Each item in this list contains approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate,
3 grams of protein, a trace of fat, and 80 calories. Whole grain
products average about 2 grams of fiber per serving. Some foods are higher
in fiber.
Those foods that contain 3 or more grams of fiber per serving
are identified with the fiber symbol *.
You can choose your starch exchanges from any of the items on this list. If you want to eat a starch food that is not on this list, the general rule it that:
- ½ cup of cereal, grain or pasta is one serving.
- 1 ounce of bread product is one serving.
Your dietitian can help you be more exact.
Product | Portion |
Cereals/Grains/Pasta |
Bran cereals concentrated * | 1/3 cup |
Bran cereals, flaked * | ½ cup |
Bulgur (cooked) | ½ cup |
Cooked cereals | ½ cup |
Cornmeal (dry) | 2 ½ Tbsp |
Flour, bleached or wheat | 2 ½ Tbsp |
Flour, Rye | 3 Tbsp |
Flour, Barley, Millet | ½ cup |
Grapenuts | 3 Tbsp |
Grits, hominy, cooked | ½ cup |
Other ready-to-eat unsweetened cereals | ¾ cup |
Pasta (cooked) | ½ cup |
Puffed cereal | 1 ½ cup |
Rice, white or brown (cooked) | 1/3 cup |
Shredded wheat | ½ cup |
Wheat germ * | 3 Tbsp |
Dried Beans/Peas/Lentils |
Beans and peas (cooked) * | 1/3 cup |
Lentils (cooked) | 1/3 cup |
Baked beans | ¼ cup |
Starchy Vegetables |
Corn * | ½ cup |
Corn on cob, 6" long * | 1 |
Lima beans * | ½ cup |
Peas, green (canned or frozen) * | ½ cup |
Plantain * | ½ cup |
Potato, baked | 1 small |
Potato, mashed | ½ cup |
Squash, winter (acorn, butternut) * | 1 cup |
Yam, sweet potato, plain | 1/3 cup |
Bread |
Bagel | ½ |
Bread Sticks, crisp, 4" | 2 |
Croutons, low fat | 1 cup |
English muffin | ½ |
Hot Dog or Hamburger bun | ½ |
Pita, 6" across | ½ |
Plain roll, small | 1 |
Raisin bread, unfrosted | 1 slice |
Rye, pumpernickel | 1 slice |
Tortilla, 6" across | 1 |
White (including French, Italian) | 1 slice |
Whole wheat | 1 slice |
Crackers/Snacks |
Animal crackers | 8 |
Graham crackers, 2½ square | 3 |
Matzoth | ¾ oz |
Melba toast | 5 slices |
Oyster crackers | 24 |
Popcorn (popped, no fat added) | 3 cups |
Pretzels | ¾ oz |
Rye crisps * | 4 |
Saltine type crackers | 6 |
Whole wheat crackers * | 2-4 slices |
Starch Foods Prepared with Fat |
Count as 1 bread + 1 Fat | |
Biscuit, 2½" across | 1 |
Chow mein noodles | ½ cup |
Corn bread, 2" cube | 1 |
Cracker, round butter type | 6 |
French fried potatoes | 10 |
Muffin, plain, small | 1 |
Pancake, 4" across | 2 |
Stuffing, bread | ¼ cup |
Taco shell | 2 |
Waffle, 4½" sqr | 1 |
Whole wheat crackers | 4 - 6 |
|
* 3 grams of more of fiber per serving
|