Vegetables and fruits are good foods to eat when you are trying to lose weight. But be aware that some vegetables might be sabotaging all your efforts. These are the starchy vegetables that are high in carbs such as green peas, yams and more.

Keep track of your food intake

The first thing most people do when starting a diet is to stock up on vegetables and fruits. That is good but keep in mind that not all plants are equal when it comes to losing weight. Some can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Starchy vegetables can be a rich source of energy because they are high in carbs. But, if you eat these vegetables too often and in large quantities, your body will store the energy as fat and cause you to gain weight. The only way to counteract this gain is through exercise and other activity.

However, starchy vegetables are not all bad. They are nutritious, healthy and filling when you control the amounts you eat. This article will cover five starchy vegetables that contain significant amounts of carbohydrates to watch even though they are healthy.

Portion Control

In most case, the recommended serving for vegetables is a one-half cup. But a lot of people don’t know what that looks like and end up eating more than the recommendation. Generally, a half cup is about the size of your cupped hand, and one cup is about the size of your fist.

Here are some of the starchy vegetables you should watch:

Parsnips

One cup of parsnips, boiled, drained and salted, is approximately 26 carb grams. That will be about 26% if you are eating 100 grams per day or 17% if you are eating 150 grams per day.

Corn

One cup of corn boiled and drained without salt, or baked, is about 41 carb grams. That will be 27% of your daily intake if you are eating 150 grams per day and 41% if you are eating 100 grams per day.

Green Peas

If you eat one cup of raw green peas, that is about 30 grams of carbohydrates. That will be 30% of your daily carbs if you are consuming about 150 grams of carbs per day and 30% if you are trying to hold your intake to 100 grams per day.

Black Beans

Black beans are one of the healthiest foods in the world. But, if you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that one cup of boiled black beans will give you about 41 grams per serving. That is about the same as the carbs in a cup of corn.

Yams

One cup of yams, cubed, boiled and drained or baked has 37 grams of carbohydrates. If you are eating 150 grams per day, this will be 25% of your daily intake and 37% if you are eating 100 grams per day.

What is the Ratio of Carbs to Portion Size?

The problem with starchy vegetables is that most people trying to lose weight should only eat 100-150 grams per day. Because so many foods contain carbs, concentrating such a large percentage of your daily intake is problematic.

That’s why you should keep track of your food intake, mainly the carbs, to be sure you don’t go overboard. They are an essential part of your daily diet because they will keep your energy high but, if you consume too many, they will quickly go to fat, and you won’t lose weight. So, try to buy vegetables and fruits that are low in carbohydrates and starches.