The Benefits of Resistant Starch and How to Get It
Americans are trying to eat healthier and overall, we're making modest strides toward that goal. About 93% of people say they want to eat healthy sometimes, while 63% say they try to eat healthy most of the time. From cutting back on dairy to loading up on plant foods, there are an incredible number of ways to do better by ourselves. Some of these ideas may seem surprising, but science backs them up. And when we find one which is both surprising and backed by science, we get really excited about being able to share that with you. This is one of those: One of the ways people are trying to eat healthier is to incorporate foods into their diet that contain resistant starch. And it looks really promising.
Resistant starches are carbohydrates that resist digestion. They pass through the small intestine unchanged and begin to ferment in the large intestine. While it doesn’t sound very healthy, it actually is. Consuming resistant starch increases good gut bacteria, improves glucose control and makes us feel fuller for longer. Let's look at how they work and how to get more of these important foods.
What Is Resistant Starch?
Most carbohydrates contain starches, which are long chains of glucose. Some starches, such as those found in refined flour products, cereal and white rice, are not necessarily good for you, according to the Cleveland Clinic. However, some starches, like resistant starches, can be very healthy when consumed in moderation.
What exactly makes a starch resistant? Starches that are not digested in the small intestine are considered resistant, meaning they are resistant to that first stage of digestion. These starches pass through the small intestine and arrive in the large intestine intact. Here, they begin to ferment, which, though it sounds gross, is actually where the benefits begin.
What is Resistant Starch?
Most of the sugars and starches we eat are broken down into glucose in the small intestine. This leads to a spike in blood sugar — not good if you're diabetic or prediabetic, insulin resistant, or just trying to maintain a level blood sugar. Resistant starches, on the other hand, do not raise blood sugar. Instead, they pass through to the large intestine and colon where their fermentation promotes good gut bacteria.
The Bacterial Benefits of Resistant Starch
Good bacteria help us to maintain glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity, alleviate constipation and other bowel issues, decrease cholesterol and lower your risk of colon cancer. People who consume resistant starches also report feeling fuller and experience less bloating and gas. Some even report losing weight. Many of the benefits are believed to come from the fermentation process which promotes the growth of good gut bacteria.
How Can You Consume More Resistant Starch?
There are at least four types of resistant starch. Most are found in the foods we eat or created during the food preparation process. They are as follows:
- Grains - Some grains —oats and barley, seeds, corn and legumes — have fibrous cell walls that contain resistant starch. White beans and lentils are some of the best sources of this type of resistant starch.
- Produce - Starchy produce can contain resistant starch. Examples of this include unripe bananas, plantains and raw potatoes.
- Cooking - Some foods, including potatoes and rice, create resistant starch when they are cooked and subsequently cooled.
- Human-Made - Other forms of resistant starch are human-made. Resistant starch is made through a chemical process and added to processed foods like bread and crackers.
There are several ways to harness these starches and incorporate them into a balanced daily diet. First, you can simply eat foods, such as an unripe banana, that contain resistant starch. But you can also get creative.
Cook rice and potatoes a day in advance and put them in the refrigerator overnight. The process of heating and cooling these two foods transforms their starches into resistant starch. And don't worry, you don't have to eat them cold for the benefits. When you reheat them in the microwave, they will still contain resistant starch.
Soften uncooked oats with milk and eat them raw. Use a partial flour replacement made with green bananas, plantains or potatoes for even more resistant starch.
With so many potential benefits to be gained, adding resistant starch to your diet could be a really smart move. What’s more, it doesn’t take a complete lifestyle overhaul to incorporate some of these ideas and reap a host of benefits. Like all changes in diet, make sure to introduce these foods slowly to see how your body reacts — and to ramp up slowly if you see unpleasant reactions. These changes may be good but the body may need to adjust to digestive changes more slowly than we might like, so give it some room. And, as always, don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
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