Satiety through fiber + protein: Vegetables like green peas pack about 8 g fiber and 8 g plant protein per cup, which can blunt hunger, reduce overeating, and is good for heart health.
✔️ Lower calorie cost than you think: A medium sweet potato contains ~100 calories and offers fiber, micronutrients (vitamin A, C, potassium), and more.
It’s all about how you cook & portion & what you pair it with to blunt a glycemic response. For example, white potatoes often get unfairly demonized, but when roasted, baked, or boiled (and not drowned in butter) and paired with a high protein and/or healthy fat food(s) (I love to eat a baked white or sweet potato with plain Greek yogurt, they can be part of a balanced, nutrient-dense plate.
💡 My take
Too often, people lump all carbs together and assume “starchy” = “bad.” But the data say otherwise. In a well-designed, calorie-controlled diet:
🥔 Starchy vegetables can contribute to fullness and provide a satisfying option in place of ultraprocessed foods
🍠 They supply essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients
🥔 They offer a budget friendly option that increases accessibility and helps keep meals varied, satisfying, and sustainable
🍠 When you combine them with adequate protein and/or healthy fats, smart portions, and movement, these vegetables don’t just fit, they can enhance a weight-loss plan by increasing livability and flexibility (and in our data, we even saw increased weight loss efficacy, albeit modest)
Let’s stop the “all-or-nothing” thinking. Starchy veggies can have a place in your healthy plate. 🌽