As many trying to achieve it know, a flatter stomach is made possible by a healthy diet, ample hydration and consistent exercise. If you’re aiming to lose weight, you may have heard of starchy vegetables being linked to weight gain when eaten frequently. To help avoid this, we checked in with health experts to find out which veggie options might deter your weight loss efforts and why. Read on for weight loss and flat belly tips from registered dietitian Melissa Mitri, MS, RD at Zenmaster Wellness, nutritionist Julie LaPiana Evarts, RN, MSN, CRNP at Plantable, and registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, Lisa Richards.
White Potatoes
Potatoes are a great source of many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but as that saying goes, too much of a good thing is sometimes a bad thing. While you can obtain fiber and carbohydrates from eating potatoes, experts advise eating them in moderation if weight loss and a flatter stomach are your goals.
"The starchy vegetables to avoid if you want a flat stomach are white potatoes," Mitri says. White potatoes have a very high glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly a food will spike your blood sugar, she explains. "A higher GI means it has a tendency to raise your blood sugar very quickly," Mitri continues. "Over time, if your blood sugar keeps spiking, this can put you more at risk for inflammation and weight gain, especially in the belly area." She also notes that "white potatoes are also the highest calorie starchy vegetable," and in their place, she recommends lower-calorie options like sweet potatoes and butternut squash.
Evarts adds that the "best way" to get rid of belly fat involves removing sugar and processed foods from your diet. She also says that while "starchy vegetables often get a bad rap because they are higher in carbohydrates than their non-starchy friends," they are still full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber "that are good" for us. The trick, she says, is to balance starchy and non-starchy foods. "Keep an eye on your plate and keep the starchy delicious friends to about 25% (1/4) of your plate," she advises.
Cabbage
"Cruciferous" is a term to describe vegetables that are part of the cabbage family. Cruciferous vegetables are high in starch and complex sugars. This can trigger bloating or stomach gas. The most "commonly consumed" cruciferous vegetables, Richards says, are "broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage."
She notes that these vegetables can often lead to, cause, and aggravate bloating in some people due to "their high amount of fiber as well as the FODMAPs they contain." FODMAPS, she says, refers to a group of carbohydrates that can be "difficult for some people to digest." Anyone who has trouble with digestion or experiences bloating should limit their intake of vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and especially cabbage as these vegetables are extremely fibrous. And, limiting foods that cause bloating brings you one step closer to a flatter belly!
Overall, starchy vegetables like corn, green peas, beets, and of course, potatoes and cabbages. are vital for your health–it's just important to eat them in moderation for healthy weight loss.
