Starch free diet: Who is it for and what can you eat on it?

Starch is a complex carbohydrate naturally occurring in foods like maize, wheat, and potatoes. It’s also found in some processed foods.

While it’s generally harmless to many people, starchy foods can cause inflammation, gut discomfort, and other undesirable effects in certain people. Due to this, individuals with conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and others may consider a starch free diet. Some people may also have starch intolerance or choose to eliminate it from their diets for weight loss purposes.

Regardless of the reason, following a no starch diet requires choosing starch free foods to reduce your consumption of starch. The foods you can eat include:

• Non-starchy vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, beets, greens, etc.)
• Proteins (eggs, meat, and fish)
• Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, etc.)
• Dairy (cheese, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, and butter)

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If you are trying to lose weight or have a health condition that involves intolerances or chronic inflammation, naturally, you want to be more thoughtful about what you eat. Among different types of complex carbohydrates, starch isn’t considered “bad” for you or unhealthy. However, consuming it is associated with a number of side effects that can aggravate your condition or hinder weight loss.

In this article, we’ll delve into what starch is and why some people may want (or have to) eliminate it from their diets. We’ll also give you a list of safe foods for a starch free diet to help you optimize your nutrition.

What Is Starch?

Starch (also known as amylum) is a type of complex carbohydrate. It naturally occurs in foods like maize, wheat, and potatoes, and is also often found in processed foods.

There are two types of starch:

• Amylose - a linear or straight-line polymer;
• Amylopectin - a crystalline type of starch that forms a branched chain.

Both types of starch contain glucose molecules. The plants that contain this carb use its polymers to store the glucose formed in the process of photosynthesis. So when you consume starch, your body breaks it down into units of glucose. This is what makes starch a great source of quick energy.

Who Might Need a Starch Free Diet?

Normally, a healthy person doesn’t need to follow a no starch diet because starch isn’t bad for you. It’s a good source of energy, fiber, and nutrients, especially when you get it from whole foods rather than processed foods. Nevertheless, there might be some situations when you can consider such a diet.

In particular, a starch free diet might benefit individuals with chronic inflammatory, digestive, or metabolic issues, including:

1. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Increasing evidence suggests that there is a link between an inflammatory arthritis of the spine (ankylosing spondylitis) and a gut bacterium, Klebsiella pneumoniae. This bacterium is known to feed on starch. Respectively, people who are diagnosed with AS might want to limit starch intake to prevent the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae in their gut and, consequently, reduce inflammation and disease symptoms.

2. Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders

Foods that are high in starch are linked to rapid blood glucose and insulin spikes. For this reason, people with a risk of diabetes, prediabetes, and diagnosed diabetes should reduce starch intake to regulate their blood sugar levels. Additionally, following a low starch diet can benefit people with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

3. Digestive Issues

Issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) have one thing in common – they imply bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Starch that ferments in the gut is the food for these bacteria. Respectively, consuming high-starch foods can aggravate digestive issues, causing gas, bloating, and other symptoms.

4. Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID) 

People with CSID have a genetic enzyme deficiency, which means that they cannot properly digest certain products. This includes sugars and starches. For these individuals, reducing or eliminating starch can help avoid digestive distress and improve their gut health.

5. Chronic Inflammation

People who have conditions associated with chronic inflammation should consider anti-inflammatory diets to improve their condition and support overall health. Such diets typically eliminate saturated fats, sugar, and refined starch to reduce inflammation. For example, women with PCOS often have chronic inflammation, and their diets are built around non-starchy products.

Low Starch Diet and Weight Loss

Some people may consider a starch free diet not because of an underlying health condition or inflammation, but for weight loss purposes.

There are two things you need to consider in relation to starch and weight loss. First of all, high-starch foods are often calorie-dense. When you consume them, you can significantly increase your calorie intake, which can hinder weight loss.

Secondly, you already know that starchy foods spike insulin and blood sugar levels. These spikes typically cause your body to rapidly store energy, which can result in fat accumulation. However, when these spikes don’t occur, your body is encouraged to burn fat for energy. Due to this reason, low-starch diets are associated with weight loss. In fact, such diets have been shown to be effective for treating obesity.

No Starch Diet Food List

At first glance, starting a no starch diet seems easy – all you need is to cut down on or completely eliminate the foods that contain starch. However, doing this in practice isn’t always easy because starch is contained in many different foods. So it’s important to understand which products contain it and which don’t.

If you consider a starch free diet for health or weight loss purposes, here’s a detailed list of food without starch that you can consume:

Non-Starchy Vegetables

• Amaranth or Chinese spinach
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Baby corn
• Beans (green, wax, Italian)
• Bean sprouts
• Beets
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Peppers
• Salad greens (chicory, lettuce, spinach, arugula, watercress)
• Tomato
• And others

Proteins

• Eggs (all types)
• Fish
• Seafood
• Beef
• Pork
• Lamb
• Poultry

Important: When picking protein sources for your no starch diet, mind that all fresh fish and meats are naturally free of starch. However, some cooked meats (for example, bacon) can contain sugar and starch. So it’s important to read labels before buying.

Fats

• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Bacon fat
• Coconut oil
• Lard
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Butter
• Avocado

Dairy

• Cheese
• Greek yogurt (important to check labels)
• Heavy cream
• Butter

Other

• Lemon juice
• Vinegar
• Spices
• Herbs

Use this list of food without starch to create a balanced and nutritious diet that supports your health and/or helps you lose weight.

FAQ

When should I consider a starch intolerance diet?

Starch is considered safe for most people. Furthermore, it’s one of the essential nutrients that gives you energy and supports your physical and mental activity. Despite this, some people may indeed benefit from following a starch free diet. This includes people with ankylosing spondylitis, diabetes, digestive issues, CSID, and chronic inflammation. Some people may also consider reducing their intake of starch for weight loss purposes.

Do I need to reduce the amount of starch or choose a completely no starch diet?

Generally, a completely starch free diet is not considered healthy or sustainable. Starch remains a good source of energy that your body needs. So even if you have intolerance or another underlying condition, it doesn’t mean that you have to eliminate starch permanently. A much healthier approach is to recognize and reduce your starch intake to avoid undesirable symptoms, but not eliminate it completely.

Are there any grains that don’t contain starch?

Practically, no. All grains naturally contain starch. That is, most of the carbs in a normal diet come with starch content. The only non starchy carbs that you can get are non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, allium vegetables, and others.

Conclusion

Starch is a natural element found in many products. Although it’s generally considered safe and crucial for a human, it can also cause some unpleasant side effects in people with certain health conditions. And that’s why a low starch diet might be a solution.

As you now know, there is a long list of vegetables, proteins, dairy, and other foods that don’t contain starch. You can use this list as the basis for your starch free diet. However, remember that starch is one of the essential elements that your body needs for proper physical and mental functioning. Hence, eliminating it completely isn’t considered a good approach.

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