Top 10 Foods Highest in Starch
Starch is the most common form of carbohydrate. It consists of a long chain of molecules of the sugar glucose, and serves as a way for a cell to store glucose for later use.
Starch is typically found in grains like rice, wheat, and corn, as well as flours and other products made from these grains. (1) There are also other plant foods that contain high levels of starch, such as potatoes.
Eating starch can cause an increase in blood sugar levels, as starch is broken down to glucose in the digestive tract. (2) However, while some starchy foods cause a large blood sugar spike, others have a much more moderate effect on blood sugar. Many factors, including the specific type of starch contained in the food and how much fiber it contains, can change how a particular food affects blood sugar.
Healthy high starch foods include whole grains, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, minimally processed vegetables, and beans (legumes). Less healthy forms of starch include processed cereals, snacks, cakes, cookies, pies, pizzas, French fries, doughnuts, and foods that have been breaded and fried.
Below are the top 10 foods highest in starch. For more, see the extended list of starch-rich foods.
List of High Starch Foods
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1. Fast Foods (Applebees Onion Rings) + Add
Starch
per OrderStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories114g 33g 18g More Fast Foods High in Starch
- 52g in a Taco Bell taco salad
- 40g per Burger King Double Whopper
- 40g in a Taco Bell bean burrito
See all fast foods high in starch.
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2. French Bread + Add
Starch
per SliceStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories61g 44g 33g More Breads High in Starch
- 37g per bagel
- 30g per slice of pizza
- 18g in 2 slices of whole wheat bread
- 11g per slice of white bread
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3. Brown Rice + Add
Starch
per CupStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories50g 25g 40g More Grains High in Starch
- 33g per cup of quinoa
- 27g per cup of oatmeal
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4. Potatoes + Add
Starch
in a Medium PotatoStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories30g 17g 37g - 17g in 1 cup of cooked sweet potato
- 14g in 10 french fries
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5. Whole Wheat Pasta + Add
Starch
per CupStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories30g 26g 34g -
6. Navy Beans + Add
Starch
per CupStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories28g 15g 22g More Beans High in Starch
- 26g per cup of pinto beans
- 23g per cup of kidney beans
- 19g per cup of canned baked beans
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8. Apple Pie + Add
Starch
per SliceStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories20g 15g 11g More Baked Foods High in Starch
- 18g in a pancake
- 17g in 6 cheese crackers
- 10g per slice of chocolate cake
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9. Sweet Corn + Add
Starch
per Cup CookedStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories8g 6g 13g -
10. Bananas + Add
Starch
per Cup SlicedStarch
per 100gStarch
per 200 Calories8g 5g 12g
Printable One Page Sheet
More Starch Rich Foods
Food | Serving | Starch |
---|---|---|
1. Amaranth | per cup | 40g |
2. Spelt | per cup | 38g |
3. Fast Foods (Subway Tuna Sub) | per 6 inch sub | 29g |
4. Egg and Cheese Biscuit | per biscuit | 26g |
5. Fried Yellow Plantains | per cup | 22g |
6. Pretzels | per oz | 21g |
7. Tortilla Chips | per oz | 18g |
8. Popcorn | per oz | 17g |
9. Mamey Sapote | 1 cup chopped | 11g |
10. Cake Doughnuts | per donut | 10g |
From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.
- Foods High in Starch
- Foods Low in Starch
- Vegetarian Foods High in Starch
- Breakfast Cereals High in Starch
- Fast Foods High in Starch
View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
Related
Data Sources and References
- Orzechowski S. Starch: its metabolism, evolution, and biotechnological modification in plants Acta Biochim Pol. 2008;55(3):435-45. Epub 2008 Sep 12. 18787712
- Crider K, Williams J, Qi YP, Gutman J, Yeung L, Mai C, Finkelstain J, Mehta S, Pons-Duran C, Menéndez C, Moraleda C, Rogers L, Daniels K, Green P. The impact of starchy food structure on postprandial glycemic response and appetite: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized crossover trials Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. 36321557
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