Whole Grain and Starch Box Count

Below are optional whole grain or starch serving sizes (box counts) for maintenance.

In total, limit your additional whole grain or starchy carbs to one box or serving at your 2nd Maintenance visit. After discussion with your clinician or health coach at Maintenance Visit 3, you may be allotted an additional whole grain or starch carb serving for a total, at that time, of up to two boxes per day.

If you have a lower carbohydrate tolerance, you may need to adjust to fewer.

One serving or “box” of whole grain/starch typically contains between 15 and 25 grams of carbohydrate.

We recommend eating these additional whole grain or starch carb boxes at dinner, rather than breakfast or lunch.

Whole Grains

• Whole grain bread (1 slice) 12 grams
• Rice (1/2 cup) 23 grams
• Oatmeal (1/2 cup) 27 grams
• Quinoa (1/2 cup) 19 grams
• Whole grain pasta (1/2 cup) 19 grams
• Wheat bulgur (1/2 cup) 17 grams
• Couscous (1/2 cup) 18 grams
• Popcorn (2 cups) 15 grams

Starches

• Baked potato, sweet or white (1/2) 19 grams
• Mashed potato (1/2 cup) 16 grams
• Corn (1/2 cup) 15 grams
• Corn (1 ear) 20 grams
• Yam (1/2) 21 grams
• Winter squash, acorn or butternut (1/2 cup) 16 grams
• Parsnips (1 cup) 24 grams

Please continue to avoid consumption of white flours, added sugars or liquid carbs (juice, soda, etc).