LINDA MUNSTER

This is the carbohydrate-rich section of the plate where portion control is really important to keep your blood sugar balanced and maintain a healthy body weight. 

 

You’ll see that starchy vegetables such as potatoes occupy the same section of the POWER plate as whole grains because the starches they contain are broken down into sugar at varying rates and thus have a significant effect on your blood sugar, and therefore energy levels.  

 

Together, these complex carbs should constitute around a quarter of your meal to keep you alert and focused, rather than feeling drowsy.   As ever, it’s all about balance, and as long as you consume these carbohydrate-rich foods in the right amounts, together with the other POWER components, they can provide a good source of energy as well as dietary fibre that is essential for optimal gut and brain health. 

 

Healthy whole grains include wholegrain bread and cereals, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, barley, brown basmati rice, rolled jumbo (porridge) oats, spelt, quinoa, bulgur (cracked) wheat, giant wholewheat couscous, millet, soba (buckwheat) noodles. 

 

Starchy vegetables include all root vegetables e.g. potatoes, parsnips, beetroot, carrots, turnips as well as sweetcorn and butternut squash.

 

Typical serving size of whole grains & starchy veg to sustain energy levels throughout the day and avoid the mid-afternoon slump!

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