Learning about the Food Groups:

Starch Foods - These foods include whole grain breads, buns, spaghetti, crackers, rice, cereal, dried beans and lentils, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn.
The main nutrient of the Starch group is carbohydrate. These foods are rich in carbohydrate. One serving provides 15 grams of carbohydrate or the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of sugar. Examples of 1 serving include: 1 slice of bread, one-half cup of potato or pasta, or 3 cups of popped popcorn.

It is recommended that whole grains and flours be chosen more often, as this will increase dietary fiber. These foods will often have a low Glycemic Index (link). Try choosing foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, try adding barley to soups or try a wild rice casserole.

The recommended amount of starch foods to eat each day is 6 or more servings a day. Many people find that they really need to pay attention to the portion sizes and number of servings they eat from the starch foods group, as it really is a large contributor to a person’s carbohydrate intake. You can figure out what works best for you by testing your blood glucose level after your meals.

Green Vegetables -This group includes green vegetables such as romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, as well as crunchy vegetables such as cabbage, celery, cauliflower, asparagus, radish, string beans, onions and mushrooms.
These vegetables give you small amounts of carbohydrate, which will not affect your blood glucose if taken in moderate portions. These also contain a lot of water, vitamins and minerals, and fiber. One serving is 1 cup salad, ½ cup broccoli, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, radishes, mushrooms, and yellow beans. Eat your veggies!
It is recommended that you eat 3 to 6 servings of vegetables each day.

Fruit and Sweet Vegetables - This includes all fruits and juices and sweet vegetables such as peas, carrots, parsnip, beets, turnip, and tomato sauce.
This group also contains carbohydrate, and one serving will give you 10 grams of carbohydrate or the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Examples of one serving include: ½ cup raw fruit, ½ cup cooked peas, ½ small banana, ½ large pear, 1 cup tomato juice, ½ cup orange juice, 1/3 cup apple juice.
The portion size of this group is very important for blood glucose control. Recommended servings are 3 to 4 per day.

Milk Products -This group includes milk and yogurt. The main nutrient of this group is carbohydrate, but milk also contains protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. One serving provides 12 grams of carbohydrate or 2 ½ teaspoons of sugar.

One serving of milk products is 1 cup milk, ½ cup evaporated milk, 4 tablespoons powdered milk, or ¾ cup plain or artificially sweetened yogurt. Skim milk has about the same carbohydrate as whole milk, but it is recommended that people with diabetes consume lower fat milk. Try skim or 1 percent milk.

It is recommended that a person take in 2 to 4 servings per day from the Milk Products group.

Protein Foods - This group includes all meats, fish, poultry, eggs, as well as peanut butter, cottage cheese, and hard cheese. The main nutrients of this group are protein and fat. They contain little carbohydrate. One serving size of meat is the size of the palm of your hand. Other serving sizes include: 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter, ½ cup cottage cheese, or 2 ounces of hard cheese (try to eat cheese with less than 20% milk fat). Try to have 2 – 3 servings per day at meal times.

Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol - This group includes foods rich in fat and carbohydrate, and are considered to be foods to limit.