Resistant starch is a trendy topic these days. Many people have experimented with it and seen significant improvements in their bodies.
Resistant starch provides half the calories of regular starch, but it can feed the good microorganisms in your body. This is associated with several health benefits.
For example, increased insulin sensitivity, reduced appetite, and improved brain and immune systems.
Read on to find out what resistant starch is, what it is for, and how to add it to your diet.
What is resistant starch?
Starch is a type of carbohydrate found in grains, vegetables, and a large number of foods.
Most types of starch are digested. They are broken down into glucose in the small intestine, which is then used for energy.
When there is an excess of glucose, it is transformed into triglycerides or body fat. That is why starch is said to be fattening.
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion. It passes through the small intestine without being altered and is fermented in the large intestine.
There are several types of resistant starch. Their structure or source classifies them, and there may even be more than one type of resistant starch in a single food.
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How does it work?
Resistant starch works as a soluble, fermentable fiber. It passes through the stomach and small intestine without being digested.
As the fibers ferment, they act as prebiotics and feed the good bacteria in the gut.
The bacteria in your gut outnumber the cells in your body ten times. Scientists have found that the number and type of bacteria can profoundly impact your health. (3)
When good bacteria ferment, the production of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate increases. Butyrate is the preferred fuel for the cells that line your colon.
This could have benefits for the health of the colon but also improve the health of the brain and its defenses.
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What is resistant starch suitable for? – Profits
Many studies show that resistant starch can have powerful health benefits. (1,3,4,5)
Resistant starch is used to lower blood sugar levels after meals. This helps improve insulin resistance .
By improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar, resistant starch can help you avoid chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Resistant starch lowers the pH level, which positively affects inflammation and leads to changes that can reduce your risk of colon cancer.
Also, resistant starch affects appetite. Because it is not digested but mechanically fills the stomach, it allows a person to reduce cravings for eating. This can help you reach a healthy weight.
In animal studies, resistant starch has also increased mineral absorption. (5)
Although there is no formal recommendation for resistant starch intake, many of the studies that have proven its health benefits use an amount of 15 to 30 grams per day. (2.3)
The benefits of resistant starch are:
- Lower blood sugar levels
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- It May help control weight
- Lower risk of colon cancer
- Reduce inflammation
- Increase mineral absorption
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Where is it located? – Foods with resistant starch
Foods that contain resistant starch are most whole grains, legumes, and bananas.
Interestingly, the way you prepare foods that contain resistant starch affects their content. The temperature already destroys them.
However, you can “reclaim” the resistant starch content of some foods by letting them cool after cooking.
Foods that contain resistant starch:
- Plantains and green plantains (as a banana ripens, the resistant starch changes to regular starch)
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Whole grains – oats, barley, spelled, buckwheat
- Cooked and cooled rice
- Starchy vegetables – sweet potato, cassava, potatoes
ABSTRACT
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system and is digested in the large intestine.
This type of starch works like soluble fiber and has powerful health benefits. It increases the number of good microbes in the body, and because it does not alter blood sugar levels, it is helpful for people with diabetes.
