Starch and Bread Group
Includes Cereal, Rice, Grain, & Pasta. One food item (or serving)
from this
group is equal to:
4 gm protein, 0 to trace gm fat, 15 gm carbohydrate, 80 calories
Cereals, grains, pasta, bread, crackers, snacks, starchy vegetables, and cooked dried beans, peas, and lentils are all examples of starches.
In general, one bread or starch is equal to
- 1 ounce of a bread product, such as 1 slice of bread,
- ½ cup of cereal, grain, pasta, or starchy vegetable
- ¾ to 1 ounce of most snack foods. (Some snack foods may also have added fat.)
Nutrition Facts.
- Most starch servings are good sources of B vitamins.
- Foods made from whole grains are good sources of fiber.
- Dried beans and peas are a good source of protein and fiber.
Selection Tips.
- Choose starches made with little fat, as often as you can.
- Starchy vegetables prepared with fat count as one starch and one fat.
- Bagels or muffins can be 2, 3, or 4 ounces in size and can, therefore, count as 2, 3, or 4 starch servings. Check the size you eat.
- Dried beans, peas, and lentils are also found on the Meat and Meat Substitutes list.
- Regular potato chips and tortilla chips are listed under the Other Starch category.
- Most of the serving sizes are measured after cooking.
- Always check Nutrition Facts on the Food Label.
