Subtotal $0.00
Shop Now
Starchy foods are foods in which starch makes up much of the carbohydrate: grains such as rice, oats and wheat, roots and tubers such as potatoes, and dried beans and lentils. This starchy foods list gives USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for carbohydrate and dietary fiber per common portion, with FDA Daily Values, plus the starch figure where USDA lists one. It does not rank them. For the vegetable group alone, see our guide to starchy vegetables.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- In USDA SR Legacy data, a medium baked potato with skin lists 36.6 grams of carbohydrate and a cup of boiled lentils lists 39.9 grams.
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans put corn, plantains, taro, cassava and white potatoes in the starchy vegetable subgroup, and beans, peas and lentils in a subgroup of their own.
- USDA lists starch for only some SR Legacy entries; for cooked enriched pasta it lists 26.0 grams of starch out of 30.9 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams.
- In these USDA tables, the beans and lentils rows list 11.3 to 16.3 grams of dietary fiber per cup.
- FDA's Daily Values are 275 grams for total carbohydrate and 28 grams for dietary fiber.
What counts as a starchy food
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 edition, published by USDA and HHS, sort vegetables into subgroups. Appendix 3 of the Dietary Guidelines gives breadfruit, cassava, corn, jicama, “plantains, white potatoes, salsify,” taro root, lima beans and “yam, and yucca” among its examples of the starchy subgroup. It also notes that green peas, “which are not dried before” consumption, “are grouped with” starchy vegetables.
Beans, peas and lentils form a separate subgroup in the Dietary Guidelines, defined as “All cooked from dry or canned beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils”. The Dietary Guidelines say these foods “also are known as pulses” and add that they may be “thought of as either a vegetable or a protein food.” Our guide to legumes covers the wider plant family.
Grains are their own food group in the Dietary Guidelines, split into whole grains and refined grains. Sweet potatoes are starchy in everyday speech, but the Dietary Guidelines list them under red and orange vegetables. This page keeps them in the vegetable table for comparison.
Starchy foods list: grains
The grain rows use the cooked cup USDA lists for each grain, and one slice or one tortilla for the bread rows. Percent Daily Values use FDA’s 275 grams for total carbohydrate and 28 grams for dietary fiber. See our guides to types of rice and types of grains for more varieties.
| Grain food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate (% DV) | Dietary fiber (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice, white, long-grain, enriched, cooked (168878) | 1 cup (158 g) | 205 | 44.5 g (16%) | 0.6 g (2%) |
| Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (169704) | 1 cup (202 g) | 248 | 51.7 g (19%) | 3.2 g (12%) |
| Pasta, enriched, cooked (169737) | 1 cup spaghetti, not packed (124 g) | 196 | 38.3 g (14%) | 2.2 g (8%) |
| Oats, regular and quick, cooked with water (173905) | 1 cup (234 g) | 166 | 28.1 g (10%) | 4.0 g (14%) |
| Quinoa, cooked (168917) | 1 cup (185 g) | 222 | 39.4 g (14%) | 5.2 g (18%) |
| Barley, pearled, cooked (170285) | 1 cup (157 g) | 193 | 44.3 g (16%) | 6.0 g (21%) |
| Bread, white, commercially prepared (174924) | 1 large slice (30 g) | 80 | 14.8 g (5%) | 0.8 g (3%) |
| Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared (172688) | 1 slice (32 g) | 81 | 13.7 g (5%) | 1.9 g (7%) |
| Tortillas, corn, without added salt (173241) | 1 medium tortilla (26 g) | 58 | 12.1 g (4%) | 1.4 g (5%) |
Among the cooked cups, USDA lists brown rice with the most carbohydrate, 51.7 grams, and cooked oats with the least, 28.1 grams. Pearled barley lists 6.0 grams of dietary fiber per cup in USDA data. For pasta on its own, see the dedicated guide.
Roots, tubers and other starchy produce
These rows use the portion USDA lists for each food, usually a cup or one medium piece. Cassava is listed raw because that is the SR Legacy entry; the other rows are cooked.
| Vegetable (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate (% DV) | Dietary fiber (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes, baked, flesh and skin (170093) | 1 medium potato (173 g) | 161 | 36.6 g (13%) | 3.8 g (14%) |
| Sweet potato, baked in skin (168483) | 1 medium sweet potato (114 g) | 103 | 23.6 g (9%) | 3.8 g (13%) |
| Corn, sweet, yellow, boiled (169999) | 1 cup, cut (149 g) | 143 | 31.3 g (11%) | 3.6 g (13%) |
| Peas, green, boiled (170420) | 1 cup (160 g) | 134 | 25.0 g (9%) | 8.8 g (31%) |
| Plantains, yellow, baked (169131) | 1 cup (139 g) | 215 | 57.5 g (21%) | 3.1 g (11%) |
| Taro, cooked (168486) | 1 cup, sliced (132 g) | 187 | 45.7 g (17%) | 6.7 g (24%) |
| Yam, boiled or baked (170072) | 1 cup, cubes (136 g) | 158 | 37.4 g (14%) | 5.3 g (19%) |
| Cassava, raw (169985) | 1 cup (206 g) | 330 | 78.4 g (29%) | 3.7 g (13%) |
In USDA data, a cup of baked yellow plantain lists 57.5 grams of carbohydrate and the boiled green pea entry lists 25.0 grams per cup, with 8.8 grams of dietary fiber. Guides to cassava and taro cover those two roots in more detail.
Beans and lentils
Each row is one cup of beans or lentils boiled from dry, as USDA lists them. Our guide to types of beans covers more varieties.
| Bean or lentil (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate (% DV) | Dietary fiber (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils, boiled (172421) | 1 cup (198 g) | 230 | 39.9 g (14%) | 15.6 g (56%) |
| Beans, black, boiled (173735) | 1 cup (172 g) | 227 | 40.8 g (15%) | 15.0 g (53%) |
| Chickpeas, boiled (173757) | 1 cup (164 g) | 269 | 45.0 g (16%) | 12.5 g (45%) |
| Beans, pinto, boiled (175200) | 1 cup (171 g) | 245 | 44.8 g (16%) | 15.4 g (55%) |
| Beans, kidney, boiled (173740) | 1 cup (177 g) | 225 | 40.4 g (15%) | 11.3 g (40%) |
| Peas, split, boiled (172429) | 1 cup (196 g) | 231 | 41.4 g (15%) | 16.3 g (58%) |
In USDA data, the bean and lentil cups list 39.9 to 45.0 grams of carbohydrate, close to the cooked grain cups, but with more dietary fiber: split peas list 16.3 grams per cup and lentils 15.6 grams.
Where USDA lists a starch value
Total carbohydrate on a USDA entry includes starch, sugars and fiber, but SR Legacy reports starch itself for only some foods. The table shows every entry from the tables above that has a USDA starch value, per 100 grams. Entries such as cooked lentils, black beans and the long-grain white entry have no starch figure in this release, so they are not shown.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Starch | Carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (169704) | 100 g | 24.8 g | 25.6 g |
| Pasta, enriched, cooked (169737) | 100 g | 26.0 g | 30.9 g |
| Oats, regular and quick, cooked with water (173905) | 100 g | 11.6 g | 12.0 g |
| Quinoa, cooked (168917) | 100 g | 17.6 g | 21.3 g |
| Bread, white, commercially prepared (174924) | 100 g | 37.2 g | 49.4 g |
| Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared (172688) | 100 g | 28.7 g | 42.7 g |
| Potatoes, baked, flesh and skin (170093) | 100 g | 17.3 g | 21.1 g |
| Sweet potato, baked in skin (168483) | 100 g | 7.0 g | 20.7 g |
| Corn, sweet, yellow, boiled (169999) | 100 g | 7.2 g | 21.0 g |
| Plantains, yellow, baked (169131) | 100 g | 17.9 g | 41.4 g |
| Beans, pinto, boiled (175200) | 100 g | 15.2 g | 26.2 g |
In USDA data, starch is most of the carbohydrate in cooked long-grain brown, pasta, oats and baked potato. In USDA data, baked sweet potato and boiled sweet corn list far less starch, 7.0 and 7.2 grams per 100 grams, out of about 21 grams of carbohydrate.
Related guides
- Carbohydrate guides: refined carbs, high carb foods and low carb foods.
- Related groups: starchy vegetables, legumes, types of grains and types of rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vegetables do the Dietary Guidelines call starchy?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by USDA and HHS, give examples such as breadfruit, cassava, corn, jicama, plantains, white potatoes, taro, yam and yucca, and group the fresh green pea with them.
Do beans count as a vegetable or a protein food?
The Dietary Guidelines, published by USDA and HHS, say beans, peas and lentils may be thought of as either a vegetable or a protein food.
Does USDA list starch for every food?
No. In USDA SR Legacy, starch appears for some entries only; this release has no starch figure for the cooked lentil, black bean or chickpea entries, for example.
What Daily Value does FDA use for carbohydrate?
Under 21 CFR 101.9, FDA’s Daily Value for total carbohydrate is 275 grams and for dietary fiber 28 grams.
Are pulses the same as beans and lentils?
Yes. The Dietary Guidelines, published by USDA and HHS, say beans, peas and lentils also are known as pulses.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Natural Sweeteners List: USDA Values and FDA Wording, Starchy Vegetables: List, USDA Nutrition and Non-Starchy Swaps, Refined Carbs vs Whole Grains: Simple and Complex Carbs Explained, Potatoes: USDA Nutrition, Calories, Green Potatoes and Cooking Facts.