The next step on my healthy journey is reducing the amount of starchy foods I consume. My dietician has advised this as part of a health plan to see if starch is causing my gastrointestinal issues, like stomach cramps and bloating. This is a big change for me as it means no traditional pasta for me while on the trial and giving up basmati, jasmine, and other white rice for the time being. Giving up bread and cereals will also significantly change my diet.

While on this health plan, I can eat quinoa, brown rice, rolled oats, 100% buckwheat noodles (wheat-free), and a few other tolerable carbs. I started off by buying Tri Colour Quinoa, which is such a versatile grain and full of nutrients. I love quinoa because I can make up a batch to use in both hot meals and salads. It’s easy to make and very filling. I also tried the red quinoa, which is also delicious and very easy to cook.

For the first week, I limited myself to eating oats for breakfast and quinoa for lunch or dinner as I was getting used to having limited starch. Then, I progressed to eating brown rice and using zucchini chopped up into strips as an alternative to noodles or pasta.

I tried Soba buckwheat noodles in a few meals, for both salads and hot meals; however, I was not diligent in checking the food label and soon realised that it has more wheat flour than buckwheat flour in it, so I didn’t eat this particular produce I was purchasing in meals again while on the trial as it would be too much starch. My dietician has advised that you can get wheat-free buckwheat noodles, but trying to find 100% buckwheat noodles to purchase has been a process. I will source some soon, though, as I enjoyed the buckwheat noodle meals I could make with them and find that they are very versatile and filling.

Being without pasta soon left me without my favourite meal. However, I found a substitute for traditional wheat pasta in pulse pasta. The lentil pasta is delicious, mixed with vegetables and topped with parmesan, feta cheese, pesto, or olive oil. Eating lentil pasta doesn’t require much of it to feel satisfied with the meal, and I can reduce the portion size of pasta compared to vegetables.

The most challenging part of a reduced-sugar and starch diet is finding food outside the home that can be eaten, like in restaurants or cafes. However, it is possible to find suitable food with some quick thinking or planning if you know where you are going in advance. In my next post, I’ll talk more about my experience eating out.