\u2013 Starch is a form of carbohydrate naturally found in many grains and vegetables, and is broken down by our body\u2019s enzymes into glucose, the basic building blocks for energy and metabolism. Resistant starch, on the other hand, is a type of starch that does not get broken down by our body\u2019s digestive enzymes.<\/p>\n
\u2013 It can lower the glycemic index of foods and increase satiety, help with modulating blood sugars and control the appetite.<\/p>\n
\u2013 It is also considered a form of prebiotics.<\/p>\n
\u2013 You can obtain resistant starch either from food or from supplements.<\/p>\n
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You are likely to have heard of the term \u2018starch\u2019, which refers to the form of carbohydrate that is naturally occurring in most foods, plants, and vegetables. However, you may not have heard of \u2018resistant starch\u2019 before. With gut health being increasingly in the spotlight for the maintenance of general health, the use of dietary modifications such as increasing intake of resistant starch has been touted as a possible avenue to improve the gut health of individuals.<\/p>\n
Why is this type of starch called \u2018resistant\u2019 and what makes them resistant? What are the health benefits and risks it may have on our human body? Where can we find resistant starch in our food and supplements? Read on to find out the 4 facts about resistant starch.<\/p>\n
1. What is resistant starch?<\/h3>\n
To understand the benefits that resistant starch can confer to our body, we first need to understand what exactly starch and resistant starch are.<\/p>\n
As mentioned above,\u00a0starch<\/strong>\u00a0is a form of carbohydrate naturally found in many grains and vegetables such as wheat and potatoes. Starch is broken down by our body\u2019s enzymes into glucose, which forms the basic building blocks for energy and metabolism.<\/p>\n Resistant starch<\/strong>, on the other hand, is a type of starch that does not get broken down by our body\u2019s digestive enzymes, and hence the term \u2018resistant\u2019 [1]. They are then passed to the large intestine largely unchanged, where the\u00a0gut microbiota<\/a>\u00a0will ferment them [2]. This\u00a0fermentation process<\/strong>\u00a0by the gut microbiota forms metabolites and by-products such as\u00a0gases<\/strong>\u00a0(carbon dioxide and methane), and\u00a0short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)<\/strong>\u00a0such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate [3].<\/p>\n Resistant starch can be generally classified into 4 types [4,5]:<\/p>\n \u2013 Type 1: physically inaccessible starch that is trapped in the fibrous cell wall It is found that resistant starch\u00a0lowers the glycemic index\u00a0<\/strong>of foods and\u00a0increase satiety<\/strong>\u00a0[6]. By lowering glycemic index, it causes a smaller rise in the blood sugars as compared to foods that are high in normal starch, such as white bread, rice, and baked potatoes [7]. This can help with modulating blood sugars and control the appetite, which may be able to prevent overeating.<\/p>\n As resistant starch does not get digested by our body\u2019s enzymes and travels through to the colon to be fermented by the gut microbiota, it is also considered a form of\u00a0prebiotics<\/strong><\/a>. Prebiotics are defined as \u2018a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit\u2019 by the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) [8].<\/p>\n The fermentation of resistant starch by the gut microbiota produces SCFAs such as butyrate, which is the main source of energy for the cells in your colon [9]. It also has\u00a0anti-inflammatory<\/strong>\u00a0properties, which may be able to alleviate symptoms of diseases such as\u00a0inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Resistant starch has also been shown to be very effective in\u00a0improving insulin sensitivity<\/strong>\u00a0[10] and controlling\u00a0blood sugar levels<\/a>\u00a0[11]. Having lower insulin sensitivity has been associated with an increased risk of\u00a0type 2 diabetes<\/strong>\u00a0and several\u00a0cardiovascular diseases<\/strong>\u00a0as well. Through the modulation of insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, resistant starch may be helpful in controlling your risk of developing such cardiovascular diseases.<\/p>\n As resistant starch has very similar functions as\u00a0dietary fiber<\/strong>, it generally has minimal risks. However, eating an excessive level of resistant starch may contribute to you feeling\u00a0bloated<\/strong>, as well as the\u00a0formation of gas<\/strong>\u00a0due to the fermentation by the gut microbiota.<\/p>\n Moreover, the effects of resistant starch are likely to differ from between individuals. This is due to the varying type and levels of everyone\u2019s gut microbiota, which will lead to differing levels of fermentation of the resistant starch. Nonetheless, resistant starch, much like dietary fiber, is\u00a0generally safe<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0well-tolerated<\/strong>\u00a0by most people.<\/p>\n There are 2 main ways of obtaining your resistant starch: either by your\u00a0foods<\/strong>\u00a0or via\u00a0supplementation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Foods that are high in resistant starch include:<\/p>\n \u2013 Potatoes (both raw and potatoes that are cooked and cooled) Otherwise, supplements such as Advagen Prebiotic<\/strong>\u00a0contains resistant maltodextrin [12]. Resistant maltodextrin is a form of resistant starch, which is also fermented in the colon to form SCFAs [13]. It also helps to maintain both blood sugar and lipid levels, promoting satiety and hence lowers food intake [13].<\/p>\n Resistant starch is a type of starch that is not broken down and absorbed by the body, and thus does not increase blood sugar levels unlike your regular starch. They are instead converted to SCFAs by the gut microbiota, which produces a range of benefits both within the intestinal system and outside of it. These benefits include modulation of blood sugar and\u00a0lipid levels<\/a>\u00a0and may even lead to reduce inflammation and risks of cardiovascular diseases.<\/p>\n Key Points: \u2013 Starch is a form of carbohydrate naturally found in many grains and vegetables, and is broken down by our body\u2019s enzymes into glucose, the basic building blocks for energy and metabolism. Resistant starch, on the other hand, is a type of starch that does not get broken down by our body\u2019s digestive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2013 Type 2: resistant granules, generally found in foods that are raw (e.g., unripe bananas)
\n\u2013 Type 3: retrograded starch, this type occurs when starch is cooked and then cooled
\n\u2013 Type 4: chemically modified starch<\/p>\n2. Benefits of resistant starch<\/h3>\n
3. Are there side effects from resistant starch?<\/h3>\n
4. Where can you get resistant starch from?<\/h3>\n
\n\u2013 Green (unripe) bananas
\n\u2013 Legumes
\n\u2013 Rice (cooked and cooled)
\n\u2013 Oats and barley<\/p>\nConclusion<\/h3>\n
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